WHAT TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR…
..what is new, changing, potentially changing or what you may have missed...
INMO Survey finds 14% rise in cases of Bullying
Bullying in the work place continues to be a growing issue according to the Irish Nurses and Midwifes Organisation. A survey found that there has been a 14% increase in incidents of bullying since 2010, with 6% of respondents reporting it as a daily problem.
Phil Ni Sheaghdha INMO Director of Industrial Relations stated that increased pressure at work has contributed to the rise in bullying allegations. “All of that leads to a pressure cooker environment... The incidents of bullying have definitely increased with the cutbacks.”
She also stated that "We have plenty of policies (and) we know how to investigate allegations of bullying. The problem is we're not preventing it happening in the first place."
Minster for Children James Reilly considers the Introduction of Split Leave for New Parents
Dr James Reilly has stated that an introduction of a full year’s paid parental leave may become a possibility in the future. This new development may also entitle parents to bonus weeks of leave.
Ireland has consistently faced criticism from the European Union in relation to childcare, stating a lack of access and its high cost as being contributing factors “to parents finding employment and avoiding the risk of poverty”.
The Minister is currently considering options to make childcare more accessible, particularly in terms of cost, with the prospect that this may encourage more woman to re-enter the workforce. Currently after-school care is the main focus of the discussions.
Tánaiste Joan Burton, during her speech at the Labour Party conference stated that the Government would “set out the steps that will enable us to introduce two weeks’ paid paternity leave”.
In the UK new legislation will be put into place during the week, which will allow parents to share leave, allocating for up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 paid weeks.
The matter of parental leave may be a part of election manifestos for a second term of office, however those close to the childcare reform process say the provision of leave in Ireland is “on the lower end of the scale”.
Extension of Adoptive Leave to Civil Partners & Cohabitants
The Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015, passed by the Seanad last month will extend adoptive leave provisions to civil partners and cohabiting couples.
The Bill will amend current adoption legislation to allow civil partners and cohabiting couples who have lived together for three years to adopt jointly. While current law permits a single individual, regardless of their sexual orientation, to apply for an adoption order, only married couples have been eligible to adopt jointly.
Under the new law civil partners and cohabiting couples will be eligible for the same entitlement to which adoptive mothers are entitled under the Adoptive Leave Act 1995. As with the 1995 Act, the circumstances entitling an adoptive father to adoptive leave where the adoptive mother has died will also apply to the civil partner or cohabitant where the qualifying adopter has died.
INMO Survey finds 14% rise in cases of Bullying
Bullying in the work place continues to be a growing issue according to the Irish Nurses and Midwifes Organisation. A survey found that there has been a 14% increase in incidents of bullying since 2010, with 6% of respondents reporting it as a daily problem.
Phil Ni Sheaghdha INMO Director of Industrial Relations stated that increased pressure at work has contributed to the rise in bullying allegations. “All of that leads to a pressure cooker environment... The incidents of bullying have definitely increased with the cutbacks.”
She also stated that "We have plenty of policies (and) we know how to investigate allegations of bullying. The problem is we're not preventing it happening in the first place."
Minster for Children James Reilly considers the Introduction of Split Leave for New Parents
Dr James Reilly has stated that an introduction of a full year’s paid parental leave may become a possibility in the future. This new development may also entitle parents to bonus weeks of leave.
Ireland has consistently faced criticism from the European Union in relation to childcare, stating a lack of access and its high cost as being contributing factors “to parents finding employment and avoiding the risk of poverty”.
The Minister is currently considering options to make childcare more accessible, particularly in terms of cost, with the prospect that this may encourage more woman to re-enter the workforce. Currently after-school care is the main focus of the discussions.
Tánaiste Joan Burton, during her speech at the Labour Party conference stated that the Government would “set out the steps that will enable us to introduce two weeks’ paid paternity leave”.
In the UK new legislation will be put into place during the week, which will allow parents to share leave, allocating for up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 paid weeks.
The matter of parental leave may be a part of election manifestos for a second term of office, however those close to the childcare reform process say the provision of leave in Ireland is “on the lower end of the scale”.
Extension of Adoptive Leave to Civil Partners & Cohabitants
The Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015, passed by the Seanad last month will extend adoptive leave provisions to civil partners and cohabiting couples.
The Bill will amend current adoption legislation to allow civil partners and cohabiting couples who have lived together for three years to adopt jointly. While current law permits a single individual, regardless of their sexual orientation, to apply for an adoption order, only married couples have been eligible to adopt jointly.
Under the new law civil partners and cohabiting couples will be eligible for the same entitlement to which adoptive mothers are entitled under the Adoptive Leave Act 1995. As with the 1995 Act, the circumstances entitling an adoptive father to adoptive leave where the adoptive mother has died will also apply to the civil partner or cohabitant where the qualifying adopter has died.
