Q.  My employer did not pay me extra for the Public Holidays which I worked over Easter. He says that I am not entitled as I do not work full-time. What are my rights?

11.04.10

You may have an entitlement but it would be only in respect of one day, as Good Friday is not a public holiday. While some schools and businesses close on that day, you have no automatic entitlement.
Easter Monday is one of the nine public holidays. If you have worked for your employer at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday, i.e. an average of at least 8 hours per week, and you are due to work on the day, the law says you are entitled to compensation for the day. This can be either the public holiday off as paid leave or one of the following alternatives: a paid day off within a month of the public holiday; an additional day of annual leave; an additional day's pay; the nearest church holiday to the public holiday as a paid day off.

Alternatively, if you are not required to work on that particular day you still have a certain amount of entitlement, i.e. you should receive one-fifth extra of your weekly pay instead of the actual day's leave. Even if you may never be roistered to work on a public holiday you are entitled to one-fifth of your weekly pay as compensation for the public holiday.

Citizens Information: Buncrana 074 9363496; Carndonagh 074 9373741

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