Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
140. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the redundancy protections in place for women who have had to cut back on their hours or take leave during the Covid-19 pandemic to manage unpaid domestic, childcare and homeschooling demands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13896/21]
View answerFrom the outset of Covid-19, many employers have taken the initiative, in line with subsequent requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff time off to look after their children who are not attending school or crèche. Some of the options to be considered for workers with caring responsibilities may include -
- Allowing employees to work from home,
- Altering shifts, so that employees can coordinate caring between themselves and partners, or another person,
- Allowing employees to rearrange holidays,
- Allowing employees to rearrange parental leave,
- Allowing employees to take paid time off that can be worked back at a later time.
I would encourage any employees affected by the lack of childcare to engage with their employer in the first instance to explore all options available to enable them to continue working. I would encourage employers to be as flexible and supportive as possible with a view to maintaining good employment relationships over the long term.
The existing provisions of the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 continue to apply to employees. A week, or any part of a week, where an employee is actually at work is considered to be reckonable service for the purposes of calculating a redundancy payment. Various types of leave, such as annual leave or parental leave, are also allowable as reckonable service.
Finally the Workplace Relations Commission provides information to employees on employment, equality and industrial relations rights and obligations, and can be contacted at Lo-call 1890 80 80 90 or via its website www.workplacerelations.ie.
