Government Agrees Covid Recognition Payment and New Public Holiday

In recognition of the efforts of the general public, volunteers and all workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government have introduced a once-off public holiday on Friday March 18th 2022.

This Public Holiday will be treated in the same manner as other public holidays, in that employees will be entitled to a paid day off on this day or if they are required to work, they will be entitled to one of the following; a paid day off within a month of that day, an additional day of annual leave or an additional day’s pay.

Part Time employees continue to receive payment provided they have worked 40 hours in the 5 weeks immediately before the Public Holiday.

An employee who does not normally work on the day on which the Public Holiday falls, continues to be entitled to one-fifth of the working week as compensation for the public holiday.

From 2023, there will be a permanent Public Holiday established in celebration of Imbolc/St Brigids Day.This will be the first Monday in every February, except where St. Brigid’s Day, the 1st day of February, happens to fall on a Friday, in which case that Friday 1 February will be a public holiday.

The government has also agreed to give a recognition payment of €1,000 (tax free), for eligible frontline health and ambulance workers. An equivalent payment will be provided for relevant staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices that were affected by COVID-19.

Employers to Note: Employers should ensure that employees receive their entitlements for the new Public Holiday and may need to adjust Employee Handbooks and policies to reflect the new Public Holiday coming into effect next year.

For further advice and guidance in relation to the above or public holidays, please contact us on info@mssthehrpeople.ie or alternatively on 018870690.