The Minister for Enterprise and Jobs Richard Bruton has announced that legislation will be introduced which will “streamline” employment rights and industrial relations structures.
A Workplace Relations Commission will be established which see the services of the Equality Tribunal, the National Employment Rights Authority and the Labour Relations Commission and some parts of the Employment Appeals Tribunal being brought together. There will also be a single appeals body where the Labour Court will be expanded.
The Minister stated that “three options for resolving complaints will be available – early resolution, inspection and adjudication. The Workplace Relations Commission will have greater capacity to determine which of these interventions by the State is the most appropriate and most cost-effective in any given case.”
There may also be changes to compliance and enforcement arrangements which may include on-the-spot fines. The Minister commented that to supplement compliance and “to reduce the need for costly and time-consuming enforcement proceedings or on the spot fines and making more effective use of Labour Court orders for certain contraventions.”
IBEC director Brendan McGinty proposed that a fee should be introduced to “deter multiple claims, which could be refunded if the case was successful. “ He suggested that a cap should be placed on awards of two years’ salary or €100,000. However, Tom O’Driscoll of SIPTU said that the union would be opposed to “capping awards.”
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