Knowledge hub
Practical, no-nonsense guidance on Irish employment law, WRC cases, payroll and health & safety, written by the PurpleTree advisory team. The same people who sort these issues for employers every day.
Latest guide
A contract of employment in Ireland is more than paperwork. These six common mistakes with employment contracts leave Irish employers exposed to WRC claims, and most are entirely avoidable with the right support.
Read the guideAll guides
62 guides and counting. Search by topic or filter by area. Need this applied to your own business? Book a free consultation or see our fixed monthly pricing.
A contract of employment in Ireland is more than paperwork. These six common mistakes with employment contracts leave Irish employers exposed to WRC claims, and most are entirely avoidable with the right support.
The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 is one of the most commonly cited laws in WRC complaints, yet many Irish employers fall short on rest breaks, maximum hours, and record-keeping. Here are the six working time mistakes that keep landing employers in trouble.
A probation period in Ireland does not give employers a free pass to dismiss without process. These seven common mistakes expose Irish SMEs to WRC claims, financial penalties, and operational disruption.
PRSI errors are among the most costly payroll mistakes Irish employers make, creating retrospective liabilities and damaging employees’ state pension entitlements. Here are the common mistakes PurpleTree sees and why they matter.
Auto-enrolment pension obligations are now live in Ireland, and employers are already making costly mistakes. From eligibility errors to mishandled opt-outs, here are the pitfalls PurpleTree’s payroll and HR teams see most often.
The EU Pay Transparency Directive is reshaping how Irish employers handle pay bands, salary disclosures, and gender pay gap reporting. Here are five pay transparency mistakes in Ireland that SMEs keep making and why getting ahead of them matters.
Sick leave management trips up Irish employers more often than expected, from poor certification tracking to botched long-term absence dismissals. Here are the most common sick leave mistakes that lead to WRC complaints and how to avoid them.
Compassionate leave in Ireland catches many employers off guard because it is largely discretionary, yet full of hidden risks. From confusing it with force majeure leave to failing to maintain consistent records, these seven common mistakes can lead to grievances and WRC complaints.
Statutory redundancy in Ireland applies based on the reality of the working relationship, not the label on the contract. A recent high-profile contractor dispute shows why Irish employers must audit their workforce arrangements before restructuring.
Statutory redundancy Ireland obligations do not disappear because you outsource work through a contracting company. A high-profile case involving 700+ planned redundancies highlights the WRC risks Irish employers face when contractor arrangements are challenged.
A recent WRC adjudication dismissed a discrimination claim because the employer’s processes were consistent and documented. Here is what Irish employers can learn about building a defensible position against workplace discrimination claims.
A High Court case involving alleged workplace bullying after maternity leave highlights a blind spot many Irish employers share. Without a proper dignity-at-work policy and trained managers, a single interaction can trigger costly legal proceedings.
A recent case involving a large Irish employer allegedly rushing lay-offs to avoid statutory redundancy payments highlights why timing tactics backfire. This article examines why statutory redundancy in Ireland cannot be sidestepped, and the real WRC exposure employers face when they try.
A recent €75,000 WRC award for back pay to a senior executive shows that payroll compliance failures are not confined to low-wage roles. For Irish employers, the financial exposure scales directly with salary, making accurate payroll management and early intervention more important than ever.
Employers regularly lose WRC cases over disciplinary dismissals, not because the misconduct was fabricated, but because they mishandled the employee’s right to representation at the hearing. This article examines the representation mistakes that void otherwise sound dismissals and how to avoid them.
Employment permits in Ireland carry compliance obligations that many employers underestimate. From eligibility checks to renewal management, here are the mistakes that cost Irish businesses time, money, and legal exposure.
Parental leave in Ireland gives qualifying parents 26 weeks of unpaid leave per child, but Irish employers regularly make mistakes with requests, documentation, and return-to-work obligations that lead to WRC complaints.
Payment in Lieu of Notice sounds simple, but PILON mistakes are a growing source of WRC claims in Irish employment law. Missing contract clauses, wrong calculations, and skipped procedures leave employers exposed to unfair dismissal findings.
Protected disclosures carry some of the highest compensation risks in Irish employment law, with WRC awards of up to five years’ pay. A live WRC case highlights why every employer needs a compliant framework before a disclosure arrives.
