European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
Eurofound's ERM database on restructuring-related legal regulations provides information on regulations in the Member States of the European Union and Norway which are explicitly or implicitly linked to anticipating and managing change.
S.I. No. 131/2003 article no. 8; S.I. No. 15/2018 articles no. 4-5
Both the original (transferor) and new employer (transferee) has a duty to inform the employee representatives (article no.8) of the date of transfer; the reasons for the transfer; the legal implications of the transfer for the employees and a summary of any relevant economic and social implications of the transfer for them; and any measures envisaged in relation to the employees. This must be done at least 30 days in advance of the planned transfer.
If the employees do not have representatives, the transferee or transferor employer must put in place a procedure whereby employees can choose amongst themselves a person(s) to represent them. Where no representatives have been selected, all affected employees are to be informed, in writing, no less than 30 days in advance of the transfer, of the relevant aforementioned criteria.
In a transfer of undertakings scenario, existing terms and conditions of employment (except pensions) and terms of any standing collective agreement remain in place for employees, until the agreement expires or a new agreement is negotiated. There is no interruption in employment with a transfer of undertakings - the owner of the undertakings changes hands, but the employment contract is not broken with service being continuous.
Information required must also include the the number of agency workers temporarily engaged in the undertaking concerned; those parts of the undertaking in which those agency workers are, for the time being, working; and the type of work that those agency workers are engaged to do. In 2012, obligations under Regulation 8 of the Statutory Instrument were amended to incorporate agency workers.
From 2018, seafarers are no longer excluded from relevant consultation provisions.
Eurofound (2015), Ireland: Staff information and consultation on business transfers, Restructuring legislation database, Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/legislationdb/staff-information-and-consultation-on-business-transfers/ireland
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