5 Quick Reads:

1. Last call to register for My Future Fund before 31 December 🎯
2. Is the Christmas party an extension of the workplace 🎄
3. Women are 'disadvantaged' by workplace policies 🚺
4. The Platform Work Directive a five step roadmap for compliance 📘
5. New rates of pay for workers in the Contract Cleaning Industry 💼

And in other news....Think you’ve seen it all in recruitment? Think again. Join us for a free 45-minute lunchtime webinar on 20th of January 2026, hosted by Legal Island in partnership with MCS Group, and get the inside scoop on what’s really shaping hiring and how to hit the ground running in 2026.

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Pensions Auto-enrolment
4. Remote Working
5. New rates of pay for workers in the Contract Cleaning Industry
6. Women are 'disadvantaged' by workplace policies
7. Education & Employment Law
8. The Platform Work Directive
9. EU launches new initiative for future-proof quality jobs
10. Just In Case You Missed It....
11. HR Developments
12. Employment News in the Media
13. Free Webinars

Elaine Spencer -v- MTG Import Company Limited

Summary:

Poor Practices and Penalisation lead to Award.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

1. Ensure compliance with statutory obligations relating to contracts of employment. Written terms should be provided within the required deadlines and accurately reflect agreed working arrangements. Reliance on informal practices or third-party software does not absolve employers of responsibility.
2. Ensure payroll practices are transparent and verifiable. Employers who pay staff in cash must retain clear records that correspond with payslips and statutory entitlements. In the absence of documentary evidence, adjudicators are likely to prefer employee testimony. Payslips should always reflect actual payments made, and employees should receive them without having to request them.
3. Exercise caution when employees raise statutory concerns. Any reduction in hours, changes to schedules, or conditions following such complaints may be viewed as penalisation unless objectively justified and properly documented.
   

Read the full Review here: Elaine Spencer -v- MTG Import Company Limited [2025]

Joseph Lennon -v- Kenplast Ltd

Summary: 

Construction Sector Worker Breaches Equal Award

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

1. If in the construction sector, understand that Sectoral Employment Orders create binding minimum standards, not optional guidelines. Where workers fall within an SEO, employers are required to ensure that pay rates, pension, sick pay and death in service benefits all complied with those statutory terms. Proper payroll records and clear payslips are expected to be maintained.
2. Comply fully with the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994. This means that core terms are provided within five days and full written terms within the statutory timeframe. Relying on verbal arrangements or informal understandings leaves employers exposed.

3. When employees raise concerns about pay, statutory entitlements, or SEOs, employers are expected to respond constructively and transparently rather than defensively or dismissively. Early engagement with payroll advisers and open explanation of calculations reduce conflict. Non-engagement with the WRC process, or sending an unbriefed representative, typically results in uncontested evidence being accepted.

   Read the full Review here: Joseph Lennon -v- Kenplast Ltd [2025]
   

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These case reviews were written by Patrick Barrett BL.

Patrick's legal education is robust, beginning with a BCL Law Degree from University College Cork (2012-2016), followed by an LL.M in Business Law from the same institution (2016-2017), and culminating in a Barrister-at-Law Degree from The Honorable Society of King’s Inns in Dublin (2019-2021). He has extensive experience on the South-West Circuit, handling Civil, Family, and Criminal Law cases, as well as advising the Citizen Advice Service.  He has worked as an employment consultant, dealing with workplace investigations and bankruptcy procedures.

Remember: Our Irish case law reviews are now held in our case law section on our fully-searchable employment law hub website.

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AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

This week's episode: AI in the Workplace – Friend or Foe? (Spoiler: It's Complicated)

You can tune into the latest episode right here - or, if you’re on the move, why not take us with you?

Listen on all major platforms: 🎧 Spotify🎧 Amazon Music 🎧 Apple Podcasts

Simply search for “AI for HR Weekly Podcast” and enjoy expert insights anytime, anywhere.

