This afternoon in the Dáil, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Workers’ Rights, Louise O’Reilly TD, introduced a Bill which will ensure a fair calculation of redundancy entitlements for workers who have spent time on the PUP.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“When the Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced last year, redundancy entitlements were suspended for people temporarily laid off.  

“However, no provision was made for workers time in service for the period when they were in receipt of the payment.

“As it currently stands, due to a loophole in the law, workers could lose out on significant sums of money because time spent on the PUP will not count when calculating entitlements.

“The Redundancy Payments (Lay-off, Short Time and Calculation of Reckonable Service) Bill which I have brought forward aims to address this situation and ensure that workers do not have a lost year when it comes to redundancy entitlements.

“This Bill seeks to ensure that time spent by workers on lay off and short time, such as in receipt of the PUP, is calculated as reckonable service in relation to the calculation of redundancy entitlements.

“Therefore, if future circumstances deem a worker needs to access to their redundancy entitlements, then this Bill will mean time spent in receipt of the PUP during 2020 and 2021 will be counted as reckonable service, and it will ensure a fair redundancy payment.”