1. The Workplace

2. Work vs Employment Work is performing a task without payment
e.g. washing the dishes for your parents
Employment is working for payment
e.g. washing dishes in a restaurant

3. The Labour Force Definition It does not include:
All people who are available for work
It does not include:
Retired people
People in full-time education
Those who do not wish to work outside the home (housewives/house husbands)

4. Unemployment Reasons for unemployment
Competition between businesses mean some firms have to close
New technology replacing the need for workers
Economy going through a recession
Businesses moving to foreign countries for cheaper labour

5. Unemployment Help for the unemployed Job Seekers Benefit
Retraining programmes by FAS
Back-to-Work Programmes by FAS
Additional social welfare benefits such as medical cards/fuel allowance/education supplements

6. Rights of Employees All employees have the right to:
Safe, clean and healthy working conditions
Fair wage for work done
To be allowed statutory annual holidays
Equal pay and equal promotion opportunities
Membership of a trade union if they wish

7. Responsibilities of Employees
All employees are obliged to:
Do an honest day’s work
Be punctual
Obey all rules, regulations and instructions
Protect employer’s property and stock
Co-operate with other employees
Work for the best interest of the firm
Maintain confidentiality re business matters

8. Organisational Structure
See Pg 202

9. Human Resource Manager
Responsibilities
Recruitment and Selection
Pay & Bonuses
Staff Training
Staff Social Events

10. Procedure for hiring staff
Draw up a job description
Advertise the job
Short-list candidates
Interview candidates
Select the most suitable candidate
Inform the successful candidate
Prepare a contract of employment
Provide Training for new employee

11. Rights of an Employer
To decide on the objectives and policies of the business
To hire suitable staff
To dismiss dishonest or unsuitable staff
To expect loyalty from staff

12. Responsibilities of an Employers
To make sure the workplace is safe and healthy
To give employees a contract of employment in writing
To give statutory holiday entitlements
To pay agreed wages
Not to discriminate when advertising, recruiting or promoting
To give female employees maternity leave
To give equal pay to men and women
To deduct PAYE and PRSI and pay it to the Revenue Commissioners

13. Public vs Private Sector
Public Sector
Private Sector

14. Self Employment Benefits Disadvantages
You are your own boss. You choose your own hours and make all the decision
You keep all the profits
Disadvantages
You must provide the start up money
You have unlimited liability
You may have to work long hours
You will not have all the skills required to run a business

15. Payment terms Basic Pay Gross Pay Net Pay Time Rate Piece Rate
Commission
Flexitime

16. Tax Credit A reduction in the amount of tax you have to pay
Every person in Ireland who is eligible to work is entitled to a tax credit (Personal Tax Credit)
PAYE workers get an additional tax credit
Other tax credits are given for
Widows
Home carers
Disabled Child
Blind

17. PRSI Pay Related Social Insurance Benefits Jobseeker’s benefit
Disability benefit
Dental Benefits
Optical benefits

18. Wages Book
See Page 216
EmployeR’s PRSI is charged as percentage of gross pay.

19. Income Tax Forms
P60
At the end of the tax year each employee receives a p60, which shows the amount of pay, as well as tax and PRSI deducted during the tax year
P45
Given to an employee when leaving the firm. This shows the amount earned and how much tax and PRSI paid to date. It is given to your next employer

20. Trade Unions Definition Functions of a Trade Union
A group of workers who join together to protect their interests and rights and who try to improve their working conditions and pay
Functions of a Trade Union
To protect the rights of its members
To negotiate wages and salaries for members
To negotiate conditions of work
To negotiate with employers if a dispute occurs
To protect members from unfair dismissal
To negotiate in a redundancy situation

21. Trade Unions Types of Trade Unions Functions of a Shop Steward
Teachers Unions: ASTI, TUI, INTO
Civil Servant Unions: IMPACT
General Unions: SIPTU
Garda Union: GRA
Functions of a Shop Steward
Collects Union Subscriptions
Communicates information to members from head office
Communicates workers problems to head office
Attends union meetings
Discusses and resolves problems by talking to the managemet on behalf of workers

22. Industrial Relations

23. Trade Unions IBEC ICTU Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
Represents all trade unions together
Negotiates with the government on behalf of all trade unions
Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC)
IBEC represents businesses in negotiations with trade unions and the government
Government
IBEC
ICTU

24. Industrial Relations Main causes of disputes
Pay and working conditions
Dismissal of employees
Redundancies
Promotions
Unfair treatment by management

25. Industrial Relations Types of Industrial Action
Unofficial Strike
Not approved by the union
Official Strike
Approved by the union
All-Out Strike
All unions in the firm stop working
A Sit-in
Employees sit in in the premises where they work
Work-to-Rule
Employees do they bare minimum at work. No extra duties are done
Go Slow
Employees do their work, but slowly
During a strike workers will often picket the employer’s premises

26. How to resolve an Industrial Dispute
Meet and talk
The worker and the supervisor sit down and talk. If there is no solution.....
Negotiation
The shop steward and manager discuss the problem. If there is no solution....
Union Representation
A union official and management sit down and discuss the problem. If there is no solution....
Conciliation
The Labour Relations Commission will bring both parties together to talk about the problem and try to get a resolution. This is called conciliation. The LRC will not make a recommendation. If there is no solution....
Arbitration
The dispute may go to the Labour Court, which is the court of last resort. Both parties agree to be bound by the recommendation of the Labour Court before the investigation begin. This is called arbitration

27. Equality in Employment
It is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of marital status, gender, family status, religious belief, age disability, race, membership of the travelling community, sexual orientation
Men and women must receive equal pay

28. National Wage Agreement
This is a pay agreement between the social partners (ICTU, IBEC and the Government).
It is binding on all employers and employees to implement the terms of the agreement
The current agreement is “Towards 2016”