March is here - and with it comes a fresh wave of employment law obligations that Irish employers need to be ready for. From new employment permit salary thresholds to the approaching Pay Transparency Directive deadline, the compliance landscape is shifting quickly.
This month we're also covering probation periods - one of the most frequently mishandled areas of HR - and looking ahead at what the next few months mean for your business. As always, we're here to make it straightforward.

From 1 March 2026, minimum annual remuneration (MAR) thresholds for all key Irish
employment permit types will increase as part of the Government's phased roadmap running through to 2030. If you employ non-EEA nationals on employment permits, you need to review whether their salaries still meet the new thresholds - for both existing employees and any new or renewal applications.
The key new thresholds from 1 March are:
• General Employment Permit (GEP): €36,605 per annum
• Critical Skills Employment Permit (CSEP) with a relevant degree: €40,904 per annum
• Sector-specific roles (including healthcare assistants, home carers, horticulture):
€32,691 per annum
• Recent non-EEA graduates from Irish third-level institutions (within the last 12
months): lower graduate-specific bands also apply
If you have employees approaching a permit renewal in the coming months, now is the time to check their current salary against the new thresholds. Employers caught out at renewal stage face significant disruption. If you're unsure where you stand, get in touch with our team.

Questions about employment permits? Email [email protected]

Probation periods are one of the most misunderstood areas of Irish employment law. Many employers believe they offer complete protection when ending employment early, but the reality is more nuanced, and the cost of getting it wrong can be significant.

Employees do not have unfair dismissal protection during their first 12 months of
employment. However, this does not mean they have no rights. From day one, every
employee in Ireland is protected against:
• Discrimination under the Employment Equality Acts 1998–2015
• Unfair treatment for making a protected disclosure (whistleblowing)
• Penalisation for exercising statutory leave rights
Probation does not create a 'risk-free' zone. It simply removes one layer of protection - and employers who assume otherwise regularly find themselves facing claims at the Workplace Relations Commission.

These are the mistakes we encounter most frequently:
• No clearly documented probation period in the employment contract
• Failing to conduct structured reviews or provide meaningful feedback during
probation
• Terminating without a proper process or written documentation
• Extending probation periods without clear criteria or a defined end date
• Assuming probation protects against all possible employment claims

Probation periods are limited to 6 months, with an option to extend by a further 6 months where justified by the nature of the role. Any extension must be expressly provided for in the contract and the reason documented. Indefinite extensions are not permitted, and attempting one is likely to create greater risk, not less.

Set clear expectations from day one. Your employment contract should define the probation period, what will be assessed, review checkpoints, and the performance standards expected. Vague contracts create disputes.
Conduct structured reviews. We recommend formal check-ins at one month, three months, and before the probation end date. Document every discussion. If performance concerns arise, implement a support plan with clear, measurable targets and a realistic timeframe to achieve them.
Follow fair procedures throughout. Even during probation, natural justice applies. If you
decide to terminate, provide clear written reasons, allow the employee an opportunity to
respond, and keep detailed records of the entire process. A brief, well-documented
procedure is your protection if a claim follows.

Ireland must transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive by 7 June 2026. The
Government's Pay Transparency Bill is in preparation, and the implications are substantial.
From June, employers will need to:
• Include pay ranges in all job advertisements
• Stop asking candidates about their salary history during recruitment
• Respond within 60 days to employee requests for information on average pay by
gender for comparable roles
• Where unexplained pay gaps of 5% or more exist, conduct mandatory joint pay
assessments
• Note that the burden of proof in pay discrimination cases will shift to the employer

If you haven't started a pay equity audit yet, March is the time to begin. Identifying gaps now gives you the runway to address them properly, rather than scrambling when the
legislation lands.

Employers with 50 or more employees must publish their gender pay gap report in June
2026, based on a snapshot date of 30 June 2025. If you haven't yet gathered your data, this needs to start now. Reports must be published on your company website and cover a defined set of metrics. A centralised national reporting portal is also expected to be
introduced by legislation later this year.

The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 was signed into law in December 2025 but has not yet been commenced. Once commenced, employees whose contractual retirement age falls below the state pension age (currently 66) will be able to notify their employer of a wish to continue working. Employers will be required to provide a written, objectively justified response. An updated WRC Code of Practice is expected before commencement. We will keep you updated as this develops.

