The government has announced that starting from 1 January 2024, the entitlement to paid sick leave will increase from three to five days, reports RTE.
This is the second stage of a four-year plan which will see employer-paid sick leave gradually rise to ten days in 2026.
The main objective of this plan is to ensure that every employee receives a minimum level of financial compensation in case they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
From next year, employees will be eligible for up to five days of sick leave in a year, which will be paid at 70% of gross earnings, up to a maximum of €110, reports RTE.
The primary aim of this policy is to provide sick pay coverage to those employees, particularly those in low-paid and precarious jobs, who don’t have access to a company sick leave scheme.
It’s important to note that this scheme is intended to offer a basic level of protection, and it doesn’t interfere with existing sick pay schemes that may be more favourable.
“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,” said Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Neale Richmond, reports RTE.
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