Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997

Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1997 Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Revised Act Acht Athbh… Open PDFOscail PDF Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 20 of 1997 ORGANISATION OF WORKING TIME ACT, 1997 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS PART I Preliminary and General Section 1. Short title and commencement. 2. Interpretation. 3. Non-application of Act or provisions thereof. 4. Exemptions. 5. Employer relieved from complying with certain provisions in certain circumstances. 6. Compensatory rest periods. 7. Regulations and orders. 8. Inspectors. 9. Repeals. 10. Expenses. PART II Minimum Rest Periods and other matters relating to Working Time 11. Daily rest period. 12. Rests and intervals at work. 13. Weekly rest periods. 14. Sunday work: supplemental provisions. 15. Weekly working hours. 16. Nightly working hours. 17. Provision of information in relation to working time. 18. Provision in relation to zero hours working practices. PART III Holidays 19. Entitlement to annual leave. 20. Times and pay for annual leave. 21. Entitlement in respect of public holidays. 22. Public holidays: supplemental provisions. 23. Compensation on cesser of employment. PART IV Miscellaneous 24. Approval of collective agreements by Labour Court. 25. Records. 26. Refusal by an employee to co-operate with employer in breaching Act. 27. Complaints to rights commissioner. 28. Appeals from and enforcement of recommendations of rights commissioner. 29. Enforcement of determinations of Labour Court. 30. Evidence of failure to attend before or give evidence or produce documents to Labour Court. 31. References to rights commissioner by Minister. 32. Provisions in relation to outworkers who are employees. 33. Prohibition on double employment. 34. Penalties, proceedings, etc. 35. Codes of practice. 36. Provisions in relation to Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996. 37. Voidance of certain provisions. 38. Amendment of section 51 of Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989. 39. Powers of rights commissioner, Employment Appeals Tribunal or Labour Court in certain cases. 40. Alternative means of claiming relief in cases of non-compliance with Part III. 41. Increase of penalties under certain enactments. FIRST SCHEDULE Transitional Provisions in relation to Annual Leave Entitlements SECOND SCHEDULE Public Holidays THIRD SCHEDULE Entitlement under section 21 in respect of Public Holidays: Exceptions FOURTH SCHEDULE Enactments Repealed FIFTH SCHEDULE Transitional Provisions in relation to section 15 (1) SIXTH SCHEDULE Text of Council Directive Acts Referred to Adoptive Leave Act, 1995 1995, No. 2 Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 1956, No. 46 Conditions of Employment Act, 1936 1936, No. 2 Conditions of Employment Act, 1944 1944, No. 12 Courts Act, 1981 1981, No. 11 Dangerous Substances Act, 1972 1972, No. 10 Employment Agency Act, 1971 1971, No. 27 Holidays (Employees) Acts, 1973 and 1991 Industrial Relations Act, 1946 1946, No. 26 Industrial Relations Act, 1990 1990, No. 19 Local Government Act, 1941 1941, No. 23 Maternity Protection Act, 1994 1994, No. 34 Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 to 1991 Night Work (Bakeries) Act, 1936 1936, No. 42 Night Work (Bakeries) (Amendment) Act, 1981 1981, No. 6 Payment of Wages Act, 1991 1991, No. 25 Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851 1851, c.93 Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Acts, 1984 to 1991 Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 1996, No. 16 Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1991 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 1989, No. 7 Safety, Health and Welfare (Offshore Installations) Act, 1987 1987, No. 18 Shops (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1938 1938, No. 4 Shops (Conditions of Employment) (Amendment) Act, 1942 1942, No. 2 Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 1993, No. 27 Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994 1994, No. 5 Trade Union Act, 1941 1941, No. 22 Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977 to 1993 Worker Protection (Regular Part-Time Employees) Act, 1991 1991, No. 5 Number 20 of 1997 ORGANISATION OF WORKING TIME ACT, 1997 AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTIVE 93/104/EC OF 23 NOVEMBER 1993 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES CONCERNING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF WORKING TIME, TO MAKE PROVISION OTHERWISE IN RELATION TO THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF EMPLOYEES AND THE PROTECTION OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES, TO AMEND CERTAIN ENACTMENTS RELATING TO EMPLOYEES, TO REPEAL THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ACTS, 1936 AND 1944, THE HOLIDAYS (EMPLOYEES) ACTS, 1973 AND 1991, AND CERTAIN OTHER ENACTMENTS AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [7th May, 1997] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS: PART I Preliminary and General Short title and commencement. 1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997. (2) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as, by order or orders made by the Minister, may be fixed therefor, either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so fixed for different purposes and different provisions. Interpretation. 2.—(1) In this Act— “annual leave” shall be construed in accordance with section 19 ; “collective agreement” means an agreement by or on behalf of an employer on the one hand, and by or on behalf of a body or bodies representative of the employees to whom the agreement relates on the other hand; “contract of employment” means— (a) a contract of service or apprenticeship, and (b) any other contract whereby an individual agrees with another person, who is carrying on the business of an employment agency within the meaning of the Employment Agency Act, 1971 , and is acting in the course of that business, to do or perform personally any work or service for a third person (whether or not the third person is a party to the contract), whether the contract is express or implied and if express, whether it is oral or in writing; “the Council Directive” means Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organization of working time(1) , the text of which (other than the second sentence of Article 5) is, for convenience of reference, set out in the Sixth Schedule; “employee” means a person of any age, who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, entered into or worked under) a contract of employment and references, in relation to an employer, to an employee shall be construed as references to an employee employed by that employer; and for the purposes of this Act, a person holding office under, or in the service of, the State (including a civil servant within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 ) shall be deemed to be an employee employed by the State or Government, as the case may be, and an officer or servant of a local authority for the purposes of the Local Government Act, 1941 , or of a harbour authority, health board or vocational education committee