Regulation Order, 2026

L.N. 114 of 2026

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT

(CAP. 452)

Private Cleaning Services (Conditions of Work)

Regulation Order, 2026

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 4(1) of the

Employment and Industrial Relations Act, the Minister responsible for

employment and industrial relations has made the following order:-

(1) The title of this order is the Private Cleaning Services

(Conditions of Work) Regulation Order, 2026.

(2) This order shall come into force within two (2) months

from its date of publication in the Gazette.

(3) The provisions established in this order shall apply to all

employees with establishments providing private cleaning services

Provided that in the event that there is a collective

agreement applicable to the class of employees covered by this order,

the more favourable conditions in that agreement or in this order shall

In this order, unless the context otherwise requires

"Act" means the Employment and Industrial Relations Act;

"customary holidays" means the days, other than Sundays,

declared for the time being to be public holidays by, or under the

National Holidays and other Public Holidays Act;

"collective agreement" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to it in the Act;

"day" in the case of a shift employee, means a period of

twenty-four (24) consecutive hours and in all other cases, it

means a period running from midnight (12:00a.m.) of one day to

midnight (12:00a.m.) of the next following day;

"double-time" means twice the actual time rate applicable

to the employee;

"half-day" means a period of twelve (12) consecutive hours

ending at 1.00 p.m. or at 1.00 a.m;

"hours of work" shall have the same meaning as assigned to

it in the Act;

"night shift" means any period of employment that includes

any hours from 10.00 p.m. of one day to 6.00 a.m. of the next

following day;

"part-time employee" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to it in the Act;

"period of employment" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to it in the Act;

"shift employee" means an employee who regularly works

on a shift cycle basis;

"time-and-a-half" means one and a half times the actual

time rate applicable to the employee;

"wage" means remuneration or earnings, payable by an

employer to an employee and includes any bonus payable under

article 23 of the Act, other than any bonus or allowance related

to performance or production;

"week" means a calendar week;

"rest period" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it

in the Organisation of Working Time Regulations;

"whole-time employee" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to it in the Act.

(1) The minimum weekly wage for whole-time Hours of work.

employees, other than watchpersons, shall be related to an average of

forty (40) hours per week distributed over a period of thirteen (13)

weeks provided that the hours of work shall not exceed forty-five (45)

hours in any one week.

(2) The minimum weekly wage for watchpersons shall be

related to a week of not more than fifty-two (52) hours.

(1) The minimum weekly wage payable to whole-time Minimum wage

employees other than watchpersons shall be two hundred twenty-nine for

employees.

euro and forty-four cents (€229.44). The minimum weekly wage

payable to whole-time employees who are watchpersons shall be two

hundred ninety-eight euro and twenty-seven cents (€298.27).

(2) In the case of shift workers, unless every weekly night shift

is followed by one weekly day shift, such further night shift or shifts

shall entitle the employee to a further remuneration amounting to not

less than one-fourth of his normal rate of pay.

(1) When the employee is required by the employer to

wear a uniform in the performance of his duties, such uniform shall be

provided by the employer free of any charge.

(2) Personal protective equipment according to the Minimum

Requirements for the Use of Personal Protective Equipment at Work

Regulations shall also be provided free of charge by the employer.

Whole-time employees, other than watchpersons, shall be

allowed intervals for meals and rest of not less, in the aggregate, than

one hour every day

Provided that

(a) subject to the provisions of paragraph (b), the interval

or intervals shall be allowed after the first and before the last

hour of the period of employment; and

(b) where the last half hour of the period of employment

is allowed as a half hour of rest, the employee shall be entitled to

leave the place of work as soon as such half hour commences.

All employees shall be entitled to a rest period according to

the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) In the case of whole-time employees, other than shift

workers and watchpersons, overtime rates shall be payable as follows

(a) for all time worked in excess of twelve (12) hours in

any one (1) day........................ time-and-a-half;

(b) for all time worked in excess of forty-five (45) hours

in any one (1) week.....................time-and-a-half;

(c) for all time worked in excess of an average of forty

(40) hours per week distributed over thirteen (13) consecutive

weeks...........................time-and-a-half;

(d) for all time worked on the first pre-determined day of

rest..........................time-and-a-half;

(e) for all time worked on a Sunday, customary holiday

or the second or only pre-determined day of rest of the

week......................... double time.

