The following comes from www.citizensinformation.ie, and outlines what are the necessary steps that one is entitled to and obliged to follow when one looses their job in Ireland or when you are given notice.
Entitlements when giving your notice
You may be entitled to notice if you are being let go from your job in Ireland. This means that you are given notice that you job will end, and a date in the near future when this will come into effect. The length of notice you are entitled to, will depend in the first place on your contract of employment. In addition, there is a minimum entitlement laid down by law. Your contract may give you a greater entitlement to notice than the statutory minimum, but it cannot give you less. The laws in Ireland that give employees a right to notice, are called the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 to 2001.
Minimum period of notice in Ireland
The amount of notice you are entitled to by law will depend on how long you have been working for your employer.
| Duration of employment | Minimum Notice |
|---|---|
| 13 weeks to 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years to 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years to 10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10 years to 15 years | 6 weeks |
| 15 years or more | 8 weeks |
While the notice entitlements under your contract of employment can exceed the minimim periods above, any provision for notice in your contract for less then the above is invalid. This essentially means that while your contract of employment can set down that you will receive a greater amount of notice than the law states above, if your contract states that you will get less than the law provides, then this part of your contract has no effect. The law however does not preclude your employer or you waiving your rights to the legally specified notice period. The law also does not preclude you accepting payment in lieu of notice, if you wish. You may be required to work the notice period or you may accept payment in lieu of notice, if offered. Payment in lieu of notice means that you will not have to work for the period between receiving notice and the ending of your employment, but you will get the same amount of wages that you would have received, had you worked.
Note
During your period of notice you should receive your normal pay. This also applies if you are paid in lieu of notice. Also any remaining holiday pay / overtime / expenses claims, should be in your final pay cheque.
if contract is terminated and a weeks notice is given by the employer does the employee have to work it?