First Previous (PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES (PART-TIME WORK) ACT, 2001) Next (PART 2 Part-Time Work and the Rights of Part-Time Employees)

45 2001

PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES (PART-TIME WORK) ACT, 2001

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Short title, collective citation and construction.

1. —(1) This Act may be cited as the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act, 2001.

(2) In so far as it relates to the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 and 1984, this Act and those Acts shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 to 2001.

(3) In so far as it relates to the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Acts, 1984 and 1990, this Act and those Acts shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Acts, 1984 to 2001.

(4) In so far as it relates to the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1990, this Act and those Acts shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 2001.

(5) In so far as it relates to the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994 , this Act and that Act shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts, 1994 and 2001.

(6) In so far as it relates to the Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977 to 1993, this Act and those Acts shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977 to 2001.

(7) In so far as it relates to the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts, 1977 to 1993, this Act and those Acts shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts, 1977 to 2001.

Commencement.

2. —This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

Interpretation (generally).

3. —(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“collective agreement” means an agreement by or on behalf of an employer on the one hand, and by or on behalf of a body or bodies representative of the employees to whom the agreement relates on the other hand;

“conditions of employment” includes conditions in respect of remuneration and matters related thereto (and, in relation to any pension scheme or arrangement, includes conditions for membership of the scheme or arrangement and entitlement to rights thereunder and conditions related to the making of contributions to the scheme or arrangement);

“contract of employment” means—

(a) a contract of service or apprenticeship, and

(b) any other contract whereby an individual agrees with another person, who is carrying on the business of an employment agency within the meaning of the Employment Agency Act, 1971 , and is acting in the course of that business, to do or perform personally any work or service for a third person (whether or not the third person is a party to the contract),

whether the contract is express or implied and, if express, whether it is oral or in writing;

“employee” means a person of any age who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, entered into or worked under) a contract of employment and references, in relation to an employer, to an employee shall be construed as references to an employee employed by that employer; and for the purposes of this Act, a person holding office under, or in the service of, the State (including a civil servant within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 ) shall be deemed to be an employee employed by the State or Government, as the case may be, and an officer or servant of a local authority for the purposes of the Local Government Act, 1941 , or of a harbour authority, health board or vocational education committee shall be deemed to be an employee employed by the authority, board or committee, as the case may be;

“employer” means, in relation to an employee, the person with whom the employee has entered into or for whom the employee works under (or, where the employment has ceased, entered into or worked under) a contract of employment, subject to the qualification that the person who under a contract of employment referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of “contract of employment” is liable to pay the wages of the individual concerned in respect of the work or service concerned shall be deemed to be the individual's employer;

“Framework Agreement” means the Framework Agreement on part-time work concluded by UNICE, CEEP and the ETUC annexed to Directive 97/81/EC of 15 December, 1997 of the Council of the European Communities;

“Minister” means the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment;

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under this Act;

“relevant enactment” means—

(a) the Carer's Leave Act, 2001,

(b) the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 and 1984,

(c) the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Acts, 1984 and 1990,

(d) the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1990,

(e) the Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994 ,

(f) the Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977 to 1993, or

(g) the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts, 1977 to 1993;

“remuneration”, in relation to an employee, includes—

(a) any consideration, whether in cash or in kind, which the employee receives, directly or indirectly, from the employer in respect of the employment, and

(b) any amounts the employee will be entitled to receive on foot of any pension scheme or arrangement.

(2) In this Act—

(a) a reference to a Part or section is a reference to a Part or section of this Act unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended,

(b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended, and

(c) a reference to any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended by or under any subsequent enactment (including this Act).

Regulations and orders.

4. —(1) The Minister may make regulations prescribing any matter or thing which is referred to in this Act as prescribed or to be prescribed or for the purpose of enabling any provision of this Act to have full effect.

(2) Regulations under this Act may make different provisions in relation to different classes of employees or employers, different areas or otherwise by reference to the different circumstances of the matter.

(3) A regulation or order under this Act may contain such incidental, supplementary and consequential provisions as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient.

(4) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order under this Act (including an order under this subsection).

(5) A regulation or order under this Act (other than an order under section 2 ) shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling that regulation or order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the regulation or order is laid before it, the regulation or order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

Repeal.

5. —The Worker Protection (Regular Part-Time Employees) Act, 1991 , is repealed.

Expenses.

6. —The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.