A May 2026 WRC ruling awarding €40,000 for unfair dismissal of a long-serving hospitality worker shows the real cost of skipping fair procedures. Here is what Irish employers should take from the case.
A recent WRC case awarded €15,000 after a colleague’s discriminatory remark at a sales meeting, highlighting how workplace discrimination in Ireland makes employers liable even for conduct they did not initiate.
WRC decisions in Ireland are legally binding, and ignoring them only compounds the cost. This article examines what happens when employers fail to pay WRC awards, how enforcement works through the courts, and why proactive compliance support from PurpleTree HR prevents a manageable outcome from becoming an expensive one.
Two high-profile WRC cases this week show what happens when Irish employers ignore a WRC decision: enforcement proceedings, escalating awards, and reputational damage that far exceeds the original dispute.
A practical guide for fabrication and steel businesses trying to work out whether the Construction Sectoral Employment Order applies to their workforce. If you run a fabrication business, you’ve probably had this conversation internally more than once: “are we construction, or are we manufacturing?” It matters more than it sounds. The Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) […]
The average salary in Ireland keeps climbing, and employers who have not benchmarked their pay in the last twelve months risk losing talent to competitors who have. Here is what the latest salary data means for your business and how to turn it into a retention advantage.
A recent €360,000 WRC claim highlights the risks of misclassifying a contractor vs employee in Ireland. Learn what triggers reclassification and how Irish SMEs can protect themselves from back-dated PRSI, employment rights claims, and Revenue audits.
Jury duty in Ireland places specific pay and absence obligations on employers that many SMEs are unprepared for. This Q&A covers the employer’s role when an employee receives a jury summons, including pay, protections, and the compliance risks of getting it wrong.
An Irish WRC case saw an employer liable for nearly €98,000 in equal pay arrears. Here is what the ruling tells employers about equal pay Ireland obligations.
The Labour Court has overturned a WRC decision on statutory sick pay in Ireland, confirming that employers with more favourable company schemes can claim exemption under the Sick Leave Act 2022. This ruling highlights why sick pay policy documentation and annual review matter more than most employers realise.
A recent WRC penalisation award of €40,000 highlights the standalone risk employers face when an employee is dismissed after filing a complaint or giving testimony. This article breaks down why unfair dismissal through penalisation catches Irish employers off guard and how to protect your business.
Employment law Ireland places strict demands on employers once a WRC complaint is filed. This article explains why the employer’s first response to a WRC claim often determines the outcome, and how PurpleTree’s employment advice team manages the process from notification to adjudication.
Maternity leave in Ireland carries obligations for employers that begin at pregnancy disclosure and extend well past the return to work. This article covers the five mistakes Irish employers make most often, and what they cost when a WRC notification follows.
A recent WRC ruling where a worker lost an unfair dismissal claim over misconduct outside the workplace highlights the procedural complexity Irish employers face when dealing with out-of-work conduct, criminal convictions, and unexplained absences.
Paternity leave in Ireland is a statutory entitlement that many employers treat as straightforward, until a WRC complaint arrives. This article sets out the five most common mistakes employers make with paternity leave in Ireland, from confusing it with parents’ leave to failing to protect employee rights during absence.
Statutory redundancy in Ireland is not automatic. Qualifying service, continuous employment, and non-standard arrangements all create traps that catch employers off guard, as a recent high-profile case demonstrates.
Fear-based workplace cultures are behind the sharp rise in constructive dismissal claims in Ireland, with over 200 WRC cases filed in 2023 alone. Irish employers who treat culture as a morale issue rather than a compliance issue are carrying more legal exposure than they realise.
A recent WRC hearing involving a political adviser’s Leinster House role puts the concept of genuine redundancy in Ireland under fresh scrutiny. This article explains the two tests every redundancy must pass, the scenarios where employers go wrong, and what the WRC can award when a redundancy does not hold up.
A recent court case saw an Irish manufacturing firm fined €80,000 following a fatal workplace incident, a sharp reminder that health and safety at work obligations in Ireland carry genuine criminal and financial consequences for every employer.
A political adviser told their redundancy payment depends on an MEP losing their seat raises a question every Irish employer should ask: can a statutory redundancy entitlement ever be deferred or made conditional? PurpleTree HR unpacks the rules, the edge cases, and where employers most often get it wrong.
