Before the end of the year, and the Dáil break for Christmas, the government is tipped to announce an increase in the minimum wage. The Labour Court recently recommended that the wage be increased from €7.65 an hour to €8.30 an hour on January 1 and to €8.65 an hour on July 1.
Sources this morning say the Government has yet to agree on the exact level and timing of the increase, but sources had indicated that it would be close to the Labour Court proposal.
This would bring the minimum wage for a 40-hour week from €306 up to €346 per week, or just under €18k/year. More information on Minimum Wage in Ireland can be found [here]
With the increasing cost of fuel and foods items in Ireland, it has to be a much needed improvement. Sure who doesn’t want more money for working, sadly the only reason it’s coming about is the pressure from the Government on employers. Maybe the Government are getting worried about the up coming General Election in 2007.
Let’s see how businesses like McDonalds and Dunnes Stores deal with the increase, who are known for using younger workers for minimum wage. Maybe they will move to strict policy of only hiring people who are in their first year of work after the age of 18 (these people get 80% of min. wage) or under 18 years old (they get 70% of min wage).
Hopefully the increase will help to get rid of the post Christmas shopping bills !
Table of Minimum Wages for Ireland 2007
| Age | As of Jan 1st 2007 | As of July 1st 2007 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | €5.81 | €6.06 |
| Over 18 in first year of employment since they turned 18 |
€6.64 | €6.92 |
| over 18 in second year of employment since they turned 18 |
€7.47 | €7.79 |
It may further be reduced by up to €7.73 a day if lodgings or food are provided as part of a job.
a world wide overview of the spectrum of minimum wages can be found on Wikipedia, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage
i work in the restaurant industry and our boss has told us that there is a ‘loop hole’ and he’s not obliged to pay us the new minimum wage-how true is this?? please help! thanks
If you are over 18 and you have worked more than one year in the industry (i.e. you have experience) then you are entitled to get the minimum wage. i.e €8.30/hour. You can always contact your local employment office
Thanks for your help Paul, I am 21 and have been employed part-time in this job for almost 4 years on and off. He’s adamant that we don’t qualify for minumum wage as we havent been ‘continuously’ working for him for two years straight.
Can you recommend any further steps for us to take? Thanks, A.
hi a,
I’m no lawyer but you could probably contact someone in the local tax office.
Here is some info from The Citizen Advice Buro [here]
Tom Johnson House
Haddington Road
Dublin 4
Dublin
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)1 6136700
Locall: 1890 220227
Homepage: here
Email: rightscomm@lrc.ie
Cheers Marty, yes I sent them an email this morning so it will be interesting to see what comes back. Thanks again, Anna
if i leave my job and have holidays owed to me and i leave without any notice in other words walk out am i still entitled to my holiday pay
sarah: I am not a lawyer, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
If you break your contract and don’t give notice you could be brought to court and sued for breach of contract. Your right to holiday pay should be separate and not effected. Either way it’s best to give notice. For more help register for our forums, see the link above.
hi,im Vilma. Could I ask, if when I came to work in restaurant, and my boss didn’t gave me any documents to sign ,that I’m working in this industry, no notice about how many ours i will get.one week I was getting 30 hours another 40 hours. 8,3 Euro per hour.no bank holidays paid,no holidays paid.till new year i was getting some white papers instead of pay slips.when I asked form p60 i get only after 2month. I was working there half year like this.then one day he told me that he don’t want me to work here any more,because I’m breaking too many things and from tomorrow I’m not working any more. He paid 2weeks holidays and 32 hours lieu.can i complain for anything ?
how to check if my taxes was paid properly ?
hello Vilma,
I don’t know. €8.30 was above the min. wage. Do you have a contract with your boss ? How many hours did he promise you a week ? You should ask your boss for the reasons why he is firing you , and get them in writing. Then contact The Citizen Advice Buro, see post #5 for their details here.
To check if you are owed any tax back, I would contact these guys here Irish Tax Back.
All the best,
paul
Thank you Paul.
It’s vilma.
