Proposal for agency to police rogue employers

ROGUE employers who fail to comply with employment rights legislation will be liable to jail terms of up to three years and maximum fines of €250,000 under a new bill being proposed by the Government.

Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin said yesterday that the Employment Rights Compliance Bill would overhaul the state’s framework for the policing of workers’ entitlements.

Mr Martin also confirmed a separate scheme that will require 35,000 foreign students to obtain work permits in order to take up part-time jobs.