Nov 26th Event: Employment Law – Know the Rules Before You Need Them.

What Every Business Owner Should Know

Employment law can feel like a minefield. But for most small businesses, the biggest risks aren’t found in complicated legal textbooks – they’re found in everyday situations.

So, what do you do when

• An employee isn’t performing.
• Someone is constantly late.
• An employee makes a complaint.
• Someone asks to work remotely.
• An employee goes on sick leave.
• You need to make someone redundant.
• An employee simply isn’t working out.

For an SME owner or manager, understanding the basics of Irish employment law isn’t about becoming a lawyer. It’s about knowing where the risks are, having correct, sensible procedures in place and knowing when you need professional advice.

Employment law starts before the employee starts

Good employment practice begins with recruitment.

Businesses need to think about equality and discrimination when advertising, interviewing and selecting employees. They also need to understand the difference between an employee and someone who is genuinely self-employed or operating as a contractor. Calling someone a “contractor” doesn’t automatically make them one.

Then there is the paperwork.

Employers have obligations to provide employees with written terms of employment, including key information within the required timeframe and a fuller written statement within one month.

A good employment relationship starts with clarity.

The everyday issues matter

Employment law affects the things businesses deal with every day:

• Pay and the National Minimum Wage
• Working hours, breaks and rest periods
• Annual leave and public holidays
• Sick leave
• Maternity, paternity and parental leave
• Flexible and remote working
• Equality and discrimination
• Bullying and harassment
• Performance management
• Disciplinary procedures
• Grievances
• Resignation and dismissal
• Redundancy

Meanwhile, requests for remote or flexible working need to be handled through the appropriate statutory framework and WRC Code of Practice.

Where SMEs can get into trouble

Often, the problem isn’t the original issue. It’s how the issue is handled.

An employee may genuinely be underperforming. But if the employer jumps straight to dismissal without properly identifying the problem, investigating it, giving the employee an opportunity to respond and following a fair procedure, the employer may create a much bigger problem.

Similarly, an employee complaint shouldn’t simply be dismissed as “a personality clash” or “someone making trouble”.

The basic rule is simple:

Don’t ignore it. Don’t assume. Investigate. Listen. Document. Then decide.

Employers need a Code of Practice to handle these workplace situations, including disciplinary and grievance procedures, employment status, bullying, flexible and remote working and other employment issues.

Employment law is changing – Employment law isn’t static.

For example, from June 2026, new legislation introduced a right for certain employees with contractual retirement ages below the State Pension age to notify their employer that they do not consent to retire at that contractual age. So, what do you do?

For SMEs, the message is clear:

Don’t rely on what you think the law says – make sure you know what the current rules are.

Would we know what to do if an employee complaint landed on our desk tomorrow morning?

If the answer is “not really”, you’re not alone AND it’s probably time to do something about it.

Introduction to Irish Employment Law – A Practical Session for SMEs

Bridge Enterprise Centres is hosting a practical Introduction to Irish Employment Law session designed specifically for SME owners, managers and staff.

Rather than getting lost in legal jargon, the session will focus on the employment issues businesses actually encounter – from recruitment and contracts to working hours, leave, equality, performance, disciplinary procedures, grievances, dismissal and redundancy.

The aim is simple:

• Know your obligations.
• Recognise the risks.
• Handle problems properly.

Suitable for SME owners, managers and employees who want a practical understanding of the essentials of Irish employment law.

📅 Thursday, 26th November 🕘 9am to 12:30pm 📍 Bridge Enterprise Centres, Nutgrove.

Reserve your place HERE.