Regulation Order, 2026

L.N. 116 of 2026

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT

(CAP. 452)

Paper, Plastics, Chemicals and Petroleum (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 Paper, Plastics, Chemicals

and Petroleum (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 employed in any undertaking or part of an undertaking, the

activities of which consist wholly or mainly in any one of the

following

(a) the

extraction,

preparation,

processing,

or

manufacture of table salt, oils of any kind, fats, margarine and

similar products, chemicals, including petroleum, or chemical

products but excluding employees working in lime kilns;

(b) the manufacture of paper, packaging, or the

manufacture of articles made wholly or mainly of paper,

including paper bags and exercise books;

(c) the manufacture of cardboard or articles made wholly

or mainly of cardboard, including cardboard boxes and

containers;

(d) the processing or manufacture of plastics or articles

made wholly or mainly of plastics, including polythene bags,

plastic baby pants, plastic aprons and other plastic garments,

polythene wrapping and plastic insulation material, but

excluding

(i) luggage, briefcases, handbags, shopping bags

and other bags of similar nature;

(ii)

textiles made from plastic fibres;

(iii) neon signs;

(e) the manufacture of imitation jewellery, including

costume jewellery

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 such agreement or in this order shall

In this order, unless the context otherwise requires

Interpretation.

"Act" means the Employment and Industrial Relations Act; Cap. 452.

''chemicals'' includes basic industrial chemicals, gases,

fertilizers, natural or synthetic rubber, and petroleum but

excludes gases for domestic use;

''chemical products'' includes matches, paints, varnishes,

lacquers, candles, soaps, synthetic detergents, bitumen,

bituminous emulsions and other articles made wholly or mainly

of natural or synthetic rubber, but excludes textiles made from

natural or man-made fibres, and the manufacture, repair or

rebuilding and retreading of tyres;

"collective agreement" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to in the Act;

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

declared for the time being to be public holidays under the Cap. 252.

National Holidays and other Public Holidays Act;

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

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

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

of the next following day;

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

employee;

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

ending at 12:00p.m. or 12:00a.m.;

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

it in the Act;

"learner" means a person other than an apprentice, who is

over the age of fourteen (14) years but under the age of nineteen

(19) years, who is receiving training in any calling to which this

Order applies, and in respect of whom the employer holds a

permit issued in accordance with the Employment and Training

Services 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;

"overtime" means any time worked on Sundays or on

customary holidays or in excess of the normal working hours of

the establishment as agreed upon between the employer and the

employee;

"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;

''plastics'' means any material including synthetic resins,

that contains as an essential ingredient an organic substance of

large molecular weight, is solid in its finished state and, at some

stage in its manufacture or processing into finished articles, may

be shaped by flow;

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

in the Organisation of Working Time Regulations;

"shift employee" means an employee who is engaged on

alternate day and night shift work on a regular cycle basis;

"skilled employee" means an employee who has particular

training and knowledge of the trade or machinery connected with

the trade and who is able to demonstrate such skill;

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

applicable to the employee;

"wages" means remuneration or earnings payable in money

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;

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

assigned to it in the Act.

The minimum weekly wage shall be related to a week of Hours of work.

not more than

(a) forty-four (44) hours of work in the case of whole-

time employees other than watchpersons; and

(b) sixty (60) hours of work in the case of watchpersons,

spread over a six (6) day week.

(1) Whole-time skilled employees shall not be paid in Minimum

wages of whole-

any week less than the following wages

time employees.

(a) during the first

€254.71;

year of employment in the

trade .............................

(b) during

the

€256.46.

second and subsequent

years of employment in

the trade .....................

(2) Whole-time employees, other than skilled employees and

watchpersons, shall not be paid less than €252.38 in any week.

(3)

Watchpersons shall not be paid less than €344.16 in any

week.

Without prejudice to the payment of any overtime to which Night shift

such employees shall be entitled in accordance with article 8, and allowance.

where no other allowance exists for morning and, or afternoon shifts,

whole-time employees working on night shift duty shall, in addition to

the weekly wage applicable to them, be entitled to a night shift

allowance equivalent to four euro and sixty-six cents (€4.66) per week.

(1) When the employee is required to wear a uniform in Uniform

the performance of the employee’s duties, such uniform shall be allowance.

provided by the employer free of charge.

(2) Personal protective equipment according to the Minimum S.L. 646.13.

Requirements for the use of Personal Protective Equipment at Work

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

All employees shall be entitled to a weekly rest period in Minimum

weekly rest.

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) Whole-time employees other than watchpersons shall Minimum rates

be paid at the rates of time-and-a-half for overtime work performed on of overtime.

week days and at double time for work performed on Sundays. The

rate of double time shall be paid for work done on customary holidays

in addition to the normal day’s pay.

(2) Watchpersons shall be entitled to overtime at the rate of

time and a half for all time worked in excess of sixty (60) hours over a

period of six (6) days and double time for work performed on the

seventh (7) day and on customary holidays.

The employee shall be entitled to annual leave in

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) A whole-time employee shall be entitled in every

calendar year to the equivalent in hours of six (6) 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

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 produced 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) Sick leave entitlements provided according to sub-article

(1) shall apply from the first day of employment

Provided that said entitlements shall be calculated pro rata

in accordance with the date of employment in the relative calendar

year.

(3) In every calendar year after one (1) year’s continuous

service, a whole-time employee shall in every calendar year 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 Cap. 318.

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

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 produced 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 terms of the Social Cap. 318.

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.

(4) In every calendar year after one (1) year’s continuous

service a whole-time employee shall in every calendar year be entitled

to the equivalent in hours of a further twelve (12) 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 Cap. 318.

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 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 produced 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.

(5) Without prejudice to sub-articles (3) and (4), if a whole-

time employee is suffering from an illness which is prolonged over a

continuous period exceeding fifteen (15) days, the period of sick leave

to which the employee shall be entitled in that calendar year shall be

extended to the equivalent in hours of fifteen (15) days sick leave on

full pay, followed by the equivalent in hours of fifteen (15) days sick

leave on half pay, and such leave shall be paid in accordance with sub-

articles (3) and (4), respectively

Provided that part-time employees shall have a pro rata

entitlement to such extended sick leave in hours, and such leave shall

be paid in accordance with sub-articles (3) and (4), respectively.

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

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

during the period of absence due to sick leave.

(7) The sick leave entitlement granted shall be calculated on

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

the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

Employees shall be entitled to the national holidays and to

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

the Minimum Special Leave Entitlement Regulations and all other

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

Standard Orders or regulations made under the Act.

The Paper, Plastics, Chemicals and Petroleum Wages

Council Order and the Paper, Plastics, Chemicals and Petroleum

Wages Council Wage Regulation Order are hereby repealed without

prejudice to anything done or omitted to be done thereunder.

€0.63