Keeping redundancy fair when AI is at the table 

Employers are facing a new wave of AI assisted challenges in already challenging redundancy exercises. From attacks on selection pools and criteria to detailed requests for further information and lengthy appeals, there’s a significant increase in both the complexity and volume of challenges raised by employees. Lewis Silkin LLP consider how to respond fairly and proportionately.

AI in HR 2026: The Predictions That Will Redefine People Strategy, Leadership and Work 

As organisations enter 2026, AI is no longer a future consideration but a transformative force reshaping every layer of the HR function. Dayforce’s executive team outlines how people data will rise to board-level importance, how HR must shift from AI experimentation to measurable business impact, and why the most successful organisations will be those that develop human ingenuity alongside intelligent systems. More from HRD Connect. 

Cyber risk is the most pressing threat to Irish businesses

Cyber risk has emerged as the most pressing threat facing Irish businesses, according to new survey data published by professional services firm Aon. The firm’s 2025 Global Risk Management Survey (GRMS), released today, shows cyber attacks and data breaches holding the top spot in Ireland as companies grapple with accelerating AI adoption and increasingly sophisticated threats. Business Plus has the full story.

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Employers have registered less than half of eligible workers for auto-enrolment pensions so far 

The employers of over 300,000 workers have signed up for the auto-enrolment pension scheme in the first week of registration opening. However, with 771,000 employees initially eligible for enrolment in the My Future Fund scheme, that means less than half are logged on the registration portal just three weeks out from the new scheme launching. The Journal has more.

Act now: Register for My Future Fund before 31 December

As the 1 January 2026 implementation date for pensions automatic enrolment is fast approaching, the Government is continuing to engage with employers and the pensions industry with information about My Future Fund. Registration is now open for the My Future Fund portal, which is the online system via which employers will interact with My Future Fund. More from Arthur Cox.

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AIB staff living in NI but working in Republic told they cannot work from home

AIB staff who live in Northern Ireland but work in the Republic of Ireland have been told they cannot work from home. In a policy document issued to staff, the bank said that employees of AIB ROI may live in Northern Ireland but that "strict conditions apply". RTÉ has more.

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From 01 January 2026, the basic hourly rates of pay for the contract cleaning industry will increase:

Under 18 - €10.36
18 years old - €11.84
19 years old - €13.32
20 years old+ - €14.80

More information available here.

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The gender pay gap in Ireland comes from policies and societal expectations that disproportionately affect women, according to Jennifer Keane, founder of PayGap.ie. Speaking on The Anton Savage Show, Keane outlined the scale of the issue and the changes needed to close the gap. Catch up on Newstalk. 

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School staff injuries: Hundreds of teachers and SNAs forced off work after classroom incidents

Hundreds of school staff have been forced to take leave from their jobs in recent years due to physical injuries they sustained in the classroom or on the schoolyard. Assault leave has been granted at least 1,700 times since 2020 to teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) physically injured in the course of their duties. You can read more on this from the Irish Examiner.

'You lose a huge part of yourself' - teacher assaulted at work says more support needed

Sophie Cole, a special education teacher, was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome, a chronic pain disorder, after her left hand was slammed into a steel-reinforced table while at work. "In that moment the child had spilled water on the ground I went to clean it up so they didn't slip. More. 

And............

‘Unrealistic parental expectations’ contributing to teacher burnout 

Overbearing parents are contributing to high levels of stress and burnout among teachers, a new report has concluded. The Teacher Occupational Wellbeing Research 2025 from DCU Create surveyed over a thousand primary and secondary schools. It found that 86% of teachers felt they were suffering moderate to high levels of personal burnout. Newstalk has more on this story.

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The Platform Work Directive - A five-step roadmap for compliance

Member States have until December 2026 to transpose the EU's Platform Work Directive into national law. Our Employment Law & Benefits team provide an update on transposition progress to date and a step-by-step guide for immediate action. Read full analysis from Mason, Hayes & Curran.

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The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion has launched the Quality Jobs Roadmap, a new initiative intended to improve job quality and drive the creation of high-quality, future-proof jobs for workers and employers across Europe. A first-stage consultation of social partners is open until 29 January 2026, with the goal of presenting a proposal for a new Quality Jobs Act by the end of next year. The new law will update EU rules to better protect workers while supporting productivity and competitiveness. You can find out more from OSH News.

