Top 5 Reads for Busy People: 

1. Time Running Out as AI Transparency Guidelines Published ⏳
2. 5.6% increase in minimum wage to be recommended to Government 💷
3. Majority of Irish workers dream of a career change ✨
4. Record €320k Whistleblower Award. ⚖️
5. You've read his articles, now hear all about his career in our HR Interview with Dr Gerry McMahon 🎙️

And in other news... New season, new skills! Our Autumn Skill Builder for HR sessions have landed, with Workplace Coaching Skills kicking things off in August. And don't forget, Hub subscribers can still bag 2 free places, even if they've already used their Spring allocation. 💡

1. Case Law Reviews
2. AI and Employment Law
3. Skill Builder for HR: Workplace Coaching Skills
4. Pay
5. Data Protection
6. Economic Outlook
7. Is remote working becoming a social justice issue of the 21st century?
8. Charity ordered to pay whistleblower €320k in record WRC sum under legislation
9. Just In Case You Missed It....
10. HR Developments
11. Employment News in the Media
12. Health and Safety Developments
13. Free Webinars This Month 

Mark Brennan v Marks & Spencer Ireland Limited ADJ-00057991 

Summary: Dismissal for staff discount misuse was unfair where the employee's carelessness, rather than deliberate dishonesty, made dismissal a disproportionate sanction.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Ensure that staff benefit policies clearly define misuse, careless misuse, responsibility for third-party access, and the range of possible sanctions. If dismissal is to be a potential outcome, the policy should say so plainly and distinguish deliberate fraud from negligent failure to secure access. 
  
  
• Before dismissing, test proportionality separately from proof of misconduct. Even where a policy breach is serious, the decision-maker should ask whether the employee personally acted dishonestly, whether the loss was repaid or repayable and whether the employee cooperated. Also, whether there was prior service or a clean record, and whether a final written warning, repayment, withdrawal of the benefit, demotion or monitoring would protect the business.
  
  
• Ensure that appeal officers do not simply endorse the first decision. They should show that they reconsidered the facts, the employee’s explanation, the effect of dismissal, and the available alternatives. Where the employee’s wrongdoing was carelessness rather than deliberate abuse, the reasons for treating trust as irreparably broken should be recorded in detail. 
  

Read the full Review here.

Edson Simoa De Morais v Als Loughrea Omac Laboratories Limited ADJ-00047944

Summary: An employee in a safety sensitive Team Lead role was fairly dismissed for gross misconduct after contaminating a first aid room with lead by repeatedly entering it while wearing contaminated PPE, following a procedurally fair disciplinary process.

Practical Guidance for Employers: 

Employers should:

• Ensure that safety rules are clear, documented and reinforced through regular training. Where hazardous substances or contamination risks arise - restricted areas, PPE requirements and other procedures should be expressly communicated by signage, access controls and written acknowledgements. Training records should demonstrate that employees understand the rules and the consequences of non-compliance.
  
  
• Conduct a procedurally fair investigation pre-dismissal that clearly identifies every allegation, provides the supporting evidence and permits representation and response. Additional allegations arising during an investigation should be separately notified. The disciplinary decision should explain why the conduct amounted to gross misconduct. Also, why lesser sanctions, including a warning or demotion, were considered inadequate.
  
  
• Investigate comparable breaches by managers and colleagues and record any material distinctions between cases. Protected disclosures and unrelated safety complaints should be handled independently so that disciplinary action cannot reasonably appear to be retaliatory. 
  

Read the full Review here.

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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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Displaced by AI? How to use tech to return to work

Irish career coaching firm Prosperity says AI is becoming a practical tool for jobseekers, helping them identify opportunities, improve applications and build confidence after redundancy. Read more.

Time Running Out as AI Transparency Guidelines Published

On 20 July 2026, less than a fortnight before the transparency obligations in Article 50 of the EU AI Act become applicable, the European Commission published its Guidelines on the implementation of the transparency obligations for certain AI systems under Article 50 (C(2026) 5054). William Fry discuss this in more detail here. 

Are Ireland’s workers ready for the rise of their AI twin or to have AI colleagues?

One in five employees in Ireland expect to be working alongside AI colleagues within the next three years, according to new research commissioned by Irish IT and cybersecurity services provider Landmark Technologies. The study, conducted by Censuswide among 1,000 employees across the Republic of Ireland, highlights how workers increasingly see artificial intelligence evolving from a productivity tool into a more active participant in day-to-day business operations. Think Business has more here.

AI and digital transformation of business

As part of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026, Ireland will host the International AI Summit, as the official launch of European AI Innovation Month. More here.

