Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
911. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the provisions she will introduce to ensure that financially viable and profitable companies will be prevented from reducing their workforce or changing the terms and conditions of persons that were employees of such companies prior to the Covid-19 crisis when such companies return to normal operations at the end of the Covid-19 crisis. [7153/20]
View answerThe Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 provides that an employer must provide its employee with a written statement of the particulars of the employee’s terms of employment. It also provides that an employer must notify the employee of any changes in the particulars given in the statement. The Act provides a right of complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission where an employer fails to comply with either of the above.
While an employer may renegotiate the terms and conditions of the contract of employment with an employee, it may not reduce any term of condition to a level lower than statutory entitlement. It is best practice that any such renegotiation should be undertaken in consultation with the affected employee, and taking a long-term view of the employment relationship.
Where an individual is made redundant under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, they can refer a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission should they feel they have been unfairly selected for redundancy. An adjudicator will review the case-specific facts surrounding the redundancy before arriving at their decision.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
