Clay and Glass Products (Conditions of Work) Regulation Order,

L.N. 119 of 2026

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT

(CAP. 452)

Clay and Glass Products (Conditions of Work) Regulation Order,

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 Clay and Glass Products

(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 part of an undertaking, the activities

of which consist wholly or mainly in the manufacture of clay products,

pottery, earthenware, china, ceramics, glass, glassware, mirrors,

advertising displays and signs of any material, including neon signs,

fibreglass, fibreglass products and ornamental stone products

Provided that in the event that there is a collective

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

the most favourable conditions in such agreement or in this order shall

prevail.

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 employees

Provided that in all other cases, it means a period

running from midnight (12.00 a.m.) of one day to midnight

(12.00 a.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 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 10.00p.m. of one day to 6.00a.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;

"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;

"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;

"watchperson" means a person who guards his employer’s

property against fire, theft, unauthorised entry and other similar

contingencies;

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

employees other than watchpersons distributed over a five (5)

day week;

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

watchpersons distributed over a six (6) day week.

(a) Whole-time employees in the industry, other than

wages of whole-

watchpersons, shall be entitled to minimum weekly wages of two

hundred and twenty nine euro and forty four cents (€229.44).

(b) Watchpersons shall be paid the minimum weekly wage of

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

Whole-time employees engaged on night shift duty shall,

whilst so engaged, be paid at an hourly rate of one and one sixth (1⅙)

times the actual time rate payable to the employee. Such increased rate

shall be deemed to be the actual time rate for purposes of calculating

any overtime payable in accordance with article 9, in respect of any

hours worked during night shift.

(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 than one (1) hour in the

aggregate on any one (1) day.

All employees shall be entitled to a weekly rest period in

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) In the case of all employees, other than watchpersons,

overtime shall be payable as follows

(a) for all time worked in excess of the normal working

hours of the establishment on any day from Monday to Saturday

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

(b) for all time worked on Sundays or on customary

holidays .....................double-time;

(c) exclusive of any overtime payable in accordance with

paragraphs (a) and (b), for all hours worked in excess of forty

(40) hours of work in any one (1) week ..................time-and-a-

half.

(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 one week .................time-and-a-half;

(b) for all time worked on a day of rest or on a customary

holiday ..................double time.

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

accordance with 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 ten (10) days sick leave on full

pay, less an amount equal to the sum set for sickness benefit

entitlement at the rate established 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 set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established in

accordance with the Social Security Act, which amount is also to 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 is longer than seven (7) days, within

seven (7) days of the onset of sick leave absence;

(c) employees in receipt of a social security pension in

respect of retirement or widowhood in accordance with the Cap. 318.

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

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

the sum set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate established

in accordance with the Social Security Act.

(2) Sick leave entitlements provided shall apply from the first

day of employment

Provided that the said entitlement shall be calculated pro

rata in accordance with the date of employment in the relative

calendar.

(3) The employer may require a medical certificate by his own

physician to certify incapacity for work during the period of absence.

(4) 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 actual

wages applicable to him for all times during which he is present on the

premises of his employer or elsewhere unless he is present thereon in

any of the following circumstances

(a)

without the employer’s expressed or implied consent;

(b) for some purpose unconnected with his work and

other than that of waiting for work to be given to him to perform;

(c)

by reason only of 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 is not waiting for work to be given to

him to perform.

Employees are entitled to the national holidays and to all

public holidays with full pay, to all forms of leave in accordance with

the Minimum Special Leave Entitlement Regulations and all other

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

Standard Order or regulations made under the Act.

The Clay and Glass Products Wages Council Order and the

Clay and Glass Products Wages Council Wage Regulation Order are

hereby being repealed without prejudice to anything done or omitted to

be done thereunder.

€0.45