Minister Issues New Orders Relating To Employment

The Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties has recently released two Orders relating to the national minimum wage and also with respect to the cost of living increase. These Orders were issued by the Minister on the recommendation of the Employment Relations Board and in line with the powers conferred to the Minister by the Employment and Industrial Relations Act.

The Order relating to the Cost of Living Increase is called the Wage Increase (Employees) National Standard Order, 2015 and it shall come into effect on the 1^st of January, 2016. To this end, the wages of whole-time employees shall be increased by € 1.75 per week. The Order states that the hourly rate of part-time employees shall be increased by the same amount as the increase in the hourly rate of a comparable whole-time employee.