In addition to the annual public holiday on St Patrick’s Day, the Government has decided to designate a once off public holiday on Friday 18 March 2022 both in recognition of the efforts of the general public, volunteers and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in remembrance of people who lost their lives to COVID-19. In these circumstances, the normal rules for public holiday entitlement will apply on both 17 and 18 March 2022. Full-time employees have an immediate entitlement to public holiday benefit, which can include one of the following:
- A paid day off that day;
- A paid day off within a month of that day;
- A paid additional day of annual leave; or
- An additional day’s pay.
Part-time employees who have worked at least 40 hours in the previous five weeks up to the day before the public holiday, and the public holiday falls on a day that they normally work, are entitled to a day’s pay for the public holiday. If they are required to work the day of the public holiday, they are entitled to an additional day’s pay. Where the public holiday falls on a day which the employee does not normally work, then the employees are entitled to one-fifth of their normal weekly wage for the public holiday. Employers should inform all staff which option will apply in relation to the public holiday at least 14 days in advance.
Public holidays and lay off during the Pandemic
Employees on the Wage Subsidy Scheme remain subject to the normal rules regarding payment for public holidays under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. If employees have been laid off, they are entitled to any public holiday entitlements that fall during the first 13 weeks of their period of lay off.