A gym worker won over €5,500 at the WRC after being sexually harassed at a work Christmas party. PurpleTree HR explains why Irish employers are legally liable for harassment at work events, and what a genuine Dignity at Work policy must cover to provide any real protection.
A recent WRC award of €183,000 for unfair dismissal against an Irish construction employer is a sharp reminder that no dismissal, regardless of seniority, is safe from scrutiny without a fair and documented process behind it.
A a Dublin city centre security worker paid €4 an hour while his employer told him to ‘have some trust and loyalty’ is now before the WRC. PurpleTree HR examines what the Payment of Wages Act 1991 requires of Irish employers and where the most common, and costly, mistakes occur.
Getting a disciplinary procedure wrong in Ireland can be costly. This guide explains exactly what Irish employment law requires, how each step works, and where employers most commonly create WRC exposure.
Making an employee redundant in Ireland is a legally precise process. Get any step wrong and you risk a WRC claim. Here is exactly what Irish employers need to do, in the right order.
Every employee in Ireland is entitled to a minimum of four working weeks of annual leave per year. This guide explains how entitlements are calculated, what the law says about part-time staff, and how to handle carryover, public holidays, and pay.
There is no statutory entitlement to bereavement leave in Ireland, yet most employers offer it, and the best ones have a clear policy. This guide covers compassionate leave allowances, force majeure rules, and how to support your team.
Since the Sick Leave Act 2022, Irish employers must provide statutory sick pay. The current entitlement is 5 days at 70% of normal wages, capped at €110 per day. This guide covers eligibility, certification, employer obligations, and what is changing.
Ireland’s national minimum wage increased to €14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026. This employer guide covers all sub-minimum rates by age, payroll calculations, compliance obligations, and the penalties for getting it wrong.
Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2026, including St. Brigid’s Day. This guide lists every date and explains the employer obligations around public holiday pay, entitlements for part-time staff, and what happens when a bank holiday falls on a non-working day.
Ireland’s auto enrolment pension scheme launched on 1 January 2026. Every employer with eligible staff must now act. PurpleTree HR breaks down the contribution rates, opt-out rules, payroll changes, and compliance deadlines Irish businesses need to know.
Employee experience is now a deciding factor in whether Irish businesses attract and keep the people they need. This guide covers the three pillars of EX, how it differs from engagement, and a practical framework for improvement.
For most Irish SMEs, payroll is the largest and least predictable cost on the books. This guide shows how to plan wage costs, get PAYE, PRSI and ERR right, and decide when to bring in managed payroll support.
Employee benefits in Ireland go far beyond salary. From statutory entitlements and the Bike to Work scheme to BIK rules and salary sacrifice, this guide covers every benefit type Irish employers need to understand.
From employment law compliance to retention and skills gaps, Irish SMEs face HR challenges that larger companies solve with dedicated departments. This guide covers the five biggest issues and practical ways to handle them.
Occupational sick pay goes beyond the statutory minimum, and for many Irish SMEs, offering it is the difference between retaining good people and losing them. This guide covers how to design a fair, affordable OSP policy.
A poorly run workplace investigation can cost more than the issue it was meant to resolve. This step-by-step guide covers what Irish employment law requires, from terms of reference to the right of appeal.
Management style has a measurable impact on employee engagement. Gallup puts the figure at 70% of the variance. For Irish SMEs where every team member counts, getting this right is not optional.
Strong candidates drop out of hiring processes every day, not because they found something better, but because employers went quiet. This guide shows Irish SMEs how to keep candidates engaged from application to offer.
Can you contact an employee on annual leave? Legally, yes. But getting it wrong can trigger a grievance, undermine trust, or raise questions about your right-to-disconnect obligations. Here is where the line is for Irish employers.
The questions you ask in an exit interview matter more than the fact that you hold one. These 35 questions are designed for Irish employers who want honest, actionable feedback, not polite platitudes.
Workforce management software promises to fix scheduling, time tracking and compliance. For many Irish SMEs the real issue is the process underneath. This guide helps you decide what to fix first and when a system is worth it.
Inaccurate time tracking costs Irish businesses more than they realise, from payroll errors and WRC exposure to missed billing. This guide covers what the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 requires and how the right system pays for itself.
No guides match your search. Try a different term or ask us directly.
