What Is My Manager Not Allowed to Do? Employee Rights in Ireland


In a high-pressure environment, what happens when the boundaries are blurred? FinTech and financial services workers are used to performing at a high level and working in an industry with high expectations. Unfortunately, some company leaders and management don’t respect your right to disconnect or other employee rights. And with uncertainty in the employment marketplace, you may not feel comfortable saying ‘No’ when something feels wrong.

Understanding what your manager is legally prevented from doing will keep things professional. It will help protect your mental health and career. If you are facing unrealistic expectations, constant out-of-hours pings, or targeted criticism, this article defines employer responsibilities and explains what your manager can’t do. 

A position of authority isn’t a licence for unpredictable or boundary-crossing behaviour. You have statutory protections to ensure your workplace is fair, safe, and respectful. And don’t forget, the FSU is here if you’re worried about your employee rights [internal link to Employee Rights in Ireland: What FinTech Workers Need to Know]. We offer private, expert guidance.

Employer rights and employer responsibilities

Every productive workplace has rules and logical ways of working. Under employment regulations, employer rights grant managers the authority to:

  • assign day-to-day tasks, 
  • set and review realistic performance targets, and
  • to conduct fair performance reviews.

However, these operational rights are strictly constrained by legal employer responsibilities that can’t be bypassed. 

A manager cannot:

  1. Enforce unilateral contract changes: They cannot randomly change your core hours or cut your salary without a formal negotiation process.
  2. Ignore your right to disconnect Remote Working in Ireland: What Employers Can and Can’t Do. They can’t penalise you for ignoring a late-night email or weekend ping. Ireland's Code of Practice protects your right to switch off.
  3. Treat you unfairly at work: This includes isolating you from team projects, setting intentionally unachievable goals to force you out, or mocking your input.
  4. Use invasive or covert surveillance: Under GDPR and Irish data protection laws, any workplace monitoring must be necessary, legitimate, and proportionate. Employers must inform you in writing if they are using surveillance software to track their employees’ keyboard activity, mouse movements, or files. Covert tracking is generally illegal.

This issue is hitting home for many employees. According to our own nationwide research study, 58% of workers are concerned about increased managerial oversight and surveillance using AI. Employers cannot use intrusive, non-transparent tracking devices to monitor and penalise staff without clearly explaining this in company policies. Workplace monitoring must be necessary, legitimate and proportionate. 

Employer responsibilities and your data protection

If you suspect you’re being monitored unfairly, you have the legal right under GDPR to make a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to your employer. 

Your employer’s responsibilities include providing you with a copy of their records of all the monitoring data held on you, including email logs, keystroke data, or CCTV footage. They legally have one month to share this information with you.

You can contact our Advice Centre if you are experiencing any undue pressure at work or if you have a question about your situation. Get confidential, independent advice. 

How to navigate a workplace dispute

If you sadly find yourself wrapped up in a workplace dispute, here’s a recommended action plan. 

You can protect yourself by taking these steps:

  1. Become your own detective and gather evidence. Build a private paper trail, keep an accurate record of dates, times, and exact descriptions of overstepping behaviour. Save any relevant emails to a personal file.
  2. Be clear on boundaries, put it in writing and remember to stay professional. If a manager makes an unreasonable demand outside your working hours, reply via email politely clarifying your contracted hours.
  3. Review the staff handbook closely. Find your company’s internal grievance and dignity at work policies to get a handle on the official internal resolution paths.
  4. You can request a data subject access request if you have a question about how your actions are being tracked.
  5. Reach out for independent, confidential advice. And remember, you don’t have to confront a difficult management team entirely on your own.
  6. Consider joining the Financial Services Union to benefit from the power of a supportive community. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with members who encounter workplace disputes. Learn the benefits of joining.

What can a union do when it comes to employer responsibilities?

We believe professional management should always be rooted in transparency and mutual respect. [Name, job title], a senior FSU Advice Centre representative, says:

"We regularly hear from FinTech employees who feel overwhelmed by digital micromanagement and constant out-of-hours messages. They feel the pressure to be 'always on' and prove their value. But your health is your wealth, and balance is key. 

I’d advise them to put the boundary in writing early on. If a manager oversteps, you can calmly, professionally and firmly refer to your contracted hours or the Right to Disconnect policy. You aren't being difficult; you're simply working safely."

How the Advice Centre can help

Our Advice Centre is an independent, confidential sounding board for employees in the Fintech and financial services sector. We provide objective clarity and can evaluate whether a manager’s actions breach standard workplace rules. We can help you draft formal responses to unfair performance reviews and offer expert representation if an issue escalates to the WRC or an Industrial Tribunal.

You may simply need an initial, no-pressure chat with our team. Or you may want to join our collective union of thousands of financial sector professionals. Either way, we are here to support your career and protect your peace of mind.

Complete the form below and one of our Advice Centre advisors will be in touch. 

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