The Irish Government has announced that the entitlement to paid sick leave will increase from three to five days on 1 January 2024.
From next year, workers will be entitled to up to five days of sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross earning, up to a cap of €110.
This is the second stage of a four-year plan that will see employer-paid sick leave gradually rise to ten days in 2026.
The plan is mainly intended to provide sick pay coverage to those employees, often in low-paid and precarious roles, who do not have access to a company sick leave scheme. It is designed to ensure that all employees get a minimum level of financial compensation if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
“This gradual increase in paid sick leave gives employers time to adjust and to plan for its introduction, but also gives workers certainty about their own rights,” said Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond.
“Although the Government is acutely aware that small businesses are concerned with the overall cost of doing business, the solution is not to dilute workers' rights, but to provide targeted measures to support businesses.
"The Increased Cost of Business Scheme, announced in Budget 2024, will provide direct financial support to small businesses who are most impacted by increased costs.”
