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 Commission’s 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.

“Almost a year post its initiation, the Commission has significantly changed the way

employers and HR practitioners manage claims,” he stated.

“We 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).

“A 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,” Mr McKay stated.

A ‘Paternity Leave Template Policy’ is provided below.

paternity-leave-template-policy1