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Paris-to-Nice Cycle 2014

Last update: 30/09/2014 @ 10:11

The Final Update - Mission Accomplished

So after 6 roller coaster days, I am pleased to say that we finally made it to Nice safe and well. I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone for their support over the last few months. Between us we've raised over €11k for Special Olympics Ireland and we really couldn't have done any of this without your support. For those of you that are interested I've included some photo's of the event above. Thanks again, Philip.   [divider]

Stage 4 - Carpentras to Aix [105KM]

Some photos from yesterdays cycle to Aix.  

Philip en-route to Aix.

View from the top

Mid-way through the cycle while en-route to Aix.

The group are now about to depart on the second last stage of their cycle which will bring them from Aix to Maxime (128 KM). We understand that it is getting progressively harder as the trip goes on with the elevation gain increasing from 547m to 1574m.

Sponsor Philip & Adie

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Stage 3 - Logis to Carpentras [90KM]

Slightly later than scheduled, the group set off on their way to Carpentras just after 12.00pm this afternoon. The cycle took them through the lavender fields in the region via the village of Grignan which hosts a stunning Renaissance Castle. Stage 3 - Lavender Fields

The group are expected to finish todays cycle in the next hour which will see them reach the half way point of the challenge.

Sponsor Philip & Adie

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Stage 2 - Montargis to Nevers [143KM]

The group have now completed Stage two of their cycle to Nice. They are currently in the town of Nevers in central France.

Today they left Montargis and travelled 143km to Nevers where they arrived at around 16:45. Tomorrow they will leave to cycle to Carpentras on stage 3 of the cycle. Two cyclist have been injured in the last 48 hours which sadly means they will be unable to complete the challenge. Check back again tomorrow for further updates and thanks again for all your support.

Sponsor Philip & Adie

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The HR Company Proudly Supporting Special Olympics Ireland

The HR Company has teamed up with Sigmar Recruitment in support of Special Olympics Ireland. This year's event 'Paris2Nice' is just about to get underway with both Managing Directors of The HR Company and Sigmar joining an additional 93 cyclists as they make their way to Paris for the start of the 700 mile cycle. The first stage of the of cycle which commences tomorrow morning Saturday 20th September 2014, will see the group travel 128km from Paris to Montargis.

Since 2011 Paris2Nice has raised €1.25m for a number of different charities. Paris2Nice is a central coordination hub, which in 2014 is supporting 95 riders to raise funds for 18 charities. The cycle will take place from 20th-25th September and the target for this year is €1,000,000!

Philip and Adie would like to pay a special thank you to everyone who has supported them over the last 9 months or contributed to this very worthy cause.

You can continue to contribute to this cause with all funds raised going directly to the charity.

Sponsor Philip & Adie

Please note Philip and Adie will be paying for the cost of the trip independently of the fundraising, so be rest assured your donation will make a difference to those who need it.

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T10:59:44+00:00June 17th, 2015|Fundraising Activities|0 Comments

Employers slowly beginning to ban e-cigarettes in Irish workplaces.

Employers are starting to implement e-smoking bans in workplaces in line with the current tobacco smoking ban. In March 2014 Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus extended their respective “no smoking” policies to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and vapour devices on their busses – employees, as well as customers, are banned from smoking any form of cigarette except in designated areas. Irish Rail also implemented the ban in the recent past and now universities and other institutions and companies are beginning to follow suit by disallowing the use of cigarette substitutes. There are a few reasons for this -

To avoid ambiguity – from a distance e-cigarettes can appear quite like a regular cigarette.
Because e-cigarettes contain nicotine – nicotine is a highly addictive and harmful drug. Nicotine was formerly used as an insecticide and can increase blood pressure and heart rate in humans.
Because the effects of e-smoking are not yet known – e-cigarettes are a relatively new innovation and consequently the long-term effects on health are unclear.
Because of the vapour omitted – there is uncertainty over the contents and effects of this vapour on the e-cigarette smoker and the people in his or her presence.

While there is no legislation currently in place in Ireland disallowing the use of e-cigarettes and similar products in the workplace, more and more employers are beginning to enforce their own internal rules in relation to their use at work. However, if the rules around e-smoking in the workplace are not covered in the Employee Handbook, the employer could find it difficult to enforce such a policy. The rules surrounding e-cigarettes should be available for all employees - non-e-smokers as well as e-smokers - so there is no confusion over what is/is not allowed. If an employer is considering revising the company’s policies then it is imperative that he or she ensures that the new rules are clearly communicated to employees through an update of the Employee Handbook (which should contain all HR policies). At least two employees in The United Kingdom have recently brought cases forward claiming that they were “victimised” by their employers for use of e-cigarettes in the course of their work. It is only a matter of time before we start to see cases trickle through the system in Ireland and so it would serve employers well to prepare for this potentially costly exposure by introducing very clear policies in relation to e-cigarettes as soon as possible.