shall be deemed to be an employee employed by the authority, board or committee, as the case may be; “employer” means in relation to an employee, the person with whom the employee has entered into or for whom the employee works under (or, where the employment has ceased, entered into or worked under) a contract of employment, subject to the qualification that the person who under a contract of employment referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “contract of employment” is liable to pay the wages of the individual concerned in respect of the work or service concerned shall be deemed to be the individual's employer; “employment regulation order” means an order under section 48 of the Industrial Relations Act, 1990 ; “lay-off” has the meaning assigned to it by the Redundancy Payments Act, 1967 ; “leave year” means a year beginning on any 1st day of April; “the Minister” means the Minister for Enterprise and Employment; “outworker” means an employee who is employed under a contract of service to do work for his or her employer in the employee's own home or in some other place not under the control or management of the employer, being work that consists of the making of a product or the provision of a service specified by the employer; “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under this Act; “public holiday” shall be construed in accordance with the Second Schedule ; “registered employment agreement” has the meaning assigned to it by section 25 of the Industrial Relations Act, 1946 ; “rest period” means any time that is not working time; “short-time” has the meaning assigned to it by the Redundancy Payments Act, 1967 ; “working time” means any time that the employee is— (a) at his or her place of work or at his or her employer's disposal, and (b) carrying on or performing the activities or duties of his or her work, and “work” shall be construed accordingly. (2) A word or expression that is used in this Act and is also used in the Council Directive has, unless the contrary intention appears, the meaning in this Act that it has in the Council Directive. (3) In this Act— (a) a reference to a Part, section or Schedule is a reference to a Part or section of, or a Schedule to, this Act unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended, (b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended, (c) a reference to any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended by or under any subsequent enactment (including this Act). Non-application of Act or provisions thereof. 3.—(1) Subject to subsection (4), this Act shall not apply to a member of the Garda Síochána or the Defence Forces. (2) Subject to subsection (4), Part II shall not apply to— (a) a person engaged in— (i) sea fishing, (ii) other work at sea, or (iii) the activities of a doctor in training, (b) a person— (i) who is employed by a relative and is a member of that relative's household, and (ii) whose place of employment is a private dwelling house or a farm in or on which he or she and the relative reside, or (c) a person the duration of whose working time (saving any minimum period of such time that is stipulated by the employer) is determined by himself or herself, whether or not provision for the making of such determination by that person is made by his or her contract of employment. (3) The Minister may, after consultation with any other Minister of the Government who, in the opinion of the Minister, might be concerned with the matter, by regulations exempt from the application of a specified provision or provisions of this Act persons employed in any specified class or classes of activity— (a) involving or connected with the transport (by whatever means) of goods or persons, or (b) in the civil protection services where, in the opinion of the Minister and any other Minister of the Government in whom functions stand vested in relation to the service concerned, the inherent nature of the activity is such that, if the provision concerned were to apply to the said person, the efficient operation of the service concerned would be adversely affected. (4) The Minister may, after consultation with any other Minister of the Government who, in the opinion of the Minister, might be concerned with the matter, by order provide that a specified provision or provisions of this Act or, as the case may be, of Part II shall apply to a specified class or classes of person referred to in subsection (1) or (2) and for so long as such an order remains in force the said provision or provisions shall be construed and have effect in accordance with the order. (5) The reference in subsection (4) to an order in force shall, as respects such an order that is amended by an order in force under section 7 (4), be construed as a reference to the first-mentioned order as so amended. (6) In this section “relative”, in relation to a person, means his or her spouse, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, step-father, step-mother, son, daughter, grandson, grand-daughter, step-son, step-daughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister. Exemptions. 4.—(1) Without prejudice to section 6 , section 11 or 13 or, as appropriate, both these sections shall not apply, as respects a person employed in shift work, each time he or she changes shift and cannot avail himself or herself of the rest period referred to in section 11 or 13 or, as the case may be, both those sections. (2) Without prejudice to section 6 , sections 11 and 13 shall not apply to a person employed in an activity (other than such activity as may be prescribed) consisting of periods of work spread out over the day. (3) Subject to subsection (4), the Minister may by regulations exempt from the application of section 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 or 17 any activity referred to in paragraph 2, point 2.1. of Article 17 of the Council Directive, or any specified class or classes of such activity, and regulations under this subsection may, without prejudice to section 6 , provide that any such exemption shall not have effect save to the extent that specified conditions are complied with. (4) Where the Minister proposes to make regulations under subsection (3), the Minister shall consult with such persons as he or she considers to be representative of the employers and employees who, in the opinion of the Minister, are likely to be affected by the proposed regulations. (5) Without prejudice to section 6 , if— (a) a collective agreement that for the time being stands approved of by the Labour Court under section 24 , or (b) a registered employment agreement, provides that section 11 , 12 or 13 shall not apply in relation to the employees to whom the agreement for the time being has effect, or a specified class or classes of such employees, section 11 , 12 or 13 , as the case may be, shall not apply in relation to those employees or the said class or classes of such employees. (6) Without prejudice to section 6 , an employment regulation order may include one or more provisions providing that section 11 , 12 or 13 shall not apply in relation to the employees to whom the order relates or a specified class or classes of such employees. Employer relieved from complying with certain provisions in certain circumstances. 