Regulation Order, 2026

L.N. 117 of 2026

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT

(CAP. 452)

Leather Goods and Shoes Industries (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 Leather Goods and Shoes

Industries (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 in any undertaking or in part of an undertaking, the

activities of which consist wholly or mainly in the following

(a) the manufacture and processing of leather, leather

goods, including the manufacture of handbags and gloves; and

(b) the manufacture of boots, shoes, sandals and other

footwear, as well as of luggage, brief-cases, hand-bags, shopping

bags and other bags of a similar nature

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

"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 under the

National Holidays and other Public Holidays Act;

"collective agreement" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to it in the Act;

"day" means a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive hours

for shift workers 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 double 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;

"wages" 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.

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

not more than

(a) forty (40) hours of work in the case of whole-time

employees, other than watchpersons; and

(b) fifty-two (52) hours of work in the case of

watchpersons.

(1) Whole-time employees shall be entitled to the

following minimum weekly wages

(a) watchpersons whose duties are mainly performed

indoors............................................................................€298.27

(b) watchpersons whose duties are mainly performed

outdoors...........................................................................€300.60

(c)

other employees........................................... €229.44.

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

is followed by two (2) consecutive weekly day shifts, any further

weekly night shift or shifts shall entitle the employee to additional

remuneration amounting to not less than one-fourth (¼) of the normal

rate of pay.

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

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

provided by the employer free of charge.

(2) Personal protective equipment according to the Minimum

Requirements for the use of Personal Protective Equipment at Work

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

Whole-time employees, other than watchpersons, shall be

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

one (1) hour every day

Provided that

(a) subject to the provisions of paragraph (b) of this

proviso, the interval or intervals shall be allowed after the first

hour 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 that half hour starts.

All employees shall be entitled to a weekly rest period in

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations

Provided that where a shift system precludes the allowance

of two (2) days of rest in any one (1) week in any cycle, employees

shall be allowed one day of rest in that particular week, and one of the

other working days of the week shall be paid at the rate of time and a

half.

(1)

In the case of whole-time employees, other than

watchpersons, overtime shall be payable as follows

(a) for all time worked in excess of forty (40) hours in

any week exclusive of any time paid for at over-time

rate.................................................................... time-and-a-half;

(b) for all time worked in excess of eight (8) hours on

any day, and for all time worked on the first pre-determined day

of rest of the week................................................. time-and-a-

half;

(c) for all time worked on a Sunday or the second or only

pre-determined day of rest of the week................... double time;

(d) for all time worked on a customary holiday, in

addition to the normal hourly wage........................ double time

Provided that when a customary holiday falls on a

Sunday or the other day of rest, overtime shall be paid only at

double time.

(2)

In the case of watchpersons, overtime shall be payable as

follows

(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.

(3)

Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-article (2)

(a) shift employees shall not be entitled to overtime

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

of rest;

(b) when a customary holiday falls on a working day

overtime at time and a half shall be payable to whole-time

employees, other than watchpersons, for work in excess of forty

(40) hours during the week less the number of hours that would

have normally been worked on such a day by such employee;

(c) 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 in

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) 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 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) 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 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 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 Cap. 318.

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 in accordance with the date of employment in the relative

calendar.

(4) 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.

(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 thereon in any of the following circumstances

(a)

without the employer’s express or implied consent;

(b) for some purpose unrelated to his work and other than

waiting for work to be assigned to him;

(c)

solely due to the fact that he is resident thereon;

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

no work is being done, and 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 in accordance leave.

with the Minimum Special Leave Entitlement Regulations and all S.L. 452.101.

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

National Standard Orders or any regulations made under the Act.

The Leather Goods and Shoes Industries Wages Council

Repeal and

saving.

Order and the Leather Goods and Shoes Industries Wages Council

Wage Regulation Order are hereby repealed without prejudice to

anything done or omitted to be done thereunder.

€0.63