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T10:59:48+00:00June 17th, 2015|e-cigarettes|0 Comments

Bullying prevalent in Irish workplaces according to recent survey

  The results of a recent Europe-wide survey, which were reported on in TheJournal.ie’s article Irish workplaces among worst in Europe for bullying, highlighted worrying levels of bullying within companies in Ireland. According to the survey, Ireland is the 7^th worst country in Europe when it comes to workplace bullying with a significant 6% of employees claiming to experience it.    

Tom O’Driscoll, SIPTU’s Head of Legal Affairs, explained that “It can be physical abuse but it’s usually abusive name-calling, putting undue pressure on people, singling people out, commenting on their performance…” etc.

Bullying in the workplace is any recurring inappropriate conduct that undermines a person’s right to dignity at work. Bullying can be carried out by one person or by several people - it is aimed at an individual or a group where the objective is to make them feel inferior or victimised. Bullying can come in the form of a verbal or physical assault and can also take place over the internet – this is known as cyber bullying and can be performed via many methods - Mobile phones, social networking sites, emails and texts are all common vehicles for cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is becoming more and more prevalent in society. Keep in mind that harassment based on civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, race, nationality or ethnic origin, disability or membership of the Traveller community is considered discrimination. Harassment in the workplace is prohibited under the terms of the Employment Equality Acts. The Act of harassment - whether direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional - is unacceptable and should not be tolerated by any company. Any allegations should be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially with a thorough and immediate investigation. Any acts of harassment should be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Any victimisation of an employee for reporting an incident, or assisting with an investigation of alleged harassment and/or bullying is a breach of Equality Legislation and should also be subject to disciplinary action. Dignity at work

Bullying or harassment isn’t always obvious – in fact it can come in many shapes and forms – some examples are: •Social exclusion or isolation •Damaging someone’s reputation through gossip or rumour •Any form of intimidation •Aggressive or obscene language or behaviour •Repeated requests for unreasonable tasks to be carried out Employers - Did you know that you can be held accountable for bullying or harassment in the workplace? ……..Not being aware of it does not get you off the hook! Under current Irish Employment Legislation (The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2011) companies are accountable when it comes to bullying and harassment in the workplace. It is vital for employers to be mindful of the legislation as companies are answerable for the actions of employees, suppliers and customers even in cases where the company is not aware that bullying or harassment is taking place. To defend itself; a company must illustrate how it did everything reasonably practicable to prevent bullying and/or harassment from taking place in the workplace. The company must also show that when an instance of bullying or harassment occurred the company took immediate, fair and decisive action. Dignity at work

There is a huge risk of exposure if companies do not adhere to the strict Regulations. Those found in violation of the Act may be liable for fines and in severe circumstances imprisonment on summary conviction. Companies can also end up paying out large sums in compensation. Sample award – In June 2013, a fast food company in Blackpool, Cork was forced to pay €15,000 after two employees were subjected to sexual harassment by another employee. An Equality Tribunal ruling found that a lesbian couple, who both worked for the restaurant in Cork, were forced to endure obscene remarks and queries about their relationship and sexuality from another employee at the branch. The Tribunal found that management at the restaurant failed in their duty to take the appropriate steps to protect the women. They failed in their responsibilities to their employees and consequently were instructed to pay €15,000 to the couple. Compensation

Under Irish Employment Legislation it is the duty of the employer to provide a workplace that is safe for lesbian women and gay men to be open about their sexuality. This is something that all employers need to pay close attention to. Bullying creates a very hostile work environment and can negatively affect employee performance – It can lead to disengagement and low levels of morale. It can also cause a company to lose key members of staff. Bullying can affect both the safety and the health of employees – this violates the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. It is abundantly clear that it is in the best interest of all stakeholders to prevent bullying or harassment of any form in the workplace. Employers need to be vigilant and need to make more of an effort to consciously crack down on this type of activity. In order to avoid bullying and harassment an employer should include harassment-related policies and procedures in the Employee Handbook – A Dignity at Work Policy should be communicated clearly to employees. This will clarify what is expected of employees and what the protocol/repercussions are if bullying/harassment does occur. The Europe-wide survey found that females between the ages of 30 and 49 are most likely to be bullied at work. Males between the ages of 15 and 29 are the second most likely group to experience bullying. Women in the same age group are most likely to experience sexual harassment. Bullying in the workplace

In December 2013 the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) brought our attention to a shocking statistic when it revealed that the number of racist incidents reported in Ireland in the first 11 months of 2013 had jumped 85% on the same period in 2012. The racism reported related to alleged discrimination, written harassment, verbal harassment and physical violence. A massive 20% of the reported incidents of racism occurred in the workplace. Racist Incidents

        The area of workplace bullying clearly requires immediate attention in Ireland.    

