Thousands of Irish workers could be entitled to compensation for working Easter Monday

The Irish Sun

21-04-2025

A VAST majority of public workers are off work for the Easter Bank Holiday as it is a statutory holiday.
But that's not the case as a few thousand Irish workers are not guaranteed a day off on the
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To their advantage, many are entitled to some kind of compensation for working on the
Irish workers are entitled to either an extra day's pay or a day back in lieu of the public holiday, which should be within a month of the public holiday.
Alternatively, they could be allowed to take an extra day for annual leave.
According to Citizens Information, part-time staff are entitled to the benefit when they have worked a total of 40 hours in the past five weeks.
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They also state that if a part-time
If they do work on the
They said: "If you don't normally work on a certain day but it's a public holiday, you should get paid one-fifth of your weekly pay.
"Even if you never work on public holidays, you still get paid a fifth of your weekly pay as compensation for the public holiday."
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Part-time employees on sick leave are still entitled to the public holiday they have missed, but this is only the case if they have worked a total of 40 hours in the past five weeks.
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For a full-time worker on sick leave during the public holiday, they are entitled to the benefit for the public holiday they missed.
They added: "Your employer can also choose to regard you as not on sick leave on the public holiday and pay you as normal for the public holiday. If this is the case, the public holiday is not counted as a sick leave day."
LIST OF IRELAND'S BANK HOLIDAYS FOR 2025
Wednesday, January 1 – New Year's Day
Monday, February 3 – St Brigid's Day
Monday, March 17 – St Patrick's Day
Monday, April 21 – Easter Monday
Monday, May 5 – May Day
Monday, June 2 – June Bank Holiday
Monday, August 4 – August Bank Holiday
Monday, October 27 – October Bank Holiday
Thursday, December 25 – Christmas Day
Friday, December 26 – St Stephen's Day
You are also entitled to leave for any public holidays that occur while you are on
maternity leave,
parental leave,
paternity leave,
adoptive leave,
parent's leave
or
domestic violence leave.
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However, they are not entitled to public holiday benefits if they were absent from work immediately before the public holiday and their absence is:
Over 13 weeks, due to lay off or some other reason and authorised by your employer
Due to a strike
After the first 13 weeks of carer's leave
LAID OFF OR NOT RECEIVING YOUR BENEFIT?
If you are laid off or short-time working, you are still employed by your employer and your contract of employment remains in force, meaning you are entitled to benefits for any public holiday that occurs during the first 13 weeks.
If your employment finishes during the week, ending on the day before a public holiday, and you have worked for your employer for the previous 4 weeks, you should get an additional day's pay for the public holiday.
This also applies to part-time employees who have worked at least 40 hours in the previous 5 weeks.
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In an event where you are not receiving your public holiday entitlement, you should discuss this with your employer.
Alternatively, they can also complain to the WRC under the Organisation of Working Time Act using the online complaint form within six months of the dispute or complaint occurring.
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People working on a public holiday are entitled to some kind of compensation
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