5.—Without prejudice to section 6 , an employer shall not be obliged to comply with section 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 or 17 where due to exceptional circumstances or an emergency (including an accident or the imminent risk of an accident), the consequences of which could not have been avoided despite the exercise of all due care, or otherwise to the occurrence of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the employer's control, it would not be practicable for the employer to comply with the section concerned. Compensatory rest periods. 6.—(1) Any regulations, collective agreement, registered employment agreement or employment regulation order referred to in section 4 that exempt any activity from the application of section 11 , 12 or 13 or provide that any of these sections shall not apply in relation to an employee shall include a provision requiring the employer concerned to ensure that the employee concerned has available to himself or herself such rest period or break as the provision specifies to be equivalent to the rest period or break, as the case may be, provided for by section 11 , 12 or 13 . (2) Where by reason of the operation of subsection (1) or (2) of section 4 , or section 5 , an employee is not entitled to the rest period or break referred to in section 11 , 12 , or 13 the employer concerned shall— (a) ensure that the employee has available to himself or herself a rest period or break, as the case may be, that, in all the circumstances, can reasonably be regarded as equivalent to the first-mentioned rest period or break, or (b) if for reasons that can be objectively justified, it is not possible for the employer to ensure that the employee has available to himself or herself such an equivalent rest period or break, otherwise make such arrangements as respects the employee's conditions of employment as will compensate the employee in consequence of the operation of subsection (1) or (2) of section 4 , or section 5 . (3) The reference in subsection (2) (b) to the making of arrangements as respects an employee's conditions of employment does not include a reference to— (a) the granting of monetary compensation to the employee, or (b) the provision of any other material benefit to the employee, other than the provision of such a benefit as will improve the physical conditions under which the employee works or the amenities or services available to the employee while he or she is at work. Regulations and orders. 7.—(1) The Minister may make regulations prescribing any matter or thing which is referred to in this Act as prescribed or to be prescribed or for the purpose of enabling any provision of this Act to have full effect. (2) Regulations under this Act may make different provisions in relation to different classes of employees or employers, different areas or otherwise by reference to the different circumstances of the matter. (3) A regulation or order under this Act may contain such incidental, supplementary and consequential provisions as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient. (4) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order under this Act (other than an order under section 1 (2) but including an order under this subsection). (5) A regulation or order under this Act (other than an order under section 1 (2)) shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling that regulation or order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulation or order is laid before it, the regulation or order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder. Inspectors. 8.—(1) In this section “inspector” means a person appointed under subsection (2). (2) The Minister may appoint in writing such and so many persons as the Minister sees fit to be inspectors for the purposes of this Act. (3) An inspector may for the purposes of this Act do all or any of the following things— (a) subject to the provisions of this section, enter at all reasonable times any premises or place where he or she has reasonable grounds for supposing that any employee is employed in work or from which he or she has reasonable grounds for supposing the activities that an employee is employed to carry on are directed or controlled (whether generally or as respects particular matters), (b) make such examination or enquiry as may be necessary for ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act are complied with in respect of any employee employed in any such premises or place or any employee the activities aforesaid of whom are directed or controlled from any such premises or place, (c) require the employer of any employee or the representative of such employer to produce to him or her any records which such employer is required to keep and inspect and take copies of entries in such records (including in the case of information in a non-legible form a copy of or an extract from such information in a permanent legible form), (d) require any person whom he or she has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an employee or the employer of any employee to furnish such information as the inspector may reasonably request, (e) examine with regard to any matters under this Act any person whom he or she has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an employer or employee and require him or her to answer such questions (other than questions tending to incriminate him or her) as the inspector may put relative to those matters and to sign a declaration of the truth of the answers. (4) An inspector shall not, other than with the consent of the occupier, enter a private dwelling (other than a part of the dwelling used as a place of work) unless he or she has obtained a warrant from the District Court under subsection (7) authorising such entry. (5) Where an inspector in the exercise of his or her powers under this section is prevented from entering any premises an application may be made under subsection (7) authorising such entry. (6) An inspector, where he or she considers it necessary to be so accompanied, may be accompanied by a member of the Garda Síochána when exercising any powers conferred on an inspector by this section. (7) If a judge of the District Court is satisfied on the sworn information of an inspector that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that information required by an inspector under this section is held on any premises or any part of any premises, the judge may issue a warrant authorising an inspector accompanied by other inspectors or a member of the Garda Síochána, at any time or times within one month from the date of issue of the warrant, on production, if so requested, of the warrant, to enter the premises (if need be by reasonable force) and exercise all or any of the powers conferred on an inspector under subsection (3). (8) A person who— (a) obstructs or impedes an inspector in the exercise of any of the powers conferred on an inspector under this section, (b) refuses to produce any record which an inspector lawfully requires him or her to produce, (c) produces or causes to be produced or knowingly allows to be produced, to an inspector, any record which is false or misleading in any material respect knowing it to be so false or misleading, (d) gives to an inspector any information which is false or misleading in any material respect knowing it to be so false or misleading, or (e) fails or refuses to comply with any lawful requirement of an inspector under subsection (3), shall be guilty of an offence. (9) Every inspector shall be furnished by the Minister with a certificate of his or her appointment and, on applying for admission to any premises or place for the purposes of this Act, shall, if requested by a person affected, produce the certificate or a copy thereof to that person. Repeals. 