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T11:00:06+00:00June 17th, 2015|Bullying at work|0 Comments

A Significant number of NERA Inspections are Unannounced!

NERA The National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) was first established on an interim basis in February 2007 with the aim of securing compliance with Irish Employment Legislation. NERA monitors employment conditions through its inspectors. It enforces compliance and seeks redress where any employment rights have been breached.   Since its establishment in 2007, the number of NERA inspectors has increased by more than 100%. These inspectors exchange information with the Department of Social Protection and the Revenue Commissioners. Inspectors are empowered to enter company premises and interview employees as well as employers. They can also examine employment records and can take statements before initiating legal proceedings.

Typically, a NERA investigation proceeds in the following way:

1) If the initial inspection finds Employment Legislation breaches the employer is instructed to take the appropriate steps to rectify the matter. 2) NERA sends a letter to request evidence that the employer is now compliant. 3) If the response is inadequate, the company is warned that any further breaches will be sent to NERA's legal services for prosecution. Then a follow-up inspection occurs.     *It is extremely important for employers to note that if there is a breach of the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996, the employer is referred for prosecution directly after the first inspection. Employers should know that employees regularly complain to NERA about their employer’s adherence to Employment Legislation and their maintenance of employment records and so on. In order to pass a NERA inspection and to comply with Employment Legislation, employers are statutorily obliged to maintain a large number of records relating to their employees. Here is a list of the 10 most important records/details that an employer in Ireland must keep:

PPS Number, Name and Address of each employee
Terms of Employment for every employee
Individual job classifications for each employee
Commencement/termination dates
Payroll details
Copies of payslips
Hours of Work
Under 18 employee register (if applicable)
Public Holiday/Annual Leave entitlements received by each employee
Board/Lodging details if applicable

NERA inspectors are entitled to see all of these records, and more where relevant, during an inspection.

In the 6 month period between January and June 2013, NERA conducted 2,755 workplace inspections. A staggering 1,458 (53%) of these inspections were unannounced!

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T11:00:05+00:00June 17th, 2015|Inspections|0 Comments

Whistleblowing in Ireland

In light of the Garda whistleblowing issues that have been unfolding in recent weeks, we thought employers might find some information on whistleblowing useful. The Protected Disclosure Bill 2013, commonly known as the ‘Whistleblowers Bill’ was published on July 3rd 2013 by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, T.D. The Bill is to establish a comprehensive legislative framework protecting whistleblowers in all industries in Ireland. Whistleblowing The purpose of the Bill is to protect workers who raise concerns regarding wrongdoing (or potential wrongdoing) that they have become aware of one way or another in the workplace. The Bill will offer significant employment and other protections to whistleblowers if they suffer any penalties at the hands of their employer for coming forward with information of wrongdoing in their place of work. The Bill, which is due to be enacted shortly, closely reflects best practices in whistleblowing protection in developed nations around the world. According to Minister Howlin the Bill “should instil all workers with confidence that should they ever need to take that decisive step and speak-up on concerns that they have about possible misconduct in the workplace, they will find that society values their actions as entirely legitimate, appropriate and in the public interest”. Whistleblowing Some key elements included in the Bill are as follows: Compensation of up to a maximum of five years remuneration can be awarded in the case of an Unfair Dismissal that came about as a result of making a protected disclosure. This would be a massive step forward in Ireland’s attempt to match the standards set by other established nations. It is important to note that limitations relating to the length of service that usually apply in the case of Unfair Dismissals are set aside in the case of protected disclosures. As a result of this Bill, whistleblowers will benefit from civil immunity from actions for damages and a qualified privilege under defamation law. The legislation will provide a number of disclosure channels for potential whistleblowers and stresses that the disclosure, rather than the whistleblower, should be the focus of the attention. Protections for the whistleblower remain in place even where the information disclosed does not reveal any wrongdoing when examined. Deliberate false reporting, however, will not be protected. These measures, when enacted, should encourage more people to come forward, and feel comfortable doing so, when they become aware of (or suspect) any criminal activity, misconduct or wrongdoing in the workplace. The Seanad Final Stage debate on the Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 was held on the 20^th November 2013 and the Bill was passed by the Seanad. The Bill, which may be subject to minor changes, will soon be debated and passed by the Dáil. Once it is signed by President Michael D. Higgins, the Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 will come into operation and, according to Minister Howlin, he intends for the legislation to be “commenced immediately on its enactment”. Employer Responsibilities What should employers do? As it will apply to all employees in Ireland once enacted; employers should establish and clearly communicate a comprehensive ‘whistleblowing’ policy to ensure that staff are aware of and understand the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Bill. It is important that cultural issues and negative connotations surrounding whistleblowing are addressed within the company to ensure that employees adhere to the appropriate whistleblowing guidelines.

