Congress Update
Earlier this year we reported that the long awaited Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 had begun it its passage through the Oireachtas.
Since then the Bill has completed all stages in the Dáil and will scheduled for discussion in the Seanad when the Oireachtas returns in September.
It is important to acknowledge that, due to the efforts of a number of opposition TDs, a number of amendments have been made to the legislation which should considerably improve its effectiveness for workers. These include:
- A shortening of the reference period against which an application for a banded hours contract will be considered; and
- An increase in the number of bands which are available to workers.
While further improvements could be made to the Bill, the priority now is to have the legislation enacted at the earliest possible stage. We intend to work with colleagues in the Seanad to have the Bill scheduled for discussion as soon as possible in order that the legislation is enacted before the end of 2018.
July 2018.