John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 220: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the estimated annual cost to employers in complying with the administrative burdens of employment regulation orders and registered employment agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20026/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In 2010 my Department commissioned a study to measure the information obligations arising for employers under Company Law, Employment Law and Health & Safety Law. The companies that took part in the survey outlined a number of areas in which information obligations posed the greatest difficulty. These information obligations were then measured to identify the specific administrative burden cost of compliance.

The overall administrative cost to employers in the Employment Law area was estimated at €71.4m, of which €61.5m was attributed exclusively to the record-keeping requirements under the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997. This requirement would be expected to be even more onerous for employers operating in sectors regulated by EROs/REAs, as the hours worked in these sectors must be further identified if they occur on Sundays, during unsocial hours, during non-rostered times or overtime hours. My Department is currently working on proposals to alleviate the burden that the record-keeping requirement under the Organisation of Working Time Act presents for compliant businesses.

In addition, a number of the proposals contained in the Action Plan that I have proposed for radical reform of the JLC and REA mechanisms are aimed at simplifying the system in a way that would reduce the burden of supervision and compliance and also ensure a degree of coordination and oversight over the system so that necessary record-keeping requirements are kept reasonable and proportionate across all sectors.