Publicity campaign highlights employees’ rights
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, TD today launched a major publicity campaign to inform workers of their rights, as new figures confirm that the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA) recovered €2.5m in wages for workers during 2007.
The Minister noted that 2007 had been a busy first year for NERA, with more than 93,000 calls received.
Over the year, more than 14,000 inspections were carried out with campaigns aimed at enforcing the minimum wage, protecting young workers and the construction sector.
NERA also continued with its prosecution remit with 98 cases referred to the Chief State Solicitors’ Office.
Minister Martin said the launch of this information campaign marked another important step in ensuring that employers knew their responsibilities and that workers knew their rights. Information will be provided online, on radio and television as well as through billboard and the print media.
The launch of a new website, www.employmentrights.ie, was also an important resource for employers and employees alike.
Minister for Labour Affairs Billy Kelleher said the development ushered in a new era for employment rights compliance and enforcement.
With increased staff and new locations, NERA will be building a strong public profile.
Ger Deering, director of NERA, said they wanted to make sure that every employee knew what their employment rights were, that every employer knew their responsibilities and that all were aware of how to find out about them.
“This is why we have launched this major awareness campaign, backed up by NERA’s information services, it will support the work of our offices in Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Shannon and Sligo. Employers and employees can find out more via our website, email, Locall telephone number and through our information leaflets published in several different languages,” he added.
"We are also saying to people to get informed because it’s the law and where issues of non-compliance are detected, NERA will act to address them,” concluded Mr Deering.
For more details contact the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on (01) 631 2525.
Courtesy of