But When I started to work i get 8 euro per hour,just after new year I get 8,30.The reason why i’m angry is that I asked to sign a contract,but he didnt give me one.He said, here nobody has it.And he just promised me more hours.He didnt give me any warning nor writing,didn’t told me as well.Just last day said that i’m off.And as well wages was given to me in cash,i asked many times to send in my bank account,but he said that he can’t.
Vilma you need to contact the The Citizen Advice Buro, see post #5. The will help you and even give you free advise as what to do.
thank you very much
When I taking holidays do we get holiday pay? is there any information that show how many hours of holidays get pay in a year? is there a limits of holidays pay per year?
kevin check here “holiday pay in ireland” , that should help you a little.
regards,
paul
hey my name is mairead and im 16 and ive been working in the same place for a year now and i get 5.00 euro an hour! i asked for a raise but he said that he deduct’s insurance fee’s from our wage so really ye are getting enough money!!!!! is this right and sould i get more now that ive been there a year???thanks Mairead!!
Mairead : the absolute minimum you should be getting paid is €5.81 (and €6.06 from next month), if you are over 18 then it should be more. Re-read the table above.
Thanks for that but he said he takes insurance charges out of our wage(aslo we dont no how much they are because we write our hours and he pays us cash-no payslip!) can he do that??
Mairead.
You’re welcome.
In a word no. Get your parents to have a talk with your boss. He seems to be taking advantage of you. He can’t take operating costs from your wages ! I don’t pay my boss for the electricity I use when I have my computer on, it’s part of the costs of having an employee.
Legally he must give you a pay slip.
regards,
paul
I have been working in the same shop part-time for 2years now(jan 05-jan07) and i took time out from january to now to focus on the leaving cert but im going back next week and since january i have turned 18. Am i intitled to the minimum wage of €8.30 because i have two years experience or will it be less???
I don’t know where you got that figure, but it should be €7.79. Seeing as you are in you’re 2nd working year. Re read the article.
Hope that helps!
Hi, I am curious as to know when the increase from 8.30e to 8.65e min wage is being brought into effect?
It states in that article, July 1st. So if you are paid weekly/monthly it should appear in all earnings after July 1st.
Hi, im just wondering my employer pays me every month for full time job. Could you tell me what is the minimum monhtly wages since january 2007 and what it will be since july 2007 please. Im working in the same indastry 7 years so i have enough experience. And my employer doesnt provide any food. Thank you
i started working in my local shop when i was 15 and was being paid 5.69 an hour but now im 16 n workin over 30 hours a week during the summer! what am i entitled to and whats the maximum hours a 16 yr old can work in a week?
Orlaith : You should be getting at least €6.06/hour. You are allowed to work 40 hours a week, but not earlier than 8am and later than 8pm.
Hi, could I ask how is it about paying on bank holiday? Because I´ve heard it should be double wage…I was workng on last bank holiday and I got hour wage just like usually 8.65 euro.
Monika, please check “Working Bank Holidays” for your answer.
hi i work in a supermarket on the tills im under 18 and i get 6.81 an hour is this right
yes Sarah, if you are under 18, the min wages are €6.06. Have a look at the table again …
Paul
im 16,nearly 17 and i work in a shop.were paid €5.80 an hour.how do i say it to my boss about the wage increase he might fire me or somehing?
Mary :Well you should be earning €6.06 legally. I would approach your boss and ask him if he knows about the minimum wage. If he threatens to fire you, just mention that you will call the Ombudsman or someone like that on him.
hi i am a student who has had past experience in the role which i am just about to take a part time job in, can you tell me which min. wage this means i will be paid?
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Hi my name is aran
I’ve been working in Fast Food Restaurant for nearly 6years being paid the minimum set wages by the law last year I asked my boss to pay me extra after 12 as i work during the summer time full time and when i am in college i work only weekends all night weekends from 7 to 4am or 5.30am being paid only on sat 1€ extra after 12 reaching up to 9.30 hours that night. after 12 am i entitled to at least more than 1€ extra pay?
right now i get paid 11 after 12 only sat.
thanks.
hi my name is Jonathan
im 17 and i’ve been working nearly 5 months now and i worked a 5day week, one of which was a bank holiday and when i got my weekly pay i did not get and extra pay for working the bank holiday, is this right, or im i entitled to extra money.
