What are my employee rights in Ireland?

Employees in Ireland are entitled to a range of protections under employment law, including fair pay, working hours, rest breaks, leave entitlements, and protection from unfair dismissal. These rights apply across FinTech and financial services roles under employment law in Ireland.

What should I expect in a disciplinary meeting?

You have the right to be informed of the issue, respond to concerns, and be treated fairly throughout the process. Getting advice before attending a disciplinary meeting can help you understand your position and prepare properly.

What can I do if I’m being treated unfairly at work?

If you are experiencing workplace conflict, bullying, or unfair treatment, it’s important to seek advice early. Understanding your rights and options can help you decide the best way to address the situation.

What are my rights if my role is made redundant?

If your role is at risk of redundancy, you may be entitled to notice, redundancy pay, and a fair process. It’s important to understand your rights before agreeing to any changes. Learn more about unfair dismissal and redundancy rights in Ireland .

Am I entitled to sick leave or parental leave?

Yes. Employment law in Ireland provides entitlements to sick leave, parental leave, and other forms of leave, depending on your circumstances and employment status.

What does a union do in a modern workplace?

A modern union provides practical support, including advice, guidance, and representation. It helps you understand your rights and supports you when workplace issues arise. Find out more about the benefits of union membership .

Employee Rights in Ireland: What FinTech and Financial Services Workers Need to Know

If you’re working in the FinTech or financial services industry, it’s important to understand your employee rights in Ireland. You may be at the start of your career or have many years of experience in the sector. Either way, it’s good to know what your rights are and to stay up to date with changes to workers' rights in Ireland.

What are the basic employee rights in Ireland?

Employee rights in Ireland for FinTech industry and financial service workers include:

The right to receive a contract explaining the terms of your employment.
A payslip which includes your gross pay, deductions like tax, insurance, and pension payments.
The right to receive a minimum wage.
Periods of rest (breaks from working).
Sick pay.
laws about the maximum number of hours per week you can work.
The right to disconnect:

The Republic of Ireland introduced a code of practice on the right to disconnect in 2026 to help employees improve work-life balance and properly switch off from work.
In Northern Ireland, there is legislation on more flexible working requests.

Pension auto-enrolment:

Eligible workers in the Republic of Ireland aged 23-60 and earning over €20,000 join the state’s pension auto-enrolment scheme called ‘My Future Fund’
In Northern Ireland, workers over age 22 and earning over 10,000 must be automatically enrolled in a workplace pension.

Paid annual leave:

20 days in the Republic of Ireland per year
28 days in Northern Ireland, based on a 5-day working week.

10 days of public holidays.
Rights around remote and flexible working.
A minimum notice period when their contract is terminated.
Redundancy pay, if their role is made redundant and if the employee has over 2 years of continuous service.
The right to know why they are being dismissed if there is a termination of the contract.
The right to appeal a dismissal.
The right to stay in employment after age 66 if they wish to.
The right to join a trade union.
The right not to be discriminated against and to receive equal treatment during the hiring process.
Health and safety rights
The right to a safe, respectful and private workplace as protected by EU and UK data laws.

Employee rights	Republic of Ireland	Northern Ireland
Minimum wage (Adult)	€14.15 per hour (Age 20+)	£12.71 per hour (National Living Wage, 21+)
Contract (core terms)	Written statement of 5 core terms within 5 days; full terms within 1 month.	A written statement of all main terms must be provided on the first day of employment.
Payslips	Legal right to a written payslip for every pay period.	Legal right to an itemised pay statement for every pay period.
Maximum working week	48 hours (averaged over 4 months). No opt-out.	48 hours (averaged over 17 weeks). Employees can opt out in writing.
Breaks (rest)	15 mins (after 4.5 hrs); 30 mins (after 6 hrs).	20 mins (after 6 hrs). No statutory 15-min break.
Statutory sick pay	10 days per year at 70% of pay (up to €110/day).	80% of earnings (up to £123.25/week). From day 1.
Right to disconnect	Statutory code of practice in place. Right to not work or communicate outside hours.	"Good Jobs" legislation (2026) focuses on flexible working requests.

Remote and flexible working: employee rights in Ireland

As an employee, you have the right to request remote work on your first day of employment. Employers are expected to consider requests reasonably, and there is legal guidance about acceptable grounds for refusal. In the Republic of Ireland, you must have 6 months of service before the arrangement can start.

Employees can appeal to the Workplace Relations Commission in the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland, they can appeal internally and then request an industrial tribunal.

The Financial Services Union can help you better understand these rights. For more information, you can book a free consultation with our Advice Centre. You can also find more details in our useful “Remote Working in Ireland: What Employers Can and Can’t Do” article.

What are an employee's rights in Ireland when leaving a job?

Minimum notice period

Employees in Ireland have the right to a minimum notice period from their employer, based on the length of service with the company.

