Coronavirus Contingency Planning For The Workplace In Ireland

As many countries, including Ireland, are stepping up preparations in the event that the Coronavirus outbreak continues to unfold, in this update, we look at the preparations that employers in Ireland should be making and answer some of the key questions around pay and benefits if more aggressive containment measures need to be enforced to protect public health.

What are Irish employer's key obligations to employees?

Employers in Ireland have a very clear legal obligation under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 to ensure and protect the safety, health and welfare of its employees at work as far as it is reasonably practicable. This includes ensuring that:

• risks and hazards are identified on a timely basis through an expert-led risk assessment;