AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION [ S.L.452.50 1 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 452.50 AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION ORDER* 8th August, 1977 LEGAL NOTICE 99 of 1977, as amended by Legal Notices 121 of 1978 111 of 1990, 427 of 2007, 145 of 2010, 362 of 2012, 334, 444 of 2013, 482 of 2014, 5 of 2016, 97 and 383 of 2017, 104 and 351 of 2019, 469 of 2020 464 of 2021, 335 of 2022, 286 of 2023, 341 of 2024 and 288 of 2025. 1. The title of this Order is Agriculture and Allied Industries Wages Council Wage Regulation Order. Title. 2. The provisions set out in the Schedule hereto shall apply to all employees in respect of whom the Agriculture and Allied Industries Wages Council operates. Field of operation of Wages Council. SCHEDULE Amended by: L.N. 121 of 1978; L.N. 111 of 1990; L.N. 427 of 2007; L.N. 145 of 2010; L.N. 362 of 2012; L.N. 334 of 2013; L.N. 444 of 2013; L.N. 482 of 2014; L.N. 5 of 2016: L.N.97 of 2017; L.N. 383 of 2017; L.N. 104 of 2019; L.N. 351 of 2019; L.N. 469 of 2020; L.N. 464 of 2021; L.N. 335 of 2022; L.N. 286 of 2023; L.N. 341 of 2024; L.N. 288 of 2025. 1. In this Schedule, unless the context otherwise requires - "customary holidays" means the days (other than Sundays) declared for the time being to be public holidays by or under the National Holidays and other Public Holidays Act; "hours of work" means the time on any one day during which the employees are at the disposal of the employer, exclusive of intervals allowed for meals and rest; "time-and-a-half" and "double-time" mean respectively one and a half times and twice the actual time rates applicable to the employee; "wages" means remuneration or earnings payable in money to an employee by an employer; "week" means a calendar week; "part-time employee" means an employee whose normal hours of *This Order has been repealed by Legal Notice 123 of 2026. Interpretation. Cap. 252. 2 [ S.L.452.50 AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION work, calculated on a weekly basis or on average over a period of employment of up to one year, are less than the normal hours of work of a comparable whole-time employee and who is not a whole-time employee with reduced hours; "watchman" means a person who guards his employer’s property against fire, theft, illegal entry and similar contingencies; "whole-time employee'' means an employee who is deemed to be a whole-time employee in terms of any recognized conditions of employment. Hours of work. 2. The minimum weekly wages payable to whole-time employees shall be related to a week of not more than (
- a)forty hours in the case of employees other than watchmen; (
- b)fifty-two hours in the case of watchmen. Minimum wages. Amended by: L.N.97 of 2017; L.N. 383 of 2017; L.N.104 of 2019; L.N. 351 of 2019; L.N. 469 of 2020; L.N. 464 of 2021; L.N. 335 of 2022; L.N. 286 of 2023; L.N. 341 of 2024; L.N. 288 of 2025. 3. The minimum weekly wages payable to whole-time employees shall be as follows (
- a)watchmen employed wholly or mainly on indoor duties ..................................................... €229.44 (
- b)watchmen employed wholly or mainly on outdoor duties ..................................................... €231.77 (
- c)other employees: At age 18 years or over ........................... €229.44 At age 17 years ...................................... €222.66 At age 16 years ...................................... €219.82. Minimum daily rest. 4. Whole-time employees shall be allowed intervals for meals and rest of not less in the aggregate than one hour on any one day. Minimum weekly rest. 5. Whole-time employees shall be entitled to one day of rest in every period of seven consecutive days. Minimum overtime rates. 6. Whole-time employees shall be entitled to the payment of overtime as follows (
- a)Watchmen (
- i)for every hour worked in excess of nine hours on any one day, except a Sunday .... time-and-ahalf; (
- ii)for all hours of work on a Sunday .. double time; (iii) for all time worked on a customary holiday ...................................................... double time; (
- iv)for any hours worked in excess of fifty-two hours on any one week, exclusive of any hours for which overtime is payable in terms of the preceding provisions ................ time-and-a-half. (
- b)Employees other than watchmen (
- i)for every hour worked in excess of eight hours on any one day, except the weekly day of rest of the employee ........................... time-and-a-half; AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION [ S.L.452.50 (
- ii)for all hours worked on the weekly day of rest of the employee ................................. double time; (iii) for all time worked on a customary holiday ..................................................... double time; (
- iv)for every hour worked in excess of forty hours on any one week, exclusive of any hours for which overtime is payable in terms of the preceding provisions ................ time-and-a-half. 7.
