Two Questions

jimmidy_cricket

Hi I've tried a search but I think I'm doing something wrong as I'm just getting all threads in Work/Biz.

First Q is: Can anyone explain the National wage increase to me? I understand its an annual percentage that increases your salary to match inflation. I was told the government allocate funds to employers and that everyone is entitled to it. I've been on the same rate for almost a year now, will my rate go up in a couple of weeks when I've been here a year or should it have gone up in April?

Second Q; Can you appeal a descision made by the PRSI people to give benifit? I know I'm wording that question all wrong so I'll try explain a little better; In March and April just gone I got 5 fillings at the dentist, I was not covered by PRSI because to claim PRSI benifit in 2006 you have to have worked 39 weeks in the year 2004, I worked 38 weeks so I missed out by one week. Is there anyone I can contact to appeal that as I think it very unjust seeing as I have never claimed any benifit of any kind and have been in full time empolyment from 2000-2001, 2002-2004 and April 2005-to date, but PRSI cannot be carried forward or something.

Many thanks in advance. and if similar questions have been posted before could you PM a link and delete this, thank you.

gerrycollins

jimmidy_cricket wrote:

Hi I've tried a search but I think I'm doing something wrong as I'm just getting all threads in Work/Biz.

First Q is: Can anyone explain the National wage increase to me? I understand its an annual percentage that increases your salary to match inflation. I was told the government allocate funds to employers and that everyone is entitled to it. I've been on the same rate for almost a year now, will my rate go up in a couple of weeks when I've been here a year or should it have gone up in April?

Second Q; Can you appeal a descision made by the PRSI people to give benifit? I know I'm wording that question all wrong so I'll try explain a little better; In March and April just gone I got 5 fillings at the dentist, I was not covered by PRSI because to claim PRSI benifit in 2006 you have to have worked 39 weeks in the year 2004, I worked 38 weeks so I missed out by one week. Is there anyone I can contact to appeal that as I think it very unjust seeing as I have never claimed any benifit of any kind and have been in full time empolyment from 2000-2001, 2002-2004 and April 2005-to date, but PRSI cannot be carried forward or something.

Many thanks in advance. and if similar questions have been posted before could you PM a link and delete this, thank you.

The national wage increase is based on the partnership talk(PPF,sustaining progress) which are finished this year but talks for the next few years is on going at moment and not looking good

The purpose of thses talk was and is to agree between the employers bodies and trade unions a rate of pay increase that somewhat matched inflation
(based on projections)and other influences(cost of living etc) but if your union or employer is not involved they are only obliged to give you minimum wage which is agreeded between government and the above bodies,and must form part of the partnership talks

Where an individual employer or group of employers,or an individual or group of individuals feels they have been subjected unfairly in these talks can bring these matters to the LRC where it will be decided with the best interest of the partnership talks in mind so that it reflects what everyones else is getting.These talks are usually because the employer states that they cannot afford the increase,or the employee states that productivity has increased and they deserve more.

The last increase happened in my employment on the 16th of March and was roughly 2.3%(i stand corrected).

Unless you work in the public sector the government does not and never will give employers money so that they can afford the pay rises,they may give tax relifs to the company that im not so sure of but i stand corrected.

If you do work in the public sector you would also have been subject to benckmarking,what this is basically is a pay rise for the public sector only but is on top of the partnership agreements which is rather unfair IMO

Unless stated in your contract about pay rises,the current norm is a pay rise on you anniversary date of commencing employment,where you move up in the pay scale but you must get the national increase, if your employer is agreeded with it, when it happens not when your pay rise is due(this is a bone of conention for some employers)

On the PRSI thingy same thing happened to me with getting glasses and to be honest the attitude of them in tough

jimmidy_cricket

Thanks gerrycollins. That was very helpful, I work in a hotel with no cotract so I won't be holding my breath for any increase. But at least I know where I stand with regard to the national wage thing.. I get zilch.:(

So annoying about the PRSI, I wonder how many people it happens to, feels like sucha rip off.

Litcagral

jimmidy_cricket wrote:

Thanks gerrycollins. That was very helpful, I work in a hotel with no cotract so I won't be holding my breath for any increase. But at least I know where I stand with regard to the national wage thing.. I get zilch.:(

So annoying about the PRSI, I wonder how many people it happens to, feels like sucha rip off.

Although you may not have a written contract, your employer is obliged to supply you with the terms and conditions of your employment within two months of commencing work.


http://www.oasis.gov.ie/employment/starting_work/contract_of_employment.html



"The Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994 and 2001 provide that an employer is obliged to provide an employee with a written statement of terms of employment within the first two months of the commencement of employment.

The statement of terms must include the following information:

(a) the full name of employer and employee
(b) the address of the employer
(c) the place of work
(d) the title of job or nature of work
(e) the date of commencement of employment
(f) in the case of a temporary contract of employment, the expected duration of the contract or, if the contract of employment is for a fixed term, the date on which the contract expires,
(g) the rate of pay or method of calculation of pay and the pay reference period for the purposes of the National Minium Wage Act, 2000
(h) that the employee may, under section 23 of the National Minimum Wage Act, 2000, request from the employer a written statement of the employee’s average hourly rate of pay for any pay reference period as provided in that section.
(i) pay intervals
(j) the terms of conditions relating to hours of work (including information on overtime and entitlements to rest breaks and rest periods as per the Organisation of Working Time Act)
(k) terms or conditions relating to paid leave (other than sick leave)
(l) terms and conditions relating to sick/injury leave and sick pay and pensions and pension schemes
(m) notice which the employee is entitled to receive and obliged to give
(n) reference to any collective agreements which directly affect the terms and conditions of the employee’s employment.
In the case of the particulars noted at (g) (h) (i) (j) (k), (l) and (m) above, the employer, as an alternative to providing all the details in the statement, may use the statement to refer the employee to certain other documents containing the particulars, provided such documents are reasonably accessible to the employee in his/her employment.

The statement of terms must indicate the reference period being used by the employer for the purposes of the calculation of the employee's entitlements under the Minimum Wage Act, 2000. (Under that Act the employer may calculate the employee's minimum wage entitlement over a reference period that is no less than one week and no greater than one month).

The statement of terms must also inform the employee that he/she has the right to ask the employer for a written statement of his/her average hourly rate of pay for any reference period (except the current reference period) in the 12 months prior to the date of the employee’s request."

gerrycollins

jimmidy_cricket wrote:

Thanks gerrycollins. That was very helpful, I work in a hotel with no cotract so I won't be holding my breath for any increase. But at least I know where I stand with regard to the national wage thing.. I get zilch.:(

So annoying about the PRSI, I wonder how many people it happens to, feels like sucha rip off.

are you under/over 18?
if under 18 there is a different min wage

you should get what litcagral said but also remember that anything they say can be used as contract too.v hard to prove in court but in the absence of a written contract or T&C of employment it will be you word against theirs and in todays courts its up to the employer to prove everything to the courts not the employee.

so were you to state in court that you were told you were been paid €X per hour(be reasonable) it would be up to the employer to prove that this was the agreeded amount ie a contract ,hence companies are now or should be freaks with regard to contracts and that the employee is fully aware of its contents before commencing work