Your Employment Rights in Ireland

Key things to know

The national minimum wage is €13.50 per hour as of January 2025 for adults aged 20+.
You are entitled to 4 weeks paid annual leave per year.
Your employer must give you a written statement of terms within 5 days of starting.
The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) handles employment disputes — free to use.
All workers have employment rights in Ireland regardless of immigration status.

National Minimum Wage

From January 2025, the national minimum wage is €13.50 per hour for adults aged 20+. Lower rates apply for younger workers:

Under 18: 70% (€9.45/hr)
Age 18: 80% (€10.80/hr)
Age 19: 90% (€12.15/hr)

Check gov.ie for the current rate as it is reviewed annually.

Working Hours

Maximum average working week: 48 hours
Minimum 11 consecutive hours rest in any 24-hour period
Minimum 24 consecutive hours rest per week
Breaks: 15 minutes after 4.5 hours; 30 minutes after 6 hours

Annual Leave

All employees are entitled to at least 4 weeks paid annual leave per year. There are 10 public holidays in Ireland — these are in addition to your annual leave entitlement. If you must work a public holiday, you are entitled to paid time off in lieu or an extra day's pay.

Sick Leave

As of 2025, you are entitled to 5 days statutory sick pay per year from your employer, at 70% of normal pay (capped at €110/day). After exhausting this, you may be eligible for Illness Benefit from the Department of Social Protection, subject to PRSI contributions.

Your Contract

Your employer must provide a written statement of core terms within 5 days of starting, including: name and employer, job title, start date, rate of pay, working hours, and place of work. You are also entitled to a detailed payslip each time you are paid.

If Something Goes Wrong

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) handles employment disputes — unpaid wages, unfair dismissal, discrimination, breach of employment law. It is free to use. Submit a complaint at workplacerelations.ie.

Official Sources