For the first time in twenty years, Irish employers have a revised framework governing access to part-time work. The Workplace Relations Commission has published an updated Code of Practice on Access to Part-Time Working — a development that carries real practical significance for how organisations structure, communicate and respond to flexible working requests.

The update arrives against a backdrop of significant change in the Irish labour market. With over one in five workers engaged on a part-time basis, and women accounting for two-thirds of that cohort, the Code sits at the intersection of employment law, workplace flexibility and gender equality. Its publication also reflects the broader legislative momentum in this space, including the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.

Whilst the Code does not create new statutory rights or impose binding obligations, it is admissible as evidence before the WRC, the Labour Court and the Civil Courts, meaning it carries weight where disputes arise. Employers who fall short of the standards it sets may find themselves at a disadvantage in proceedings.

The key areas addressed by the updated Code include: proactive identification of part-time opportunities across all levels of an organisation; a recommended procedure for handling requests to move between full-time and part-time arrangements; updated guidance on recruitment, training and information-sharing; and, notably, a new provision protecting employees from penalisation for exercising their rights under the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001, which can attract compensation of up to two years’ remuneration.

For more information on the Code, see our detailed briefing here: Updated Code of Practice on Access to Part-Time Working published | Arthur Cox LLP