(1)In addition to the minimum weekly rest to which whole-time employees may be entitled under paragraph 5, wholetime employees shall be entitled to the National Holidays and to all public holidays with full pay, and to the following vacation leave not being less than - Vacation leave. (
- a)four working weeks and one working day during the calendar years 1988 and 1989; (
- b)four working weeks and two working days during the calendar year 1990; (
- c)four working weeks and three working days during the calendar year 1991; (
- d)four working weeks and four working days during the calendar year 1992 and during any calendar year thereafter: Provided that when a whole-time employee is in employment for less than twelve months during any calendar year, he shall be entitled to such part of the said vacation leave as is in proportion to the number of months in employment.
(2)For the purposes of this paragraph "vacation leave" means leave with pay which may be availed of on days agreed upon between the employer and the employee provided that one working day during 1988 and 1989, two working days during 1990, three working days during 1991 and four working days during 1992 and during any other calendar year thereafter shall not form part of any shutdown and shall be granted by the employer as optional leave in addition to any optional leave the employee may have been entitled to on the 9th November, 1988. 8.
(1)After one year’s service, a whole-time employee shall in every calendar year be entitled to the equivalent in hours of twelve days sick leave on full pay, less an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act, and part-time employees shall have a pro rata entitlement to sick leave in hours on full pay, less an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act, which amount is also to be calculated on a pro rata basis: Provided that (
- a)the first three days of any claim for sick leave shall be paid in full by the employer; (
- b)a medical certificate covering the period of absence is produced to the employer on the day of return to work Sick leave. Cap. 318. 3 4 [ S.L.452.50 AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION or, if such period of absence is longer than seven days, within seven days of the onset of sick leave absence; Cap. 318. (
- c)employees in receipt of a social security pension in respect of retirement or widowhood in terms of the Social Security Act shall, for the purpose of calculating the sick leave pay due, be deemed to have received an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established under the Social Security Act.
(2)The employer may require a medical certificate by his own physician to certify incapacity for work during the period of absence. S.L. 452.87
(3)The sick leave entitlement granted by virtue of this paragraph shall be calculated on the basis provided for annual leave as specified in regulation 8
(1)of the Organisation of Working Time Regulations. Bereavement leave.
- Whole-time employees shall be entitled to two days leave with pay on the occasion of the death of any of these relatives: father, mother or the person who at the time of death was acting as father or mother of the employee, wife, husband, son, daughter, brother and sister. Birth leave.
- A whole-time employee shall be entitled to one day leave with pay on the occasion of the birth of a child to his wife. Marriage leave.
- Whole-time employees shall be entitled to three working days leave on full pay on the occasion of their marriage. Injury leave.
- Whole-time employees shall be entitled to one year injury leave on full pay, less the full amount of any injury benefit to which such employee may be entitled in terms of the Social Security Act, if he is injured during the actual discharge of his duty and not due to contributory negligence on his part or to any contravention of safety rules laid down by the management. Cap.
- Leave for jury service.
- Whole-time employees called for jury service shall be allowed all the necessary time off on full pay to attend the Court on such service. Part-time employees.
- Part time employees shall be entitled to a minimum hourly rate calculated pro rata in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Schedule. Retiring age.
- In cases where the retiring age of a male employee is expected at the age of sixty years, such employee shall be given the opportunity by his employer to retain his employment beyond this age at least until the age of sixty-one years, provided that the employee in question shall still be allowed, if he so wishes, to retire at the age of sixty years. AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES WAGES COUNCIL WAGE REGULATION [ S.L.452.50 EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Schedule, but is intended to indicate its applicability). The above provisions apply to all employees in any undertaking or part of an undertaking the activities of which consist wholly or mainly in any of the following: Agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and viticulture, the breeding and rearing of livestock, poultry, rabbits, the keeping of bees and the processing of dairy products and products of a similar nature. 5