The Workplace Relations Commission (2020) have just released their 2020 Annual Report. The Inspection and Enforcement services undertakes inspection of employment records to ensure employer compliance with employment law in the state. The process involves but is not confined to examining an employer’s employment related books and records and conducting both employer and employee interviews.
The objective is to verify employer compliance with the relevant employment law and if necessary to enforce compliance with the law.
2020 WRC Activity at a Glance
Total Inspections Concluded | 7,687 |
Unannounced Inspections including *RWSP Inspections | 5,202 |
Employers in Breach | 1,760 |
Unpaid Wages Recovered (€M) | 1.66M |
Number of Inspection Complaints Received |
704 |
Total prosecutions | 81 |
*Return to Work Safety Protocol
Main Complaints (top 4 areas of legislation) Received by the WRC
Pay | 4,117 |
Redundancy | 3,894 |
Hours of Work | 3,150 |
Unfair Dismissal | 2,155 |
Inspection Activity is generally focused on sectors where non-compliance is suspected or as a response to complaints received regarding alleged non-compliance by specific employers.
68% of inspections carried out in 2020 were unannounced and 147 joint inspections were carried out with An Garda Siochana and other regulatory bodies of the state.
Inspections and Covid 19
The National Return to Work Safety Protocol (RWSP) was published on 9 May 2020. The RWSP supported employers and employees in putting measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid 19 in the workplace when restrictions eased. WRC inspectors carried out onsite inspections in support of the RWSP and in that respect combined this work with their primary statutory employment related work.
As an Employer it is important to be fully prepared for a WRC inspection. If you need information and guidance on being compliant for WRC inspections please contact info@boydhr.ie