The government has announced that on January 1, 2024, the entitlement to paid sick leave will be increased from three to five days.
It is the second stage of a four-year plan that will gradually increase employer-paid sick leave to ten days by 2026.
The move is intended to ensure that all employees receive at least some financial compensation if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
Workers will be entitled to up to five days of sick leave per year beginning next year, paid at 70% of gross earnings up to a maximum of €110.
Its primary purpose is to provide sick pay coverage to employees who do not have access to a company sick leave scheme, which is common in low-wage and precarious positions.
The scheme provides a minimum level of protection and does not conflict with existing, more advantageous sick pay schemes.
"This gradual increase in paid sick leave gives employers time to adjust and plan for its introduction, but it also gives workers certainty about their own rights," said Neale Richmond, Minister of State for Business, Employment, and Retail.