Employees’ entitlement to paid sick leave will increase from three to five days a year from 1 January 2024, in line with a Government commitment to increase the entitlement to ten days in 2026.

Neale Richmond (Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail) described paid sick leave as “an important workers’ right which provides protection to employees who are genuinely unable to work due to ill health or injury”.

“Lower-paid workers who cannot afford to miss work when sick stand to benefit the most from this increase,” he added.

‘Floor level’

The Government says that the move provides a “floor level” of protection, and will not affect workers who have more favourable sick-pay entitlement from their employer.

In 2024, workers will be entitled to up to five days of sick leave in a year, paid at 70% of gross earnings, up to a cap of €110.

The measure is mainly intended to provide sick pay coverage to employees in low-paid and precarious roles, who do not have access to a company sick-leave scheme.

The changes are being made under the Sick Leave Act 2022, which commenced on 1 January 2023.