PAPER, PLASTICS, CHEMICALS AND PETROLEUM (CONDITIONS OF WORK) REGULATION ORDER

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 452.145

PAPER, PLASTICS, CHEMICALS AND PETROLEUM

(CONDITIONS OF WORK) REGULATION ORDER

*

LEGAL NOTICE 116 of 2026.

(1)

The title of this order is the Paper, Plastics,

Chemicals and Petroleum (Conditions of Work) Regulation Order.

(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

*Not yet in force.

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

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

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

apply.

In this order, unless the context otherwise requires

"Act" means the Employment and Industrial Relations

Act;

''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 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;

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

"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

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

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

any week less than the following wages

(a)

during

the

€254.71;

first 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 such employees shall be entitled in accordance with article 8,

and 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 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.

All employees shall be entitled to a weekly rest period in

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1)

Whole-time employees other than watchpersons

shall be paid at the rates of time-and-a-half for overtime work

performed on 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.

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

(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

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;

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

(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

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 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

(CONDITIONS OF WORK)

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.