Bruton announces employment rights reforms

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton has announced a number of developments in the areas of employment rights and industrial relations, in line with promised reforms.

Minister Bruton today announced the launch of an interim website - www.workplacerelations.ie - which will provide information on employment, equality and industrial relations legislation and associated public services.

In addition a single complaint form for all first-instance individual complaints will replace 30 existing complaint forms.

The establishment of a single point of contact, to be called the Workplace Relations Customer Services of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, was also announced.

That office will have responsibility for providing information provision on employment, equality and

industrial relations rights and obligations; the receipt and registration of all first instance complaints; and dealing with enquiries concerning the status of complaints.

The moves form part of an overall reform process in the sector which will eventually see the five existing employment rights institutions being merged into two bodies.

The five concerned are the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA), the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT), the Labour Relations Commission (including the Rights Commissioner Service), the Equality Tribunal and the Labour Court.

The proposed new two-tier structure will see the establishment of a single Workplace Relations Commission of first instance and a separate appeals body, legislative proposals for which are currently being drawn up.

"This is an important step in the delivery of a world-class workplace relations service that is simpler, faster and cheaper," Minister Bruton said.

"My overall objective is to encourage early resolution of disputes, the vindication of employee rights and minimisation of the costs for employees, employers and Government, in terms of money, time and workplace productivity."