(2)

In the case of shift workers, overtime shall be payable as

(a) for all time worked in excess of twelve (12) hours in

any one (1) day......................time-and-a-half;

(b) for all time worked in excess of forty-five (45) hours

in any one (1) week.......................time-and-a-half;

(c) for all time worked in excess of an average of forty

(40) hours per week distributed over thirteen (13) consecutive

weeks............................... time-and-a-half;

(d) for all time worked on the first pre-determined day of

rest..........................time-and-a-half;

(e) for all time worked on the second or only pre-

determined day of rest.............double time.

(3)

In the case of watchpersons, overtime shall be payable as

(a) for all time worked in excess of fifty-two (52) hours

in any week of six (6) consecutive days.....time-and-a-half;

(b) for all time worked in excess of nine (9) hours on any

day.................................time-and-a-half.

(4)

Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-article (3)

(a) shift employees shall not be entitled to overtime

payment for time worked in normal shift on Sundays or on a

customary holiday;

(b) in the case of watchpersons, when a customary

holiday falls on any day from Monday to Saturday, overtime at

time-and-a-half shall be payable to them for work in excess of

fifty-two (52) hours during that week.

The employee shall be entitled to annual leave according to Vacation leave.

the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) A whole-time employee shall in every calendar year Sick leave.

be entitled to the equivalent in hours of twelve (12) days sick leave on

full pay, less an amount equal to the sum established for sickness

benefit entitlement at the rate determined in accordance with the

Social Security Act, and part-time employees shall have a pro rata Cap. 318.

entitlement to sick leave in hours on full pay, less an amount equal to

the sum established for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate

determined in accordance with the Social Security Act, which amount

shall also be calculated on a pro rata basis

Provided that

(a) the first three (3) days of any claim for sick leave

shall be paid in full by the employer;

(b) a medical certificate covering the period of absence

shall be submitted to the employer on the day of return to work

or, if such period of absence exceeds seven (7) days, within

seven (7) days of the commencement of such absence due to sick

leave;

(c) employees receiving a social security pension in

respect of retirement or widowhood in accordance with the

Social Security Act shall, for the purpose of calculating the sick

leave payment due, be deemed to have received an amount equal

to the sum established for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate

determined in accordance with the Social Security Act.

(2) A whole-time employee shall in every calendar year be

entitled to the equivalent in hours of a further six (6) days sick leave on

half pay, less an amount equal to half the sum established for sickness

benefit entitlement at the rate determined in accordance with the

Social Security Act, and part-time employees shall have a pro rata

entitlement to sick leave in hours on half pay, less an amount equal to

half the sum established for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate

determined in accordance with the Social Security Act, which amount

shall also be calculated on a pro rata basis

Provided that

(a) the first three (3) days of any claim for sick leave

shall be paid at half pay by the employer;

(b) a medical certificate covering the period of absence

shall be submitted to the employer on the day of return to work

or, if such period of absence exceeds seven (7) days, within

seven (7) days of the commencement of such absence due to sick

leave;

(c) employees receiving a social security pension in

respect of retirement or widowhood in accordance with the

Social Security Act shall, for the purpose of calculating the sick

leave payment due, be deemed to have received an amount equal

to half the sum established for sickness benefit entitlement at the

rate determined in accordance with the Social Security Act.

(3) Sick leave entitlements shall apply from the first day of

employment

Provided that the said entitlements shall be calculated pro

rata according to the date of employment in the relative calendar year.

(4) The employer may require a medical certificate by a

physician of his choice to certify that the employee is unfit for work

during the period of sick leave.

(5) The sick leave entitlement shall be calculated on the basis

provided for annual leave as specified in regulation 8(1) of the

Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

An employee shall be entitled to the payment of the Waiting time.

minimum wage applicable to him for all time during which he is

present at the premises of his employer or elsewhere unless he is

present there in any of the following circumstances

(a)

without the employer’s express or implied consent;

(b) for some purpose not related with his work, other

than that of waiting for work to be assigned to him;

(c)

solely by reason that he is resident there;

(d) during normal meal times in a room or place in which

no work is being carried out, and where he is not waiting for any

work to be assigned to him.

Employees shall be entitled to the national holidays and to Other forms of

all public holidays with full pay, to all forms of leave according to the leave.

Minimum Special Leave Entitlement Regulations and all other forms S.L. 452.101.

of leave that may, from time to time, be stipulated in the National

Standard Orders or any regulations made under the Act.

The Private Cleaning Services Wages Council Order and Repeal and

the Private Cleaning Services Wages Council Wage Regulation Order saving.

are hereby repealed without prejudice to anything done or omitted to S.L. 452.76.

be done thereunder.

€0.63