Aran : Your employer doesn’t have to pay you anything extra for working after 12pm. As long as your are earning at least €7.79, then you are covered by employment law.
Jonathan : you are entitled to at least an extra day holiday. Read here
Hi, I’ve been in my School Secretary job for over 3 years and I am still getting less than minimum wage. My Boss says there are no extra funds available. I am working the full 5 1/2 hour day and don’t get any lunch break. I am thinking of asking my boss if I can work fewer hours if there is no chance of a pay rise. Any advice?? Thanks.
Fiona ： simply put , your boss is breaking the law. The minimum wage agreement is not an optional thing for employers in Ireland, it’s the law ! Tell him that you know your rights, and that you will :
A) Quit your job and seek another if you don’t get a pay rise
and B) report him and claim the loss of earnings.
Since July this year you should have been getting €7.79/hour and since €7.47 since the start of the year. Work out how much your boss owes you, I’m sure it could be a nice bonus around Christmas !
Regards,
Paul
just wondering if you are still exempt from tax on minimum wage?
Simon : on minimum wage you would earn over €16k a year. And yes you would have to pay some tax on this.
hi do you know if the min wage will change again this year -
marie
Marie : I wouldn’t hold my breath. In my opinion the level it is at is pretty much as good as it will get for the next few years, unless there is some crazy inflation. The cost on employers is already quite high. Remember that your wages is just one aspect of their costs of having you as an employee.
HELLO I DID MY TRAINING IN GERMANY AS A SHOP ASISTEND FOR 3 YEARS AFTER THAT I AM UNEMPLOYED AND I WANT TO WORK IN IRELAND. MY QUESTION WILL I RECEIVE THE MINIMUM WAGE OF 8,30 OR LESS? I STARTET MY TRAINING IN THE AGE OF 19 NOW I AM 27 THANKS
Andreas : you are be entitled to get at least minimum wage, because you have experience. Rates of employment depends on the industry, so other jobs might earn you more.
hi i have just started working in a pub - lounge girl. i am 15 years old and have never worked before therefore no experience. should i be paid 6.06. was there an increase again today . thanks laura.
Laura, the absolute minimum is €6.06. I don’t think there has been an increase since July 2007.
Personally I think it’s already quite high.
Hi im Krystian, could I ask how is it about paying on Night shifts and Sundys? I work almost in every nights and almost in every sundays in
one of the top hotels in Limerick. I get €9,0 per hour, is this right, or im i entitled to extra money.I’ve heard something about premium for Sunday working
Hi Krystian.
If you ring the labour court during the day they will tell you. Currently your employer is breaking the law by paying what he is. He should be reported. Also for Sunday work you should be paid double pay. Night shift usually after 12am, then normally can be time and 1/4 the normal. go on to website either and go to http://www.entenp.ie. Here go to national employment rights authority.
One more note… It is in everybodies interest to also go to the website http://www.employmentrights.ie and all the information is available there to be viewed.
thanks a lot Donagh
I recently started work for a 600+ irish based company. The employment t + c’s state “may be a requirement to work longer hours if companies business necessitates this” at the moment this runs at 8+ hours a week on week - unpaid. can I say NO? surely this is wrong. Alan
i recently started work in a shop, im 16 and i am wondering what rate of pay should i get an hour,and also the rate of pay i should get on Saturdays and Sundays THOMAS
Thomas : you are entitled to €6.06/hour and as for Sundays, you should get one of the following :
* A reasonable allowance
* A reasonable pay increase
* Reasonable paid time off work
As per this article. Hope that helps,
Paul
hi i,m amanda i,ve got a 21 yrs old working for me.she work,s 35hours a week,she get,s bank holiaday off and 3 week,s off, off her choosing during the year.she just turned 21 on the 19th of feb and i would like to know how much the minimum wage is for her now?