Regulation Order, 2026

L.N. 136 of 2026

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT

(CAP. 452)

Jewellery and Watches (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

regulations:-

(1) The title of this order is the Jewellery and Watches Citation,

commencement

(Conditions of Work) Regulation Order, 2026.

and

applicability.

(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 gilding, engraving in gold or

silver or in the manufacture or repair of jewellery, clocks and watches

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.

"customary holidays" means the days, other than Sundays, Cap. 252.

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

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

(12.00a.m) of the next following day;

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

to the employee;

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

it in the Act;

"jewellery" means articles made wholly or mainly of or

covered with gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals and

includes diamonds or precious stones, articles of rolled gold;

"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;

"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;

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

assigned to it in the Act.

The normal hours of work of the establishment shall be

distributed between the times of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on any day of

the week from Monday to Friday, both days inclusive. Hours worked

on Saturday shall be compensated by an equivalent number of hours of

time off in lieu.

(1) The minimum weekly wages of

whole-time

employees, other than watchpersons, shall be as follows

(a) During the first two (2) years of employment in the

trade............................................................................... €229.44;

(b) During the third (3) year of employment in the

trade................................................................................€233.52;

(c) During the fourth (4) year of employment in the

trade................................................................................€235.85;

(d) During the fifth (5) year of employment in the

trade................................................................................€238.18.

(2) The minimum weekly wages of whole-time watchpersons,

shall be as follows

(a) those whose duties are mainly performed

indoors............................................................................€344.16;

(b) those whose duties are mainly performed

outdoors...............................................................................€346.

49. (3) The minimum weekly wage of whole-time employees,

other than watchpersons, shall be related to a forty (40) hour working

week, while that of watchpersons shall be related to a sixty (60) hour

working week.

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

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

provided by the employer free of charge.

(2) Personal protective equipment in accordance with the S.L. 646.13.

Minimum Requirements for the use of Personal Protective Equipment

at Work Regulations shall also be provided by the employer free of

Whole-time employees, other than watchpersons, shall be Minimum daily

allowed intervals for meals and rest of not less than one and a half rest.

(1½) hours in the aggregate on any day from Monday to Friday and of

not less than a quarter (¼) of an hour on any Saturday.

All employees shall be entitled to a rest period in Minimum

weekly rest.

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

Subject to the provisions of article 3

Minimum

overtime rates.

(a) whole-time employees, other than watchpersons,

shall be paid overtime as follows

(i) for all time worked in excess of the normal

hours of work of the establishment........... time-and-a-half;

(ii) for all time worked during Sundays and

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

(iii) for all time worked in excess of forty (40)

hours, except work performed on Saturdays which may be

compensated by the same number of hours of time off in

lieu, in any one (1) week, exclusive of any overtime

payable in accordance with sub-paragraphs (i) and

(ii)............. time-and-a-half;

(b) watchpersons shall be paid overtime for all time

worked in excess of sixty (60) hours in any one

week.................................................................. time-and-a-half.

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 set 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 set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate determined 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 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 set 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 twenty-four (24) days

sick leave on half pay, less an amount equal to half the sum set 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 set 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 set for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate

determined in accordance with the Social Security Act.

(3) Sick leave entitlements shall apply from the first (1) day of

employment.

Provided that the said entitlement 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 absence.

(5) For the purpose of this article, a break in employment of

not more than two (2) months shall not interrupt the continuity of

service.

(6) 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 remuneration applicable to him for all time 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 express or implied consent;

(b) for some purpose unrelated with his work, other than

that of waiting for work to be assigned to him;

(c)

solely by reason 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 he is not waiting for any work to be

assigned to him.

Employees shall b 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 the

National Standard Orders or any regulations made under the Act.

The Jewellery and Watches Wages Council Order and the

Jewellery and Watches Wages Council Wage Regulation Order are

hereby repealed without prejudice to anything done or omitted to be

done thereunder.

€0.54