Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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230. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the code of practice that exists in relation to trial periods of employment being offered to new workers; if there are legislative guidelines requiring that these trials would be paid or other protocols regarding same; her plans to review the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24068/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has a comprehensive body of employment, equality and industrial relations legislation with which the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is mandated to secure compliance. Ireland’s employment rights legislation protects all employees who are legally employed on an employer-employee basis.

There is no exemption under employment rights legislation, including minimum wage legislation, for work trials. All hours worked, including those on trial, must be paid at the minimum wage or above. People on work trials are also covered by the Health Safety and Welfare Acts 2005 – 2014, which provides for safe working conditions as well as the Employment Equality Acts 1998 -2015, which provides against discrimination or harassment.

Any persons with questions or complaints regarding their rights under employment legislation should contact Workplace Relations Customer Service on lo-call 1890 80 80 90 or information can be found on their website www.workplacerelations.ie. Making a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission is straightforward by means of an online form. The WRC recovered €1.8million in wages for employees in 2017 (Source: WRC Annual Report 2017).