The Parental Leave Regulations, which came into effect on 8 March 2013, extend parental leave from 14 weeks to 18 weeks. The Regulations also provide that parents returning to work after parental leave may request a change in their working hours and/or working patterns. Employers are required to consider such a request but they are not required to grant it. In any event, employers are required to consider part-time work requests from all employees in accordance with the Labour Relation Commission Code of Practice on Access to Part-Time Working.

Statutory leave entitlements vary in duration and whether the employer is required to pay the employee his/her salary while on leave. Read a more detailed article on the main leave entitlements in Ireland here.

Contributed by Alicia Compton and Ciara Ruane.

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