Recruiting and hiring talented employees is a crucial part of establishing your company in the Republic of Ireland. You have to source the right employees for your workplace culture and mission while also following the Republic of Ireland’s employment compliance laws each step of the process.
Recruiting in the Republic of Ireland
You’ll need to make sure that you’re advertising through the right channels and your company complies with local law as you source and recruit employees.
One of the most challenging aspects of recruiting is figuring out the best way to reach the pool of talented candidates. In the Republic of Ireland, newspapers have a wide reader base. You might have success targeting potential employees by advertising your open positions in the classifieds. Online job boards are another popular avenue for recruitment in the Republic of Ireland.
Laws against discrimination in the Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland has a set of laws and regulations in place to promote equality and ensure that all prospective employees are treated fairly during recruitment. Under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015, it is unlawful to discriminate based on the following:
- Gender
- Age
- Civil status
- Religion
- Marital or family status
- Race
- Disability
- Sexual orientation
- Membership in the Traveller community (a nomadic indigenous ethnic group in the Republic of Ireland)
The Acts cover 9 aspects of employment:
- Advertising
- Terms and conditions of employment
- Access to employment
- Classification of posts
- Equal pay
- Vocational training and work experience
- Collective agreements
- Promotions
- Dismissals
Under this law, it’s important to stay compliant from the beginning stages of recruitment. To stay compliant, be sure to avoid making any references to the protected categories in your job postings. Don’t ask any questions about them either, even if you’re just making small talk with potential hires.
How to hire employees in the Republic of Ireland
Hiring employees in the Republic of Ireland generally starts with an employment contract, or a required written statement of terms of employment. Employers must give all new employees a written statement of terms of employment within 5 days of starting employment and any other agreements within 2 months of their start date. By law, these statements must contain a range of information including workplace, nature of work, start date, compensation, and hours of work. Make sure any compensation amounts in the employment contract and offer letter are in euros.
Employers can also choose to institute a probation period when hiring employees in the Republic of Ireland. Although no law mandates a probationary period, employers commonly include a 3- to 6-month period in the employment contract. After a year of continuous service, employees are protected against unfair dismissals.
Onboarding in the Republic of Ireland
When onboarding new employees, you’ll need to familiarize them with your workplace culture and expectations. Some of the best ways to set new hires up for success include:
- Examining the employment contract together before or during an employee’s first day
- Providing a statement of particulars to the employee within the first 5 days with an additional statement of terms to follow
- Reviewing any code of conduct or company policies
- Creating a welcoming space by introducing new hires to their teams on their first day
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Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you recruit, hire, and onboard anyone, anywhere.