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T11:00:04+00:00June 17th, 2015|Employer Responsibilities|0 Comments

Worker dismissed at probationary period meeting awarded €10k

On 17th September 2013 a former employee of a coach hire company referred his case under Section 20 (1) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1969 to the Labour Court and agreed to be bound by the Recommendations of the Court.

  The case revolved around the alleged Unfair Dismissal of the claimant at his probationary meeting. An employee with less than 12 months’ service cannot avail of the protections offered by the Unfair Dismissals Acts, however, as this particular employee did, employees with less than 12 months’ service can refer a claim under the Industrial Relations Act as the amount of service is irrelevant in these instances. The employee claimed that he was made aware that he was being dismissed at the meeting but stated that no issues about his performance were raised at that time. The employee described how he was denied his right to appeal the decision as his employer either claimed to be “unavailable” or simply “failed to respond” to any correspondence relating to an appeal process. A Labour Court hearing was scheduled for, and took place on, January 10^th 2014. The employer, who was notified of the hearing, did not attend and did not appoint any representation to attend on his/her behalf. Given his opportunity to speak, the worker claimed that throughout the course of his probation, he was never told of any issues with his performance. He went on to describe how he was not afforded his right to query why he was dismissed and was not given any opportunity to appeal the decision made by his employers to terminate his employment at that time. As there was no representation on the part of the employer the employee’s claims went uncontested. With the evidence presented to it, the Court decided that the process used in deciding to dismiss the claimant fell short of the standards of fairness that a reasonable employer should exhibit. The Court, satisfied with the evidence of the claimant, ruled that he be compensated in the amount of €10,000. This figure was in full and final settlement of all claims arising from this dismissal. Award, Unfair Dismissal

The determination in this case should encourage all employers to ensure that they follow Labour Court approved procedures with extreme care when dismissing an employee - even when doing so during a probationary period. Employers should note from this case that all employees, including those who are dismissed during probation, are entitled to be afforded details of the reasons why they are being let go and should also be offered the right to appeal the decision to terminate. As should be the case all employees, even employees on probation, are entitled to natural justice.

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T11:00:15+00:00June 17th, 2015|Compensation|0 Comments

Don’t forget about e-Day
Gallery
Don’t forget about e-Day

Employer Responsibilities

Don’t forget about e-Day

What is e-Day

e-Day is the date from which central Government, local authorities and State agencies stop issuing and accepting cheques from businesses. e-Day is today, 19th September 2014. The particular focus of e-Day is to encourage SMEs to migrate from cheque usage. Cheques are an expensive means of payment for businesses because of bank charges, stamp duty, postage, time spent making lodgements, and unpaid cheques. Businesses are migrating away from cheque usage and opting for more efficient payment methods instead. e-Day will move this process along while reducing costs for businesses.

Mandatory electronic filing and payment

Revenue has introduced Regulations providing for the mandatory electronic filing, payment and repayment of certain taxes as part of a strategy to establish the use of electronic channels as the normal way of conducting tax business. Currently the vast majority of Revenue’s business customers have been brought into the mandatory regime.

Cheque usage

There has been a significant reduction in business cheques received and issued by Revenue over the past number of years. This has accelerated with the phased implementation of mandatory efiling and payment.

Alternative to cheques and cash

Revenue provides an extensive range of alternative payment methods to cheque and cash. The online payment methods include direct debits, single debit instructions, debit card and credit card. Payment by credit card by telephone is also available. Refunds are processed electronically direct to customers bank account.

Business customers currently using cheques

Coinciding with e-Day Revenue is actively promoting the use of alternatives to cheque payments as outlined above. Those business customers currently paying or receiving refunds by cheque are advised to prepare for e-Day. ROS customers can nominate bank accounts for payments and refunds by selecting the "Manage Bank Accounts" option on their My Services tab. Alternatively business customers can contact ROS Payment Support Unit at 1890 226 336 to discuss payment solutions with the Revenue Commissioners.

Outsourced HR Services from The HR Company

By The HR Company Administrator|2017-01-02T11:00:41+00:00September 19th, 2014|Employer Responsibilities|0 Comments