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'K’ is for Kicking Off the Festive Party Season

In the latest HR A to Z, a series crafted by AAB to decode the latest trends shaping the world of work, Shannon Lennon provides guidance on making the festive season a meaningful opportunity to celebrate achievements, deepen connection, and recognise the collective contribution that has driven success throughout the year. You can read it here.

AG Advises: 3 key developments in employment law from 2025

Philp Gray from Addleshaw Goddard looks at three areas that came into sharp focus for HR professionals and employers in 2025, providing some top tips for employers to prepare for these areas to develop further into 2026.

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December checklist: What prep is needed for an end-of-year review?

It is hard to believe that it is December already and the time has come to start thinking about making arrangements for the end of the year. One such activity to turn your attention to, a highly important one in fact, is the end-of-year review, which is an opportunity to gain insight into your performance throughout the year and plan for the months ahead.  So, with that in mind, what do you need to know and have prepared in advance of an end-of-year evaluation? Silicon Republic has more.

Is the Christmas party an extension of the workplace?

The Christmas Party season is in full swing. But what are the dos and don'ts for employers and staff when it comes to festive social gatherings? The employment team at Lewis Silkin has dealt with numerous complaints stemming from previous workplace Christmas parties. The law firm has seen an increase in grievances and complaints from employees overall across 2025. It said it is important to remember workplace policies on dignity, anti-bullying, and sexual harassment still apply in the context of these events. More from RTE.

And others are asking...

Should the office Christmas party be abolished?

It sounds dramatic, but it is a debate that quietly resurfaces every year. A well-intentioned celebration can quickly become a serious HR and legal issue. Mary Cullen from Insight HR shares guidance in this article for the Irish Examiner.

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RTE reports a firefighter who accused a senior officer of bullying with snide remarks about his weight and driving ability and by allegedly instigating the removal of kit from his locker has won €15,000 for penalisation on safety grounds.

About 60 staff at Meta contractor Covalen took industrial action on Wednesday is a dispute over grading, pay and union recognition. The workers involved say they are classed as community operations analysts when they in fact work as paralegals. Their work, they say, includes dealing with court orders, supporting the company’s legal team and conducting investigations. They are seeking a regrading and a pay review which the Communication Workers Union (CWU) contends should result in pay increases of at least €1,000 per annum. More from the Irish Times.

The Defence Forces and South East Technological University (SETU) have entered a new framework that will see increased educational opportunities offered to military personnel. The €1 million project will provide advanced learning, digital upskilling, and accredited progression routes for members of the Defence Forces. RTÉ has more here:

A veteran Irish executive has described finding out from a company newsletter that she was being demoted from her role as managing director of the multinational where she spent 24 years. “I have to say, that was pretty stressful,” Caroline O’Connell told the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The Irish Times has more on this story.

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MCS Lunch & Learn: Level Up Your Recruitment Strategy for 2026

Tuesday 20th of January 2026
12 noon – 12:45 p.m.
Online

Think you’ve seen it all in recruitment? Think again. Join us for a free 45-minute lunchtime webinar on 20th of January 2026, hosted by Legal Island in partnership with MCS Group, and get the inside scoop on what’s really shaping hiring and how to hit the ground running in 2026.

What to expect:

• Understand how last year’s shifts in HR roles, sector trends and candidate expectations are shaping recruitment in 2026
• Explore how candidates and employers are using AI from CV optimisation to predictive hiring and what it means for your strategy
• Practical tips to reduce costs, streamline workflows and make automation work with your people, not against them

Stay ahead of salary trends, new role types and sector specific insights that will define the year ahead!

Julie will host a live Q and A with recruitment experts Rebekah Mulligan, Senior Recruitment Consultant - HR – MCS UK & Ireland and Associate Recruitment Consultant Tara Duffy, so you leave with answers, ideas and a sharper 2026 hiring toolkit.

Sign up for your free place here.

Enjoy your weekend!

Legal Island