Question
I work part-time from Monday to Wednesday. This year
Christmas falls on a Thursday. Will I get paid for Christmas Day and St
Stephen’s Day, even though I don’t work on those days? What about New Year’s
Day which falls on the following Thursday?
Answer
Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day are
public holidays. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are not. All workers are
entitled either to paid time off or pay for a public holiday. (Your employer
can decide whether to give you time off or pay.) Part-time workers must have worked for the employer for at least 40 hours in the previous five-week period to have a public holiday entitlement.
If you work part-time and the public holiday falls on a day that you usually work you are entitled to a day’s pay or a paid day off for the public holiday. Part-time workers who are not rostered to work on a public holiday are still entitled to be paid or to paid time off for the public holiday. Part-time workers get one-fifth of their normal pay for the week as compensation for the holiday.
If you are required to work on a public holiday you are entitled to be paid at your usual rate and you are also entitled to either an additional day’s pay or a paid day off.
In your case you should receive one-fifth of your normal weekly pay for each of the three public holidays, Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day. So you should get the additional pay or the equivalent amount of time off. Your employer can decide which option to give you.
You can get detailed information on employment rights on the website workplacerelations.ie.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Dungloe Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel: 0761075430 Address: Dungloe Public Services Centre,
Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0761 07 4000.