9.—Each enactment specified in the Fourth Schedule is hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule. Expenses. 10.—The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas. PART II Minimum Rest Periods and other matters relating to Working Time Daily rest period. 11.—An employee shall be entitled to a rest period of not less than 11 consecutive hours in each period of 24 hours during which he or she works for his or her employer. Rests and intervals at work. 12.—(1) An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 4 hours and 30 minutes without allowing him or her a break of at least 15 minutes. (2) An employer shall not require an employee to work for a period of more than 6 hours without allowing him or her a break of at least 30 minutes; such a break may include the break referred to in subsection (1). (3) The Minister may by regulations provide, as respects a specified class or classes of employee, that the minimum duration of the break to be allowed to such an employee under subsection (2) shall be more than 30 minutes (but not more than 1 hour). (4) A break allowed to an employee at the end of the working day shall not be regarded as satisfying the requirement contained in subsection (1) or (2). Weekly rest periods. 13.—(1) In this section “daily rest period” means a rest period referred to in section 11 . (2) Subject to subsection (3), an employee shall, in each period of 7 days, be granted a rest period of at least 24 consecutive hours; subject to subsections (4) and (6), the time at which that rest period commences shall be such that that period is immediately preceded by a daily rest period. (3) An employer may, in lieu of granting to an employee in any period of 7 days the first-mentioned rest period in subsection (2), grant to him or her, in the next following period of 7 days, 2 rest periods each of which shall be a period of at least 24 consecutive hours and, subject to subsections (4) and (6)— (a) if the rest periods so granted are consecutive, the time at which the first of those periods commences shall be such that that period is immediately preceded by a daily rest period, and (b) if the rest periods so granted are not consecutive, the time at which each of those periods commences shall be such that each of them is immediately preceded by a daily rest period. (4) If considerations of a technical nature or related to the conditions under which the work concerned is organised or otherwise of an objective nature would justify the making of such a decision, an employer may decide that the time at which a rest period granted by him or her under subsection (2) or (3) shall commence shall be such that the rest period is not immediately preceded by a daily rest period. (5) Save as may be otherwise provided in the employee's contract of employment— (a) the rest period granted to an employee under subsection (2), or (b) one of the rest periods granted to an employee under subsection (3), shall be a Sunday or, if the rest period is of more than 24 hours duration, shall include a Sunday. (6) The requirement in subsection (2) or paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (3) as to the time at which a rest period under this section shall commence shall not apply in any case where, by reason of a provision of this Act or an instrument or agreement under, or referred to in, this Act, the employee concerned is not entitled to a daily rest period in the circumstances concerned. Sunday work: supplemental provisions. 14.—(1) An employee who is required to work on a Sunday (and the fact of his or her having to work on that day has not otherwise been taken account of in the determination of his or her pay) shall be compensated by his or her employer for being required so to work by the following means, namely— (a) by the payment to the employee of an allowance of such an amount as is reasonable having regard to all the circumstances, or (b) by otherwise increasing the employee's rate of pay by such an amount as is reasonable having regard to all the circumstances, or (c) by granting the employee such paid time off from work as is reasonable having regard to all the circumstances, or (d) by a combination of two or more of the means referred to in the preceding paragraphs. (2) Subsection (3) applies to an employee where the value or the minimum value of the compensation to be provided to him or her in respect of his or her being required to work on a Sunday is not specified by a collective agreement. (3) For the purposes of proceedings under Part IV before a rights commissioner or the Labour Court in relation to a complaint that this section has not been complied with in relation to an employee to whom this subsection applies (“the first-mentioned employee”), the value or the minimum value of the compensation that a collective agreement for the time being specifies shall be provided to a comparable employee in respect of his or her being required to work on a Sunday shall be regarded as the value of compensation to be provided under this section to the first-mentioned employee that is reasonable having regard to all the circumstances: Provided that if each of 2 or more collective agreements for the time being specifies the value or the minimum value of the compensation to be provided to a comparable employee to whom the agreement relates in respect of his or her being required to work on a Sunday and the said values or minimum values are not the same whichever of the said values or minimum values is the less shall be regarded, for the purposes aforesaid, as the value of compensation to be provided under this section to the first-mentioned employee that is reasonable having regard to all the circumstances. (4) Unless the fact of such a value being so specified has come to the notice of the rights commissioner or the Labour Court, as the case may be, it shall be for the person who alleges in proceedings referred to in subsection (3) that a value of compensation of the kind referred to in that subsection is specified by a collective agreement mentioned in that subsection to show that, in fact, such a value is so specified. (5) In subsection (3) “comparable employee” means an employee who is employed to do, under similar circumstances, identical or similar work in the industry or sector of employment concerned to that which the first-mentioned employee in subsection (3) is employed to do. (6) References in this section to a value or minimum value of compensation that is specified by a collective agreement shall be construed as including references to a value or minimum value of compensation that may be determined in accordance with a formula or procedures specified by the agreement (being a formula or procedures which, in the case of proceedings referred to in subsection (3) before a rights commissioner or the Labour Court, can be readily applied or followed by the rights commissioner or the Labour Court for the purpose of the proceedings). Weekly working hours. 