Public Holidays

Irish law set out nine public holidays.

These are:

New Year's Day (1st January)
St Patrick's Day (17th March)
Easter Monday
First Monday in May, June, August
Last Monday in October
Christmas Day (25th December)
St Stephen's Day (26th December)

What is my entitlement to public holidays?

The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 sets out the rules for public holiday entitlements in Ireland.

Guide to the Organisation of Working time Act, Download here

Organisation of Working Time Act, Explanatory Booklet, Download here

If you are a part time worker who has worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks prior to the public holiday which falls on a day which you usually work, or a full time employee,then you will be entitled to benefit from a public holiday in one of the following ways:

A paid day off on the date of the public holiday
An extra day of annual leave
A day off within a month of the public holiday, with pay
An extra day's pay

What if I am not scheduled to work on the public holiday?

Where an employee is not normally scheduled to work on that day, which is a public holiday, then they are entitled to one fifth of their normal weekly wage extra.

As a part-time worker, how is my pay calculated?

If you meet with the time requirements mentioned earlier, 40 hours in 5 weeks, and the public holiday falls on a day you usually work, then you are entitled to the pay you would have received for that day, as if you had worked it. If your employer needs you to work on the public holiday, then you should receive an extra day's pay or paid day off.

If you do not normally work on that day, then you are entitled to one-fifth of your weekly pay, for the public holiday.

In sickness and in health

A full time worker, or part time who meets the time requirements mentioned earlier, is entitled to benefit from a public holiday which occurs while on sick leave , maternity leave , parental leave or adoptive leave .

If you have been absent from work immediately before the public holiday for more than 26 weeks due to an ordinary accident or illness, or 52 weeks in the case of an occupational accident , then you cannot avail of the benefit of a public holiday.

You are not entitled to public holiday benefits if your absence immediately before the public holiday is due to any of the following:

Lay off or other reason, authorised by your employer for over 13 weeks
A strike
After the first 13 weeks of carer's leave

The ending of employment

If your job finishes during the week ending on the day before a public holiday and you have completed four of the previous weeks of continuous employment then you are entitled to the benefits of a public holiday.

For advice on your employment law query using the orange Yes! Tell Me More button below.

Spread the knowledge. If you found this article useful, please like and share using any of the social buttons below.