EMPLOYERS HAVE signalled that they are unhappy with elements of the Government's new Employment Rights Compliance Bill which will seek to overhaul the State's employment rights framework.
At the talks on a new national pay deal yesterday, representatives of the employers' body Ibec maintained that they had already indicated concern about aspects of the legislation to the Department of Enterprise and Employment.
Ibec did not spell out the areas of the Bill with which it has difficulties. However, it is believed that it considers that the legislation contains provisions which were not set out in the national agreement Towards 2016.
Sources said that Ibec, for example, is concerned that under the Bill employers could face criminal charges over what it sees as relatively minor issues, such as the failure to have particular notices in place in the workplace.
The Employment Law Compliance Bill, which was published by Minister for Enterprise and Employment Micheál Martin this year, is one of the Government's main commitments under Towards 2016.
Measures proposed in the Bill include the establishment of a new National Employment Rights Authority (Nera) on a statutory basis; strengthening powers in the area of labour inspection, including allowing the director of Nera to take evidence on oath; ensuring labour inspectors have greater access to premises, personnel and data; and empowering the organisation to prosecute summary offences.
The Bill contains provision for greater penalties for offences arising under employment law - in most cases up to €5,000 and/or 12 months' imprisonment for summary offences and €250,000 and/or three years' imprisonment for indictable offences.
Separately at the talks yesterday, unions argued that new measures to provide equal treatment for agency workers would have to be dealt with as part of any new agreement.
They also maintained that a Supreme Court ruling last year in a case brought by Ryanair had emasculated legislation to give unions some rights to represent workers in non-union companies.