15.—(1) An employer shall not permit an employee to work, in each period of 7 days, more than an average of 48 hours, that is to say an average of 48 hours calculated over a period (hereafter in this section referred to as a “reference period ”) that does not exceed— (a) 4 months, or (b) 6 months— (i) in the case of an employee employed in an activity referred to in paragraph 2, point 2.1. of Article 17 of the Council Directive, or (ii) where due to any matter referred to in section 5 , it would not be practicable (if a reference period not exceeding 4 months were to apply in relation to the employee) for the employer to comply with this subsection, or (c) such length of time as, in the case of an employee employed in an activity mentioned in subsection (5), is specified in a collective agreement referred to in that subsection. (2) Subsection (1) shall have effect subject to the Fifth Schedule (which contains transitional provisions in respect of the period of 24 months beginning on the commencement of that Schedule). (3) The days or months comprising a reference period shall, subject to subsection (4), be consecutive days or months. (4) A reference period shall not include— (a) any period of annual leave granted to the employee concerned in accordance with this Act (save so much of it as exceeds the minimum period of annual leave required by this Act to be granted to the employee), (b) any absences from work by the employee concerned authorised under the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 , or the Adoptive Leave Act, 1995 , or (c) any sick leave taken by the employee concerned. (5) Where an employee is employed in an activity (including an activity referred to in subsection (1) (b) (i))— (a) the weekly working hours of which vary on a seasonal basis, or (b) as respects which it would not be practicable for the employer concerned to comply with subsection (1) (if a reference period not exceeding 4 or 6 months, as the case may be, were to apply in relation to the employee) because of considerations of a technical nature or related to the conditions under which the work concerned is organised or otherwise of an objective nature, then a collective agreement that for the time being has effect in relation to the employee and which stands approved of by the Labour Court under section 24 may specify, for the purposes of subsection (1) (c), a length of time in relation to the employee of more than 4 or 6 months, as the case may be (but not more than 12 months). Nightly working hours. 16.—(1) In this section— “night time” means the period between midnight and 7 a.m. on the following day; “night work” means work carried out during night time; “night worker” means an employee— (a) who normally works at least 3 hours of his or her daily working time during night time, and (b) the number of hours worked by whom during night time, in each year, equals or exceeds 50 per cent. of the total number of hours worked by him or her during that year. (2) Without prejudice to section 15 , an employer shall not permit a night worker, in each period of 24 hours, to work— (a) in a case where the work done by the worker in that period includes night work and the worker is a special category night worker, more than 8 hours, (b) in any other case, more than an average of 8 hours, that is to say an average of 8 hours calculated over a period (hereafter in this section referred to as a “reference period ”) that does not exceed— (i) 2 months, or (ii) such greater length of time as is specified in a collective agreement that for the time being has effect in relation to that night worker and which stands approved of by the Labour Court under section 24 . (3) In subsection (2) “special category night worker” means a night worker as respects whom an assessment carried out by his or her employer, pursuant to a requirement of regulations under section 28 (1) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989 , in relation to the risks attaching to the work that the night worker is employed to do indicates that that work involves special hazards or a heavy physical or mental strain. (4) The days or months comprising a reference period shall, subject to subsection (5), be consecutive days or months. (5) A reference period shall not include— (a) any rest period granted to the employee concerned under section 13 (2) (save so much of it as exceeds 24 hours), (b) any rest periods granted to the employee concerned under section 13 (3) (save so much of each of those periods as exceeds 24 hours), (c) any period of annual leave granted to the employee concerned in accordance with this Act (save so much of it as exceeds the minimum period of annual leave required by this Act to be granted to the employee), (d) any absences from work by the employee concerned authorised under the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 , or the Adoptive Leave Act, 1995 , or (e) any sick leave taken by the employee concerned. Provision of information in relation to working time. 17.—(1) If neither the contract of employment of the employee concerned nor any employment regulation order, registered employment agreement or collective agreement that has effect in relation to the employee specifies the normal or regular starting and finishing times of work of an employee, the employee's employer shall notify the employee, subject to subsection (3), at least 24 hours before the first day or, as the case may be, the day, in each week that he or she proposes to require the employee to work, of the times at which the employee will normally be required to start and finish work on each day, or, as the case may be, the day or days concerned, of that week. (2) If the hours for which an employee is required to work for his or her employer in a week include such hours as the employer may from time to time decide (in this subsection referred to as “additional hours”), the employer shall notify the employee, subject to subsection (3), at least 24 hours before the first day or, as the case may be, the day, in that week on which he or she proposes to require the employee to work all or, as the case may be, any of the additional hours, of the times at which the employee will be required to start and finish working the additional hours on each day, or, as the case may be, the day or days concerned, of that week. (3) If during the period of 24 hours before the first-mentioned or, as the case may be, the second-mentioned day in subsection (1) or (2), the employee has not been required to do work for the employer, the time at which the employee shall be notified of the matters referred to in subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be, shall be not later than before the last period of 24 hours, preceding the said first or second-mentioned day, in which he or she has been required to do work for the employer. (4) A notification to an employee, in accordance with this section, of the matters referred to in subsection (1) or (2), as the case may be, shall not prejudice the right of the employer concerned, subject to the provisions of this Act, to require the employee to start or finish work or, as the case may be, to work the additional hours referred to in subsection (2) at times other than those specified in the notification if circumstances, which could not reasonably have been foreseen, arise that justify the employer in requiring the employee to start or finish work or, as the case may be, to work the said additional hours at those times. (5) It shall be a sufficient notification to an employee of the matters referred to in subsection (1) or (2) for the employer concerned to post a notice of the matters in a conspicuous position in the place of the employee's employment. Provision in relation to zero hours working practices. 