Good times for employees, but SMEs fearful of picking up tab

2022 is looking good for workers, but some employers will struggle to cover the costs of greater worker flexibility, guaranteed sick pay and a national minimum wage increase

Moira Grassick, managing director at Peninsula Ireland, specialist employment law consultancy.

Employees can look forward to 2022 delivering them greater work flexibility, universal legal entitlement to sick pay and a 30c national minimum wage rise to €10.50 per hour.

On top of that, an update to the EU-led Protective Disclosure Act will give workplace whistleblowers a new legal shield. Volunteers, unpaid trainees, board members, shareholders and job applicants will have the same protection for their complaints and be entitled to feedback.