The Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act, 2001 covers all part-time employees where a part-time employee is an employee whose normal working hours are less than those of a comparable full-time employee (e.g. the part-time employee works 15 hours per week whereas the full working week is 39 hours)

 

In general, the Act applies to any part-time employee:

  • working under a contract of employment or apprenticeship
  • employed through an employment agency
  • holding office under, or in the service of, the State
  • In the case of agency workers, the party who is liable to pay the wages (employment agency or client company) will, normally, be deemed to be the employer for the purposes of the Act