The employer must give the employee between 1 and 8 weeks of notice in the Republic of Ireland. Your contract may offer more notice, but these are the legal minimums:

Length of service	Notice period
13 weeks to 2 years	1 week
2 to 5 years	2 weeks
5 to 10 years	4 weeks
10 to 15 years	6 weeks
15+ years	8 weeks

In Northern Ireland, employees have the right to 1 week of notice for every year worked, up to a maximum of 12 weeks for 12 or more years of service.

Redundancy

Employees in Ireland have the right to redundancy pay, once they have completed 2 years of continuous service. If their role is made redundant, the employee is entitled to a tax-free lump sum.

Termination of contract (dismissal)

An employee should be told why they are being dismissed, and they have a right to appeal.

In the Republic of Ireland, you need to have completed 12 months of service to claim unfair dismissal. But there is no minimum service requirement if you are dismissed for protected reasons like pregnancy, union membership, or whistleblowing. In Northern Ireland, you must have 2 years of service to qualify.

Retirement age

Employees have the right to stay in employment after age 66 (State Pension age) if they wish to. There is no mandatory retirement age.

Employee rights and joining a trade union

Workers in Ireland have the right to join a trade union. This is a fundamental employment right protected by law, and you cannot be treated unfairly by an employer if you are a union member.

The Financial Services Union is the largest trade union in the FinTech, retail banking and financial services sector. Last year, our experienced Advice Centre team helped 3,200 people with questions about their pay, performance, leave, their rights and about Irish employment law.

We provide professional support and confidential advice about your employee rights and any workplace issues. Interested in joining the FSU? Become a member today

Safety and protection in the workplace

Employees in Ireland have the right not to be discriminated against based on their gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community. You must receive equal treatment during the hiring process and as an employee.

You have the right to a safe, respectful, and private workplace free from intimidation and abuse. Employers in the Republic of Ireland must have anti-bullying policies, and in Northern Ireland, they must be proactive in preventing harassment. All employers must provide paid time off for employees experiencing domestic violence.

Workers have legal health and safety rights, and employers must provide safety training, protective equipment and run regular risk assessments.

Employee privacy is protected by EU and UK data laws (GDPR), and there is clear guidance on workplace monitoring for employers in areas like CCTV and email tracking.

New Employment law in Ireland

Employment law in the Republic of Ireland is set to change in June 2026 in accordance with the EU Pay Transparency Directive. Employees will have new pay transparency rights, including a legal right to request the average pay levels for colleagues performing the same or equivalent work. And job seekers must be provided with a pay range before their first interview.

Under the new law, employers must not:

Ask candidates about their salary history
Use "pay secrecy" clauses in contracts to stop staff from discussing their wages.

What are workers' rights in Ireland

Workers have other rights in Ireland; they are entitled to other types of leave and employee rights, depending on their personal or family situation.

Employee right	Republic of Ireland	Northern Ireland
Domestic violence leave	5 days of fully paid leave per year for serious medical reasons.	10 days of paid "Safe leave" (statutory as of 2026).
Breastfeeding breaks	1 hour paid break per day for up to 2 years (104 weeks) after birth.	No statutory right to paid breaks, but employers must provide space for expressing milk.
Unpaid medical care leave	5 days unpaid per year for serious medical care of a family member/cohabitant.	1 week unpaid "Carer’s leave" per year (Day 1 right).
Maternity leave	26 weeks paid (State Benefit) + 16 weeks unpaid.	26 weeks Ordinary + 26 weeks Additional (52 weeks total).
Paternity leave	2 weeks (State Benefit).	2 weeks (Statutory paternity pay).
Parent’s leave	9 weeks paid (State Benefit) for children under 2 years.	No direct equivalent; NI uses Shared Parental Leave.
Parental leave	26 weeks unpaid per child (under age 12).	18 weeks unpaid per child (under age 18).
Adoptive leave	24 weeks paid + 16 weeks unpaid.	52 weeks (similar to Maternity Leave).
Carer’s leave	13 to 104 weeks unpaid (full-time care; 12m service required).	1 week unpaid per year (part-time or temporary care).

What FinTech and Financial Services Workers need to know about Irish employment law

Working in the FinTech and financial services industry, you come to expect constant changes. Innovative technology, new compliance legislation, and fresh thinking are a part of what makes the sector so dynamic.

As an employee in an ever-changing industry, it’s reassuring to fully understand your rights under Irish employment law so you know where you stand. Your employer will explain your obligations as an employee as outlined in your contract of employment. It will detail your role responsibilities and duties, and the company’s policies and regulations. The FSU will help you make sense of everything while offering support when you need it, particularly if your rights as a worker are undermined. If you’re interested in becoming a member, join us today.

Where can I get information about employee rights in Ireland?

FSU provides invaluable guidance and representation for FinTech and Financial Services workers in both the Republic of Ireland and ‌Northern Ireland.

Our helpful team is here to answer your queries over the phone or via email confidentially and respectfully. We help employees who contact our Advice Centre team every day, giving sound advice and securing better pay and working conditions.

Contact our Advice Centre team for a free 15-minute call.