AI for HR Weekly Podcast with Barry Phillips 🎙️

Hub subscribers are beginning to request that our Chairman, Barry covers a particular AI topic in a future podcast. If you have a request, send it to him directly at barry@legal-island.com - he’ll feel like a DJ from the 80s…...🎧

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 or Apple Podcasts

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

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WRC: Increased rates of pay will come into effect from 1 August 2026

The Sectoral Employment Order (Construction Sector) 2024 came into effect on 01 August 2025.  This sets the statutory minimum rates of pay and other conditions (sick pay and pension entitlements) for persons employed in the construction sector, from 01 August 2025 and 01 August 2026.  The new rates for construction workers and apprentices can be found here.

5.6% increase in minimum wage to be recommended to Government

The Low Pay Commission is to recommend to the Government that it increases the minimum wage by 5.6%. If the proposals are accepted, it would see the rate rase by 79 cent an hour from €14.15 to €14.94.The Government usually follows the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission but is not obliged to do so. You can read more from RTÉ.

ASML to offer employees €20,000 retention bonus for staying in 2027-2030

ASML, the largest maker of equipment used to manufacture computer chips, intends to offer employees a bonus worth €20,000 if they remain with the company between 2027 and 2030. The move is the latest among big semiconductor industry firms including Samsung Electronics, TSMC and SK Hynix, to offer workers extra compensation at a time when earnings are strong but skilled labour is short. More from RTÉ.

Payment of up to €20,000 proposed to settle school staff pension dispute

School secretaries and caretakers aged 40 or over would receive tax-free lump sums of up to €20,000 under the terms of a Labour Court recommendation intended to resolve a dispute. The issue prompted a strike by members of Fórsa at more than 2,000 schools last September. The proposals, which have been sent to the Department of Education and the union, provide for staff to remain on the auto-enrolment scheme most would have been required to join on January 1st rather than gain the pension parity with teachers and special needs assistants they had been seeking. More here from the Irish Times. 

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Spotlight on the Irish Data Protection Commission’s Annual Report: Practical Takeaways for Employers in Ireland

On 30 June 2026, the Irish Data Protection Commission (“DPC”) published its annual case studies booklet (“Booklet”) alongside its 2025 annual report (“Report”). The Booklet contains 39 case studies illustrating how the DPC approaches common data protection issues in practice. A significant number of these case studies arise in an employment context and offer important practical guidance for employers on their data protection obligations. This article by Maples examine key themes, developments and case studies from the Report.

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€1.5bn to be set aside for tax package for workers in summer economic statement 

The plans to be announced by Minister for Finance Simon Harris and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers after Wednesday morning’s Cabinet meeting – will adhere to the expenditure limits laid out in last year’s medium-term fiscal plan to keep expenditure increases to 6 per cent a year. This will mean that expenditure increases will be limited to €7 billion next year, while €1.5 billion will be set aside for a tax package likely to protect workers from inflation and increase take-home pay. More from the Irish Times.

SIPTU: Summer Economic Statement puts fiscal squeeze on public services and erodes living standards 

SIPTU representatives have expressed serious and deep concerns following the publication of the Government’s Summer Economic Statement, warning the significantly reduced fiscal package will squeeze public services, erode members’ living standards and leave the public finances dangerously exposed. The Union highlighted despite persistent inflation, a growing population, and ageing demographics, the overall fiscal package is substantially lower than last year’s, signalling a potential suppression of public spending when resources are needed most. You can read the full statement here.

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Ireland’s statutory right to request remote working has reshaped workplace discussions since the pandemic, but with few successful legal challenges and no right to work from home, questions remain over whether the current framework delivers meaningful protections for employees, writes Anthony Fay. Read the full piece in the Irish Legal News.

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A disability charity has been ordered to pay over €320,000 in a record whistleblower penalisation award to a senior manager following an attempt to replace her and allegations of bullying against its ex-chairman. The Waterford Intellectual Disability Association (WIDA) has been ordered by the WRC to pay the compensation to Fiona O'Neill, the charity’s "de facto CEO", on foot of her complaints under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. It is more than triple the previous record sum awarded by the WRC in a dispute brought under the whistleblower shield law. More here from RTÉ.

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The Employment Law Hub is a comprehensive, jurisdiction-specific resource designed for HR professionals, legal advisors, and business leaders. It centralises essential employment law and HR updates, expertly curated and written by leading HR and legal specialists to provide reliable, practical, and authoritative insights. We have over 700+ in depth articles and 1000+ case law reviews. As a subscriber, you have access to all of this. Check it out the full Hub here and below are some recent articles you may have missed.....

HR Interview: Dr Gerry McMahon

You've read his guidance in our 'How to' series and heard him speak at many of our events.  Now, it's time to hear his story...Read here.