18.—(1) This section applies to an employee whose contract of employment operates to require the employee to make himself or herself available to work for the employer in a week— (a) a certain number of hours (“the contract hours”), or (b) as and when the employer requires him or her to do so, or (c) both a certain number of hours and otherwise as and when the employer requires him or her to do so, and the said requirement is not one that is held to arise by virtue only of the fact, if such be the case, of the employer having engaged the employee to do work of a casual nature for him or her on occasions prior to the said week (whether or not the number of those occasions or the circumstances otherwise touching the said engagement of the employee are such as to give rise to a reasonable expectation on his or her part that he or she would be required by the employer to do work for the employer in the said week). (2) If an employer does not require an employee to whom this section applies to work for the employer in a week referred to in subsection (1)— (a) in a case falling within paragraph (a) of that subsection, at least 25 per cent. of the contract hours, or (b) in a case falling within paragraph (b) or (c) of that subsection where work of the type which the employee is required to make himself or herself available to do has been done for the employer in that week, at least 25 per cent. of the hours for which such work has been done in that week, then the employee shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be entitled— (i) in case the employee has not been required to work for the employer at all in that week, to be paid by the employer the pay he or she would have received if he or she had worked for the employer in that week whichever of the following is less, namely— (I) the percentage of hours referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), as the case may be, or (II) 15 hours, or (ii) in case the employee has been required to work for the employer in that week less than the percentage of hours referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), as the case may be (and that percentage of hours is less than 15 hours), to have his or her pay for that week calculated on the basis that he or she worked for the employer in that week the percentage of hours referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), as the case may be. (3) Subsection (2) shall not apply— (a) if the fact that the employee concerned was not required to work in the week in question the percentage of hours referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection, as the case may be— (i) constituted a lay-off or a case of the employee being kept on short-time for that week, or (ii) was due to exceptional circumstances or an emergency (including an accident or the imminent risk of an accident), the consequences of which could not have been avoided despite the exercise of all due care, or otherwise to the occurrence of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the employer's control, or (b) if the employee concerned would not have been available, due to illness or for any other reason, to work for the employer in that week the said percentage of hours. (4) The reference in subsection (2) (b) to the hours for which work of the type referred to in that provision has been done in the week concerned shall be construed as a reference to the number of hours of such work done in that week by another employee of the employer concerned or, in case that employer has required 2 or more employees to do such work for him or her in that week and the number of hours of such work done by each of them in that week is not identical, whichever number of hours of such work done by one of those employees in that week is the greatest. (5) References in this section to an employee being required to make himself or herself available to do work for the employer shall not be construed as including references to the employee being required to be on call, that is to say to make himself or herself available to deal with any emergencies or other events or occurrences which may or may not occur. (6) Nothing in this section shall affect the operation of a contract of employment that entitles the employee to be paid wages by the employer by reason, alone, of the employee making himself or her self available to do, at the times and place concerned, the work concerned. PART III Holidays Entitlement to annual leave. 19.—(1) Subject to the First Schedule (which contains transitional provisions in respect of the leave years 1996 to 1998), an employee shall be entitled to paid annual leave (in this Act referred to as “annual leave”) equal to— (a) 4 working weeks in a leave year in which he or she works at least 1,365 hours (unless it is a leave year in which he or she changes employment), (b) one-third of a working week for each month in the leave year in which he or she works at least 117 hours, or (c) 8 per cent. of the hours he or she works in a leave year (but subject to a maximum of 4 working weeks): Provided that if more than one of the preceding paragraphs is applicable in the case concerned and the period of annual leave of the employee, determined in accordance with each of those paragraphs, is not identical, the annual leave to which the employee shall be entitled shall be equal to whichever of those periods is the greater. (2) A day which would be regarded as a day of annual leave shall, if the employee concerned is ill on that day and furnishes to his or her employer a certificate of a registered medical practitioner in respect of his or her illness, not be regarded, for the purposes of this Act, as a day of annual leave. (3) The annual leave of an employee who works 8 or more months in a leave year shall, subject to the provisions of any employment regulation order, registered employment agreement, collective agreement or any agreement between the employee and his or her employer, include an unbroken period of 2 weeks. (4) Notwithstanding subsection (2) or any other provision of this Act but without prejudice to the employee's entitlements under subsection (1), the reference in subsection (3) to an unbroken period of 2 weeks includes a reference to such a period that includes one or more public holidays or days on which the employee concerned is ill. (5) An employee shall, for the purposes of subsection (1), be regarded as having worked on a day of annual leave the hours he or she would have worked on that day had it not been a day of annual leave. (6) References in this section to a working week shall be construed as references to the number of days that the employee concerned usually works in a week. Times and pay for annual leave. 