Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 May 2014
337. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if a person working 15 hours per week while in receipt of carer's leave-benefit is entitled to payment for public holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22552/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Section 13(3) of the Carer’s Leave Act 2001, during an absence on carer’s leave, an employee can benefit from public holiday entitlements for the first 13 weeks of the leave. This entitlement is not conditional on the employee having worked during those 13 weeks.
After the 13-week period referred to in Section 13(3) of the Carer’s Leave Act, the general rules regarding public holidays, set out in Sections 21 and 22 of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, apply to employees on Carer’s Leave. Section 21(4) of the 1997 Act provides that a part-time employee must have worked at least 40 hours for their employer during the 5-week period ending on the day before the public holiday to qualify for the public holiday entitlement.
Public holiday entitlement can take the form of whichever of the following the employer determines:
(a) A paid day off on the public holiday (if the public holiday falls on a day that the employee normally works)
(b) A paid day off within a month of that day
(c) An additional day of annual leave
(d) An additional day’s pay
Calculation of pay for public holiday entitlement is determined by S.I. No. 475/1997 – Organisation of Working Time (Determination of Pay for Holidays) Regulations 1997.
