All employees, full-time, part-time, temporary or casual earn annual leave entitlements from the time they start work. Most employees are entitled to four weeks’ paid annual leave per leave year.

Source: Workplace Relations Commission

Your employer determines the timing of your annual leave, taking into consideration work and personal requirements and should consult you or your union in advance. Pay for the leave must be given in advance and calculated at the normal weekly rate.

Public Holidays

There are ten public holidays each year:

1. New Year’s Day
2. St. Brigid’s Day
3. St. Patrick’s Day
4. Easter Monday
5. The first Monday in May
6. The first Monday in June
7. The first Monday in August
8. The last Monday in October
9. Christmas Day
10. St. Stephen’s Day

If the holiday falls on a day on which you normally work, you are entitled to either:

• A paid day off on the holiday
• A paid day off within a month
• An extra day’s pay
• An extra day’s annual leave

If the public holiday falls on a day on which you do not normally work, then you are entitled to one fifth of your normal weekly wage for that day.

If you are asked to work on the public holiday, then you are entitled to either;

• An additional day’s pay
• A paid day off within a month of the day
• An additional day of paid annual leave

Part-time employees qualify for public holiday entitlement provided they have worked at least 40 hours during the five weeks ending on the day before a public holiday.

For further information please visit – www.employmentrights.ie – Annual Leave and Public Holidays

Making a complaint

Complaints in relation to annual leave and public holidays can be made to the Rights Commissioner Service.

Who are Rights Commissioners and what is their role?

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment appoints Rights Commissioners on the recommendation of the Labour Relations Commission. They operate as a service of the LRC and are independent in their functions. Rights Commissioners investigate disputes, grievances and claims that individuals or small groups of workers refer under the following legislation:

For further information please visit – www.workplacerelations.ie

See also:

• Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation – www.dbei.ie

Updated:  September 2017

This webpage is for general information purposes only and while we endeavour to keep it up-to-date, errors may occur. It is very important that you check with the relevant body to ensure the information is current and is applicable to your situation.

If you would like to suggest amendments or highlight new information that could be useful to others please don’t hesitate to get in touch.