20.—(1) The times at which annual leave is granted to an employee shall be determined by his or her employer having regard to work requirements and subject— (a) to the employer taking into account— (i) the need for the employee to reconcile work and any family responsibilities, (ii) the opportunities for rest and recreation available to the employee, (b) to the employer having consulted the employee or the trade union (if any) of which he or she is a member, not later than 1 month before the day on which the annual leave or, as the case may be, the portion thereof concerned is due to commence, and (c) to the leave being granted within the leave year to which it relates or, with the consent of the employee, within the 6 months thereafter. (2) The pay in respect of an employee's annual leave shall— (a) be paid to the employee in advance of his or her taking the leave, (b) be at the normal weekly rate or, as the case may be, at a rate which is proportionate to the normal weekly rate, and (c) in a case in which board or lodging or, as the case may be, both board and lodging constitute part of the employee's remuneration, include compensation, calculated at the prescribed rate, for any such board or lodging as will not be received by the employee whilst on annual leave. (3) Nothing in this section shall prevent an employer and employee from entering into arrangements that are more favourable to the employee with regard to the times of, and the pay in respect of, his or her annual leave. (4) In this section “normal weekly rate” means the normal weekly rate of the employee concerned's pay determined in accordance with regulations made by the Minister for the purposes of this section. Entitlement in respect of public holidays. 21.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, an employee shall, in respect of a public holiday, be entitled to whichever one of the following his or her employer determines, namely— (a) a paid day off on that day, (b) a paid day off within a month of that day, (c) an additional day of annual leave, (d) an additional day's pay: Provided that if the day on which the public holiday falls is a day on which the employee would, apart from this subsection, be entitled to a paid day off this subsection shall have effect as if paragraph (a) were omitted therefrom. (2) An employee may, not later than 21 days before the public holiday concerned, request his or her employer to make, as respects the employee, a determination under subsection (1) in relation to a particular public holiday and notify the employee of that determination at least 14 days before that holiday. (3) If an employer fails to comply with a request under subsection (2), he or she shall be deemed to have determined that the entitlement of the employee concerned under subsection (1) shall be to a paid day off on the public holiday concerned or, in a case to which the proviso to subsection (1) applies, to an additional day's pay. (4) Subsection (1) shall not apply, as respects a particular public holiday, to an employee (not being an employee who is a whole-time employee) unless he or she has worked for the employer concerned at least 40 hours during the period of 5 weeks ending on the day before that public holiday. (5) Subsection (1) shall not apply, as respects a particular public holiday, to an employee who is, other than on the commencement of this section, absent from work immediately before that public holiday in any of the cases specified in the Third Schedule . (6) For the avoidance of doubt, the reference in the proviso to subsection (1) to a day on which the employee is entitled to a paid day off includes a reference to any day on which he or she is not required to work, the pay to which he or she is entitled in respect of a week or other period being regarded, for this purpose, as receivable by him or her in respect of the day or days in that period on which he or she is not required to work as well as the day or days in that period on which he or she is required to work. Public holidays: supplemental provisions. 22.—(1) The rate— (a) at which an employee is paid in respect of a day off under section 21 , and (b) of an employee's additional day's pay under that section, shall be such rate as is determined in accordance with regulations made by the Minister for the purposes of that section. (2) For the purposes of section 21 , time off granted to an employee under that section or section 19 shall be regarded as time worked by the employee. Compensation on cesser of employment. 23.—(1) Where— (a) an employee ceases to be employed, and (b) the whole or any portion of the annual leave in respect of the current leave year or, in case the cesser of employment occurs during the first half of that year, in respect of that year, the previous leave year or both those years, remains to be granted to the employee, the employee shall, as compensation for the loss of that annual leave, be paid by his or her employer an amount equal to the pay, calculated at the normal weekly rate or, as the case may be, at a rate proportionate to the normal weekly rate, that he or she would have received had he or she been granted that annual leave. (2) Where— (a) an employee ceases to be employed during the week ending on the day before a public holiday, and (b) the employee has worked for his or her employer during the 4 weeks preceding that week, the employee shall, as compensation for the loss of his or her entitlements under section 21 in respect of the said public holiday, be paid by his or her employer an amount equal to an additional day's pay calculated at the appropriate daily rate. (3) If an employee ceases to be employed by reason of his or her death, any compensation payable under this section shall be paid to the personal representative of the employee. (4) Where compensation is payable under subsection (2), the employee concerned shall, for the purpose of Chapter 9 of Part II of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 (which relates to unemployment benefit) and Chapter 2 of Part III of that Act (which relates to unemployment assistance), be regarded as not having been, on the public holiday concerned, in the employment of the employer concerned. (5) In this section “appropriate daily rate” and “normal weekly rate” mean, respectively, the appropriate daily rate of the employee concerned's pay and the normal weekly rate of the employee concerned's pay determined in accordance with regulations made by the Minister for the purposes of this section. PART IV Miscellaneous Approval of collective agreements by Labour Court. 24.