The establishment of the Workplace Relations Commission in October 2015 has
presented Irish employers with a new set of considerations and has forced both
employees and employers to review the way they deal with employment claims.
In a recent Shannon Chamber briefing on the Commissionâs progress since its
establishment, managing director of Adare Human Resource Management,
Derek McKay, advised Chamber member companies on the policies and procedures
they now need to put in place to negate future claims.
âAlmost a year post its initiation, the Commission has significantly changed the way
employers and HR practitioners manage claims,â he stated.
âWe have witnessed improved turnaround time of claims under the new system as well
as seeing WRC working through its teething problems.
Commenting on the fact that the employment landscape continues to change with
evolving case law and changing legislation, Mr McKay referred to the recently legislated
Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016, which applies to all employees who are relevant
parents to a child (other than the mother).
âA relevant parent is entitled to avail of 2 weeks paternity leave from employment, to
enable him or her to provide or assist in the provision of care to the child or to provide
support to the relevant adopting parent or mother of the child. The period of leave
comprises a single period of 2 continuous weeks. Only one person who is a relevant
parent in relation to a child is entitled to paternity leave in respect of that child. Where a
child is part of a multiple birth, or a person adopts 2 or more children at the same time,
the relevant parent is only entitled to one period of paternity leave,â Mr McKay stated.
A âPaternity Leave Template Policyâ is provided below.
paternity-leave-template-policy1