Employment Rights

Overview

All employees in Ireland have a range of different rights - from contract of employment, working hours, wages, breaks, holidays, leave; to work related disputes & legal supports.

There are various bodies that provide information, guidance, support and legal advice to all employees in Ireland. For more information, please use the links below.

Workplace Relations Commission

The WRC is an independent, statutory body with the below responsibilities:

promoting the improvement of workplace relations, and maintenance of good workplace relations,
promoting and encouraging compliance with relevant enactments,
providing guidance in relation to compliance with codes of practice approved under Section 20 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015,
conducting reviews of, and monitor developments as respects, workplace relations,
conducting or commissioning research into matters pertaining to workplace relations,
providing advice, information and the findings of research conducted by the Commission to joint labour committees and joint industrial councils,
advising and appraising the Minister in relation to the application of, and compliance with, relevant enactments, and
providing information to members of the public in relation to employment

For more information, visit the Workplace Relations Commission website.

Citizens Information Board

The Citizens Information Board is a statutory body which supports the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a broad range of public and social services, including employment rights. For more information or to make contact with them, please visit the Citizens Information Board website

Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC)

FLAC is an independent voluntary organisation, whose aim is to promote equal access to justice for everybody, using these approaches:

Advice & Information
Analysis
Advocacy

For more information or to get in touch, visit the FLAC website.

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC)

For more information, please visit the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission or download the IHREC Guidelines on Applications for Legal Assistance.

What can the Your Rights Information Service do?

The Your Rights Information Service provides members of the public with information about their rights under equality and human rights law in Ireland.

The service provides options to members of the public if they believe they have experienced discrimination, or if their rights are breached, so that they can vindicate their own rights. This information provided includes information on state law, legal processes and procedure.

Based on the nature of a person’s query, the service can also signpost or provide information about other organisations and resources that may be of assistance.

What the Your Rights Information Service cannot do?

The service is restricted to the provision of legal information. That means it cannot apply the law to individual circumstances or explain to members of the public what they should do next. The service cannot provide legal advice or offer guidance, comments or opinions on the specific issues raised.

How to find the Your Rights Information Service?

Members of the public can use or may contact the Your Rights Information Service as follows:

The Your Rights website is an easy-to-use accessible website which can sets out what the law states and the processes involved. For example, see the YR video on “How you bring a case to the Workplace Relations Commission under the Employment Equality Acts and the Equal Status Acts”

Phone: 01 858 3000
Email: YourRights@ihrec.ie
Post: Your Rights, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7.

Please note there is no in-person/appointment/walk-in service.

Community Law & Mediation

Community Law & Mediation is an independent community law centre providing free legal advice, advocacy, mediation and education services. Find out more and book an appointment here.