—(1) In this section “collective agreement” means a collective agreement referred to in section 4 , 15 or 16 or paragraph 4 (a) of the First Schedule . (2) On an application being made in that behalf by any of the parties thereto, the Labour Court may, subject to the provisions of this section, approve of a collective agreement. (3) On receipt of an application under this section, the Labour Court shall consult such representatives of employees and employers as it considers to have an interest in the matters to which the collective agreement, the subject of the application, relates. (4) The Labour Court shall not approve of a collective agreement unless the following conditions are fulfilled as respects that agreement, namely— (a) in the case of a collective agreement referred to in section 4 , 15 or 16 , the Labour Court is satisfied that it is appropriate to approve of the agreement having regard to the provisions of the Council Directive permitting the entry into collective agreements for the purposes concerned, (b) the agreement has been concluded in a manner usually employed in determining the pay or other conditions of employment of employees in the employment concerned, (c) the body which negotiated the agreement on behalf of the employees concerned is the holder of a negotiation licence under the Trade Union Act, 1941 , or is an excepted body within the meaning of that Act which is sufficiently representative of the employees concerned, (d) the agreement is in such form as appears to the Labour Court to be suitable for the purposes of the agreement being approved of under this section. (5) Where the Labour Court is not satisfied that the condition referred to in paragraph (a) or (d) of subsection (4) is fulfilled in relation to a collective agreement, the subject of an application under subsection (2) (but is satisfied that the other conditions referred to in that subsection are fulfilled in relation to the agreement), it may request the parties to the agreement to vary the agreement in such manner as will result in the said condition being fulfilled and if those parties agree so to vary the agreement and vary it, accordingly, the Labour Court shall approve of the agreement as so varied. (6) Where a collective agreement which has been approved of under this section is subsequently varied by the parties thereto, any of the said parties may apply to the Labour Court to have the agreement, as so varied, approved of by the Labour Court under this section and the provisions of this section shall apply to such an application as they apply to an application under subsection (2). (7) The Labour Court may withdraw its approval of a collective agreement under this section where it is satisfied that there are substantial grounds for so doing. (8) The Labour Court shall determine the procedures to be followed by a person in making an application under subsection (2) or (6), by the Labour Court in considering any such application or otherwise performing any of its functions under this section and by persons generally in relation to matters falling to be dealt with under this section. (9) The Labour Court shall publish, in such manner as it thinks fit, particulars of the procedures referred to in subsection (8). (10) The Labour Court shall establish and maintain a register of collective agreements standing approved of by it under this section and such a register shall be made available for inspection by members of the public at all reasonable times. Records. 25.—(1) An employer shall keep, at the premises or place where his or her employee works or, if the employee works at two or more premises or places, the premises or place from which the activities that the employee is employed to carry on are principally directed or controlled, such records, in such form, if any, as may be prescribed, as will show whether the provisions of this Act are being complied with in relation to the employee and those records shall be retained by the employer for at least 3 years from the date of their making. (2) The Minister may by regulations exempt from the application of subsection (1) any specified class or classes of employer and regulations under this subsection may provide that any such exemption shall not have effect save to the extent that specified conditions are complied with. (3) An employer who, without reasonable cause, fails to comply with subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence. (4) Without prejudice to subsection (3), where an employer fails to keep records under subsection (1) in respect of his or her compliance with a particular provision of this Act in relation to an employee, the onus of proving, in proceedings before a rights commissioner or the Labour Court, that the said provision was complied with in relation to the employee shall lie on the employer. Refusal by an employee to co-operate with employer in breaching Act. 26.—(1) An employer shall not penalise an employee for having in good faith opposed by lawful means an act which is unlawful under this Act. (2) If a penalisation of an employee, in contravention of subsection (1), constitutes a dismissal of the employee within the meaning of the Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977 to 1993, relief may not be granted to the employee in respect of that penalisation both under this Part and under those Acts. Complaints to rights commissioner. 27.—(1) In this section “relevant provision” means— (a) any of the following sections, namely, section 6 (2), sections 11 to 23, or section 26 , (b) the provision referred to in section 6 (1) of regulations, a collective agreement, registered employment agreement or employment regulation order referred to in that section, or (c) paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule. (2) An employee or any trade union of which the employee is a member, with the consent of the employee, may present a complaint to a rights commissioner that the employee's employer has contravened a relevant provision in relation to the employee and, if the employee or such a trade union does so, the commissioner shall give the parties an opportunity to be heard by the commissioner and to present to the commissioner any evidence relevant to the complaint, shall give a decision in writing in relation to it and shall communicate the decision to the parties. (3) A decision of a rights commissioner under subsection (2) shall do one or more of the following: (a) declare that the complaint was or, as the case may be, was not well founded, (b) require the employer to comply with the relevant provision, (c) require the employer to pay to the employee compensation of such amount (if any) as is just and equitable having regard to all the circumstances, but not exceeding 2 years remuneration in respect of the employee's employment, and the references in the foregoing paragraphs to an employer shall be construed, in a case where ownership of the business of the employer changes after the contravention to which the complaint relates occurred, as references to the person who, by virtue of the change, becomes entitled to such ownership. (4) A rights commissioner shall not entertain a complaint under this section if it is presented to the commissioner after the expiration of the period of 6 months beginning on the date of the contravention to which the complaint relates. (5) Notwithstanding subsection (4), a rights commissioner may entertain a complaint under this section presented to him or her after the expiration of the period referred to in subsection (4) (but not later than 12 months after such expiration) if he or she is satisfied that the failure to present the compl …