Irish employment protections come from a set of Acts, with the WRC as the enforcement body.
Working time
The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 caps working hours at 48 per week and provides four weeks' paid annual leave.
The minimum wage
€14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026.
Tips cannot be used to make up the floor.
Employment equality
The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 ban discrimination on nine grounds.
Unfair dismissal
The Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977-2015 apply after 12 months' service — with no qualifying period for dismissals related to pregnancy, union activity or protected disclosures.
That exception matters: if you are dismissed for making a protected disclosure, the twelve-month rule does not shield the employer.
Notice
Statutory minimum notice runs from 1 week after 13 weeks of service up to 8 weeks after 15 or more years.
Your contract may require longer — check both.
Redundancy
Two weeks' gross pay per year plus one bonus week, with weekly pay capped at €600. Requires 104 weeks of continuous service and Class A PRSI employment.
The WRC
Handles mediation, adjudication, inspection, and appeals to the Labour Court.
It is the single body for most employment problems in Ireland, which simplifies knowing where to go.
Employer penalties
Failing the 30-day collective consultation rule or other procedural steps in a redundancy can result in fines up to €250,000 and significant compensation awards.
PRSI class
Worth knowing: statutory redundancy requires Class A PRSI — fully insurable employment.
Self-employed contractors or those under a "contract for services" usually do not qualify, which makes your employment classification directly relevant to the entitlement.
Part-time workers
Equally entitled to statutory redundancy where they meet the two-year threshold — a protection significantly strengthened by reforms in recent years.
Where to start
The Workplace Relations Commission, and Citizens Information for general guidance.