Double Employment in Ireland: What employers need to know

As employees continue to seek greater financial flexibility and additional sources of income, employers are increasingly encountering situations where individuals hold more than one job. Commonly referred to as double employment, double jobbing or parallel employment, the practice is not prohibited under Irish law. Caroline Reidy, Head of HR Solutions, NFP explores this topic here. 

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Irish employers prioritising finding the right long-term hire in 2026

Matrix Recruitment’s latest Workforce Trends Report found that multiple factors, such as pay transparency and workplace flexibility, are impacting the recruitment landscape. Hiring platform Matrix Recruitment has published its hiring data for the first half of 2026 and what it found is that so far this year, employers are placing far greater emphasis on sourcing the ‘right kind’ of long-term talent. This involves a more structured recruitment process with more efficient hiring decision-making, the company said. Silicon Republic has more.

Ethical Recruitment Atlas tracks recruitment fee risks across global supply chains

The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) and Impactt have teamed up to launch a new data platform – the Ethical Recruitment Atlas – which seeks to help businesses identify and address worker-paid recruitment fees across global supply chains. A freely accessible platform, the Ethical Recruitment Atlas brings together verified data on recruitment fees paid by migrant workers, providing stakeholders and policymakers with insights into where unethical recruitment practices are most prevalent. More on this from Sustainability Online.

Gen Z workers are faking productivity more than any other generation, new study finds

For a generation with a reputation for doing the bare minimum, Gen Z really is putting in serious effort - just not where their employers think. According to a new study from Software Finder, 80% of Gen Z workers admit to faking productivity at work, a significant margin over every other generation. Millennials came in at 68%, Gen X at 58%. More from Vice.

Majority of Irish workers dream of a career change

Three in four workers in Ireland would consider moving into a different career, yet many remain unsure how to make that transition, according to new research from Indeed. A new study from Indeed Career Scout found that 76% of Irish workers can imagine changing their career field. Think Business has more on this.

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Workers in the National Ambulance Service, who are members of SIPTU and Unite, have voted to accept a Labour Court recommendation aimed at ending a dispute over pay. In May, frontline ambulance staff engaged in a 24-hour strike, with the HSE saying it had a "significant impact" on services. RTÉ has more.

The Irish Times reports a pharmacist who said she was told to take a demotion or face dismissal within five weeks of disclosing her pregnancy at work has won €50,000 compensation for discrimination. The WRC has directed Rose Finlay Pharmacy (Tullamore) Ltd to pay the sum to Dikeledi Nkele Mushapho, who lost her €100,000-a-year job there as supervising pharmacist last year. Read here.

A veteran manager at a HIV charity who claims she is being targeted for voicing concerns about the use of public money is facing disciplinary action after being accused of bullying and transphobia towards a colleague, a tribunal has heard. The manager is alleged to have questioned the "worth" and "health status" of a trans woman colleague who is openly HIV-positive in an interaction the other worker said she regarded as transphobic "at worst". RTÉ has more.

Business Plus reports the former boss of Lloyd’s of London covered up a ‘close’ relationship with a female executive who was promoted on his watch. A report said John Neal broke rules by failing to disclose the nature of his friendship with ex-corporate affairs chief Rebekah Clement. An investigation found the pair were ‘sufficiently close during their employment that it could be viewed as creating a perceived conflict of interest’. Neal’s ‘behaviour fell significantly below the standards expected of a Lloyd’s chief executive’.

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EU Directive revision to better protect workers from hazardous substances

The sixth revision of the Directive on carcinogens, mutagens or reprotoxic substances at work has been voted by the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, to support Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021–2027, which promotes a “vision zero” approach to work-related deaths. The text includes new occupational exposure limit values (OELs) for cobalt and its inorganic compounds (used for battery production), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (used in steel, iron and aluminium production), 1,4-dioxane (used in chemical and textile production) and isoprene (used in the chemical and rubber producing industry) and adds welding fumes to the list of substances, mixtures and processes. Other details include an obligation for employers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), appropriate training for workers exposed to hazardous medicinal products, and the need to systematically incorporate a gender perspective in future assessments. More from OSH News.

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Missed our webinar? Catch up on demand: New Rules on Retirement Age, What Employers Need to Know

Ireland's new contractual retirement age framework is now in force, bringing significant changes for employers.

In this webinar, Laura McKee from Legal Island is joined by Anne O'Connell of Anne O'Connell Solicitors to explain what the new rules mean in practice, including retirement procedures, employee requests to work beyond retirement age, and the steps employers should take now.

Watch the recording HERE.

Check out previous discussions:
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Enjoy the weekend!

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