Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
47. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will take steps to address claims that retail workers are being docked pay or required to stay back late to account for time taken to receive a Covid-19 vaccine during a work shift; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40984/21]
View answerCOVID-19 vaccinations are an extremely important public health measure in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in the community and in workplaces.
I would encourage workers to engage with their employer in the first instance once they are assigned a vaccination appointment to explore all options available to enable them to receive the vaccination should it fall during working time. I would also encourage all employers to be as flexible and supportive as possible with a view to maintaining good employment relationships over the long term.
While there is no provision under occupational safety and health legislation to obligate employers to give employees time-off to avail of COVID-19 vaccinations, employers should bear in mind that in offering employees time off to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations they are, in fact, ensuring that the greatest level of workplace safety against COVID-19 can be maintained in their business. Facilitating workers to avail of COVID-19 vaccination appointments will greatly assist in the recovery of individual businesses and of the wider economy.
Statutory and contractual employment terms apply in relation to the payment of wages. The Payment of Wages Act 1991 regulates how wages and salaries are paid and what deductions may be made from same. Under this Act, an employer is not permitted to make deductions from an employee's wages unless the deduction is authorised under the contract of employment, required by statute or is made with the prior written consent of the employee. Failure to pay all or part of the wages due to an employee is considered an unlawful deduction and a complaint can be made under the Payment of Wages Act, 1991 to the Workplace Relations Commission. Complaints should be made using the online complaint form available on workplacerelations.ie.
