Which industries are most affected by the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018?

What industries will be most affected?

As the stated objective of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2018 is “to improve the security and predictability of working hours for employees on insecure contracts and those working variable hours”, industries that rely on flexible work arrangements are likely to be most affected.

Retail, tourism and hospitality

Employers in the retail, tourism and hospitality industries that rely on atypical employment are therefore at most risk. If you operate in those industries, you should begin auditing your employment practices before the Act comes into force. If existing work practices offend the new law, action must be taken before the Act comes into force in early March. 

Other affected sectors

Recent studies show that the construction, transportation, ICT, healthcare and education sectors all rely on flexible work patterns more than the national average. Employers in these sectors will also need to review their employment arrangements to ensure they are compliant with the new laws.

All employers will be affected by certain provisions of the Act

Certain provisions of the new law (the requirement to provide 5 core terms in writing for example) are applicable to all employees and employers. No matter what industry you operate in, you need to be aware of the new statutory obligations to avoid suffering unnecessary claims or worst of all criminal liability.