Covid-19 news with a HR Twist
December 2024
Minimum Wage 2025
Effective January 1, 2025, Ireland's national minimum wage will increase by €0.80 to €13.50 per hour for workers aged 20 [...]
What should my business being doing to comply with data protection laws
What is Data Protection? Data protection refers to the practices, policies, and laws designed to safeguard personal data [...]
November 2024
Christmas Parties – Advice for Employers
With the Christmas season upon us again many employers will arrange a work-related social event (Christmas party) in order to thank employees for their efforts and hard work over the past year.
Despite Christmas parties occurring mostly outside of the work place, responsibility still lies with the employer for the protection and safety of their employees. Each year cases concerning bullying and harassment are brought before the Rights Commissioner and the Equality Tribunal. These incidents can be perpetrated at work-related social events like the Christmas party and the employer is often held liable for such action.
For the protection of the organisation and to avoid any such issues, below is a list of preventative steps which can be taken:
- Re-circulate the company’s Dignity at Work policy, which should include reference to bullying, harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace. This policy should clearly state that work-related social events fall under the terms of this policy.
- Ensure that it is clearly outlined to employees that they may be subject to disciplinary action leading up to and including dismissal should they be found in breach of the company’s Dignity at Work policy at a work-related social event.
- Ensure that employees are aware of the company’s Disciplinary and Grievance procedures.
- Re-circulate the company’s Social Media policy to ensure employees are aware of the rules surrounding publishing photographs online in order to prevent any privacy infringements arising or damage being caused to the company’s reputation.
- If the event is scheduled on an evening where employees are required to work the following day, ensure employees are aware of the company’s Absence policy.
- Brief members of Management on the above policies and ensure that they know how to deal with behaviour that could be deemed inappropriate at the event should it arise.
- Advise Management not to discuss issues relating to salaries, performance or career prospects at the event.
January 2024
The significance of having ‘Emergency Contact Details’ for Employees
A total of 48 people died in work-related accidents in 2012. Incidents involving vehicles were a big factor in this figure. The agricultural sector accounted for 21 of these deaths, construction accounted for 8 deaths with a further 7 coming from the fisheries sector. Unfortunately, work-related accidents leading to death also occurred in 7 other sectors in Ireland in 2012.
According to the Health and Safety Authority Summary of Workplace Injury, Illness and Fatality Statistics 2011-2012, 2012 saw a staggering total of 6,619 non-fatal workplace injuries.
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Publications_and_Forms/Publications/Corporate/stats_report_11_12.pdf
38.3% of the reported work-related injuries occurred in Dublin. The injuries reported varied in severity from superficial wounds to serious injuries like amputations, burns and poisonings.
Health and Safety in the workplace is of cardinal importance and all employers, including the self-employed, are required to have Health and Safety protocols and documentation in place. The safety statement must relate to the specific workplace and work activities and must be based on the risk assessment of the hazards that may affect the employees or clients of/visitors to the Company.
It is vitally important to know who to call on behalf of your employees in the unfortunate event of an emergency or accident occurring in the workplace.
We have created a concise form so that employers can collect essential 'Emergency Contact Details' quickly and easily.
Blank forms should be circulated to employees and they should be asked to fill them out and return them to management. The information should be stored confidentially and only used or imparted to a third party (like the ambulance service) in the case of an emergency.
Simply click on the below image to download your copy of our ‘Emergency Contact Details’ form.
HR System: Year end time off process
Year end time off process (end of company holiday year) When you approach the end of a holiday [...]
October 2023
Absenteeism and Annual Leave Tracking
Tracking your employees Absenteeism and Annual Leave in 2025 The HR Company have created an "Absenteeism and [...]
February 2023
How to Manage Employee Absences Due to Illness: Best Practices from The HR Company.
How to Manage Employee Absences Due to Illness: Best Practices from The HR Company. The starting point is [...]
January 2022
Work Safely Protocol
Work Safely Protocol With the recent decline in COVID-19 cases and the removal of restrictions across the country, [...]
Isolation Requirements for Close Contacts and Positive Cases – Ireland
COVID-19 Calculator for Restricted Movements / Isolation The below calculator may assist organisations with the requirements for employees [...]
April 2021
Rapid Antigen Test
COVID-19 RAPID ANTIGEN AND ANTIBODY TESTS Due to unprecedent demand from our clients for information concerning COVID-19 testing [...]
March 2021
Updates to Irish Employment Law in 2021
Businesses in Ireland and across the world have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic affected every [...]
February 2021
Antigen Testing
To understand antigen testing, you have to know what an antigen is. “An antigen is a substance recognized [...]
Positive COVID-19 Cases in the workplace
Notifying Employees of a Positive COVID-19 case 1. Firstly, it may be prudent to carry out a new [...]
Return to work guidelines
Returning to Work 2021 Guide As we find ourselves emerging from Level 5 restrictions around the Country, many [...]