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Is this fair job contract?

  • 05-08-2024 03:44PM
    #1
    dubgalcor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭


    Hi there, I’m an immigrant in Ireland who recently started working in a new job and my first job here in Ireland. It’s a low skill job that pays €12.90 an hour. 

    I started this job 3 weeks ago but only received the contract via email late last night. I am a bit concerned by the contract as it is different to what would be accepted in my home country but I’m not sure maybe this is normal here. 

    The contract says “as advised in interview there is a notice period of 2 weeks”. I have no issue with a 2 week notice period but I don’t want to sign a contract saying I was told this in the interview when I wasn’t. 

    The contract also says that if I leave the job within the first 6 months they can deduct €250 from my final pay check to cover training costs. This to me seems very unfair as it is a low skilled job and I already knew how to do everything. Surely it’s normal part of hiring someone new to include training? It is a low skilled poorly paid job, I don’t want to commit to it for 6 months as if anything better comes along it’s only natural to leave. I am not a slave. For me if you want staff retention you pay more. 

    The contract also says I am not entitled to paid sick leave. I thought in Ireland I am entitled to 5 days paid sick leave? 

    My start date is also wrong on the contract. I started on the 12th of July but my start date is August 1st on the contract. I’m paid weekly but still haven’t received any payslips. I have advised the owner of this. 

    I’m also only receiving a break of 20minutes when I work 8.5 hours. Is this ok?

    To me these conditions seem unfair but I don’t know how it works in Ireland. Does anyone know? 



Comments

  • #2
    JVince
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭JVince


    Seems this is a very standard contract without any changes being made for you. That's quite normal. I use similar style in that I give all employees the exact same contract with just pay rates / hours / tasks changed.

    2 weeks notice is normal.

    The training deduction is probably just a standard condition. You can ask for this to be crossed out.

    Sick leave. No entitlement for the first 13 weeks. After that you have to provide a doctors certificate and up to 5 days in a year at 70% of your earnings. - Most likely they have not updated the terms, however it is a statutory entitlement, so they cannot override it. Possibly it says somewhere that the contract excludes statutory entitlements and once you sue your 5 days @ 70% with a certificate, no further sick leave is given.

    Breaks - the "total" break must be at least 30 minutes (unpaid). Possibly there is a 10 minute break at some point? If not, it needs to state 30 minutes.

    If the work is unskilled, then staff retention is not top of priorities.



  • #3
    Ted222
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 472 ✭✭Ted222


    The start date on the contract just needs to be changed.

    In the absence of a company sick pay scheme, the sate scheme as outlined above applies. It may be that the company is working off an old contract template but it should really have been made explicit.

    Your rest/break entitlements are as outlined in the following extract from the citizens information website.

    Otherwise, the issues you raised are perfectly legal.

    How many breaks should I get?

    You have a right to:

    • A 15 minute break when you have worked more than 4 ½ hours
    • A 30 minute break when you have worked more than 6 hours, which can include the first 15-minute break.

    The break should not be at the end of the working day.

    You have no legal right to be paid for these breaks and they are not considered working time. Whether you are paid for them depends on your employment contract.

    Example

    If you start work at 7am you are entitled to take a 15-minute break at 11.30am.

    At 1.15pm when you have worked 6 hours you are entitled to take a break of 30 minutes. As you have already taken a break at 11.15, your employer can limit this break to 15 minutes.

    If you start working again at 1.30pm or 1.45pm and continue working until 6 or 6.15pm you are entitled to another 15-minute break.



  • #4
    dubgalcor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭dubgalcor


    thank you for the replies. I am not going to sign the contract and just finish at the job. I haven’t got good impressions of the job and the training deduction for me is not something I will accept. Have another offer with clearer and better terms so will take that. Thank you.



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