Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2017
685. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will introduce legislation in order that new employees that are paid monthly do not have to wait five weeks for their first payment of wages or salaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5586/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Payment of Wages Act 1991 protects employees in relation to the payment of wages and salaries. It regulates modes of payment (e.g. by cheque or electronic fund transfer) as well as what deductions from wages can be made. Under this Act, employers must also provide a payslip showing gross pay and the relevant deductions.
However, payment intervals are not regulated. This matter is essentially a matter of contract between an employer and an employee. As this issue has not been one of contention, I have no plans to regulate it.
The Terms of Employment Information Act 1994 (as amended), (the 1994 Act), provides that an employer must provide an employee with a written statement of certain particulars of the terms of employment, including “the length of the intervals between the times at which remuneration is paid, whether a week, a month or any other interval”.
I am reviewing certain aspects of the 1994 Act in the context of bringing forward proposals in response to the commitment in the Programme for Government to tackle problems caused by the increased casualisation of work and to strengthen the regulation of precarious work. The policy response, which is being informed by the University of Limerick study on zero hour contracts and low hour contracts and the public consultation on the study, will seek to ensure that employees are better informed about the nature of their employment arrangements and their core terms at an early stage in their employment. In this respect, my Department is currently engaged in a dialogue process with ICTU and Ibec with a view to securing broad agreement before proposals are finalised. This work is nearing conclusion. The intention is to bring proposals to Government in Q1 2017.
