“Lower paid workers who cannot afford to miss work when sick stand to benefit the most from this increase.”
The Irish Government has announced that employees’ entitlement to paid sick leave will increase from three to five days on 1 January 2024.
This is line with the Government’s previous commitment to gradually increase the number of paid sick leave days until 2026, at which point the entitlement will reach 10 days.
On the imminent changes, Neale Richmond – Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail – said in a statement:
“We do not want workers to feel that they must attend work when they are sick due to financial fears. Paid sick leave is an important workers’ right which provides protection to employees who are genuinely unable to work due to ill health or injury.
“Lower paid workers who cannot afford to miss work when sick stand to benefit the most from this increase to five days paid sick leave.
“The move to five days sick leave is the second stage of our four-year plan which will see employer-paid sick leave rise to 10 days in 2026.
“This gradual increase in paid sick leave gives employers time to adjust and to plan for its introduction, but also gives workers certainty about their own rights.”
Minister @nealerichmond today announced that the entitlement to paid sick leave will increase from 3 to 5 days on the 1st January 2024. This is in line with the Government commitment to gradually increase the entitlement until 2026, when it will reach 10 days.
Paid sick leave… pic.twitter.com/dNd95ktbfG
— Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (@DeptEnterprise) November 17, 2023
Number of paid sick leave days will increase from January 2024
Paid sick leave aims to ensure that all employees are entitled to a minimum level of financial compensation if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
Workers will be eligible to up to five days of sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross earning, up to a cap of €110.
Once an employee has completed the 13 weeks service requirement for an employer, they will be entitled to the five days’ statutory leave.
Statutory sick leave is only payable upon the submission of a valid medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner, with the onus on employers to ensure internal control mechanisms are in place to prevent fraudulent claims.
Any unused sick leave expires at the end of a calendar year. Once a worker has exhausted their entitlement to the employer-paid leave, they should move onto illness benefit, if eligible.
The Government says these increases in the number of sick leave days are primarily intended to provide sick pay coverage to those employees, often in low-paid and precarious roles, who do not have access to a company sick leave scheme.
However, those who have more favourable sick pay from their employers will not be impacted as the new scheme provides a minimum level of protection for workers.
The Government also announced that the Increased Cost of Business Scheme, which was announced in Budget 2024 last month, will provide direct financial support to small businesses who are most impacted by the increased costs.
For more information on the changes, visit the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s website right here.
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