When looking to build your team it is important that you make yourself aware of employment legislation. As part of your employer responsibilities you must ensure that all your employees receive certain basic employment rights. An employee can be explained as a person engaged under a contract service and therefore are protected by the full range of employment legislation.
1. Eligibility
One of your employer responsibilities is to ensure that the person or people you are looking to hire have the legal right to seek employment within your company. This will also include conducting employment checks with the relevant authorities if the nature of your business involves working with children or vulnerable adults.
2. Contracts and employment terms
Within two months of your employee beginning employment you must give them certain terms and conditions of employment in writing.
3. Employer Insurance
As soon as you establish your company or become an employer you are legally required to take out employer’s liability insurance.
4. Salary, payroll and pension
Another one of your employer responsibilities is to familiarise yourself with the legal minimum wage and clearly agree a salary with your new employee/s. You must provide payslips showing wages and any deductions that have been made. If you employ at least one person you have pension requirements through pension’s auto enrolment.
5. Work hours, breaks and rest periods
When hiring staff you need to look into the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 as it sets out the rules governing maximum working hours and daily and weekly rest breaks.
6. Leave
Almost all employees whether they’re full-time, part-time, temporary or casual, are entitled to annual leave and public holidays from the time they begin work. As an employer you’re obliged to allow employees to avail of statutory protective leave which may include maternity leave, health and safety leave, parental leave, adoptive leave, or carer’s leave.
7. Tax and PRSI
One of your employer responsibilities involves registering as an employer with Revenue and paying employer’s PRSI contributions. In addition to this you’re legally responsible for deducting the correct amount of tax, PRSI, and USC from your employees’ wages and remitting these to Revenue using the PAYE system.
8. Employment records
To show that you are compliant with employment legislation you will have to keep certain records relating to your employees.
9. Health and safety in the workplace
It is an employer’s duty to ensure employees’ safety, health and welfare at work as far as is reasonably practicable. Providing instruction and training employees is also included in these employer responsibilities.
10. Appointing a Safety Officer
Whether you only employ two people or several, you are still required to carry out a risk assessment. This is governed by health and safety legislation.
For more on building your team, check out our guide that includes a handy checklist to ensure it is done correctly.
