Dublin: A revised Code of Practice for Part-Time Work, prepared by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), has officially come into force in Ireland. The new code was signed by Minister of State for Enterprise and Employment, Alan Dillon, and is aimed at supporting flexible, inclusive and modern workplaces.
The updated code provides practical guidance to help employers and employees agree on part-time working arrangements. It seeks to promote transparency in employment practices, encourage employers to review policies on flexible working, and support the publication of gender-disaggregated employment data.
The initiative is expected to expand job opportunities and increase labour-market participation among parents, carers, older workers and students. It is grounded in existing legislation on part-time work and is designed to protect all categories of employees, ensuring that part-time workers are treated fairly and not disadvantaged in comparison with full-time staff.
Minister Dillon said that part-time work can help parents and carers better balance work and family responsibilities, while improving overall quality of life. WRC Director General Audrey Cahill described the code as a significant step in simplifying access to part-time work and making such arrangements more achievable in practice.
The revised code sets out clear guidance for both employers and employees, outlining best practice in the introduction and management of part-time working arrangements. It states that part-time employees should not be unfairly discriminated against in areas such as working hours, duties, pay, leave, training or promotion.
It also establishes transparent procedures for requesting and agreeing to part-time work, calls for improved communication between employers and employees, encourages regular reviews of flexible working policies, and supports the publication of employment data by gender. Overall, the code aims to promote equality, mutual respect and sustainable working arrangements across the Irish labour market.
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