WRC Updated Code of Practice on Part-Time Working
An updated Code of Practice on Access to Part-Time Working has been signed into law,
providing clearer guidance on how employers should handle requests for reduced hours.
The updated Code reflects modern workplace realities and specifically encourages
employers to review internal policies and publish gender-balanced data on flexible working uptake. If your flexible working policy hasn't been reviewed recently, now is a good opportunity.

Expert Insight: Q&A with Amanda

Amanda Sweeney, General Manager, (BA) HRM, answers your questions this
month.

Q: We extended an employee's probation. Can we terminate now that the
extension period has ended without following a formal process?
A: Even within probation, you must act fairly. Where you have extended probation, that
signals ongoing concerns - which means the employee should already have received clear feedback and a genuine opportunity to improve. Terminating without documented concerns and a fair process, even during an extension, carries real risk.
At minimum: confirm your reasons in writing, give the employee an opportunity to respond to those concerns, and keep a clear record throughout. The less documentation you have, the greater your exposure.

Q: We employ several staff on employment permits. Do we need to do anything before March?
A: Yes - review every permit holder's current salary against the new MAR thresholds
coming into effect on 1 March. This applies to both existing employees and any pending
renewal applications. If a salary falls below the new threshold, you'll need to either adjust pay or understand the implications for the permit. Don't leave this to the point of renewal, by then your options are limited. Get in touch with us if you'd like help working through your permit holders.

Q: Our gender pay gap is significant. Should we be worried about the
Pay Transparency Directive?
A: Concerned, yes - but panicked, no. The Directive gives you until June to prepare, and the employers who will struggle most are those who do nothing until then. If your gap is significant, the priority now is understanding why. Is it a structural issue with your grading system? A concentration of men in higher-paid roles? A genuine pay equity problem? Each requires a different response. Starting that analysis now, rather than in May, is what will make the difference. We can help you conduct a pay equity audit and build a plan.

Between auto-enrolment, the Pay Transparency Directive, updated flexible working
guidance, and the contractual retirement ages legislation still to commence - your
employee handbook is likely already out of date.
A handbook that no longer reflects current law or your actual working practices isn't just
unhelpful. In a dispute, it can actively work against you, particularly where it references
policies or procedures that bear no resemblance to how you actually operate.
PurpleTree Employment Essentials provides fully updated, professionally drafted
employment documentation for 2026, including:
• Employment contract templates covering permanent, part-time, fixed-term, and
casual roles
• A comprehensive 27-section employee handbook, fully compliant with current Irish
employment law
• Policies covering remote working, AI usage, data protection, grievance, disciplinary
procedures, and more.
Everything is provided in editable Microsoft Word format, with a one-off fee and no
subscription required. Our Elevate and Thrive subscribers receive automatic updates
whenever the law changes.

Explore Employment Essentials at purpletree.ie or email [email protected]

If a WRC inspector walked through your door tomorrow and asked for a contract, working time records, and leave history for any employee - how long would it take you to find them?
Could you even be confident they exist in the first place?
Most SMEs couldn't produce them quickly. Not because people aren't working hard - the processes just aren't there. Documents are saved in different folders, leave is tracked on spreadsheets, and contracts are signed once and never seen again.
That's exactly the problem our HR and time and attendance software platform is designed to solve. Everything lives in one place, it's accessible in seconds, and when you need to demonstrate compliance - whether to a WRC inspector, an auditor, or a new client - you're ready. Key features making a real difference for Irish businesses right now:
Automated probation review reminders - managers are alerted before review
dates, not after Digital contracts with e-signature capabilities - issued, signed, and stored without paper

Policy distribution with acknowledgement tracking - evidence that employees
have received and read every update

Leave and absence management - clear, real-time visibility across your entire
workforce. Working time records - accurate, automated, and audit-ready
Employee self-service portal - accessible on desktop and mobile, reducing day-
to-day HR queries. Our Thrive package also includes advanced analytics and strategic reporting, giving you the data to understand your workforce and make informed people decisions with confidence.

Book a demo of HR:Duo — email [email protected]

At PurpleTree, we don’t just talk about the manufacturing sector from an office, we’re on the ground, supporting the industry that keeps Ireland moving.

We were incredibly proud to be official sponsors of the recent Women of Steel networking event at Bellingham Castle, Co. Louth, alongside our colleagues at OMNI and Elite Form.

The day was a powerhouse of industry knowledge, starting with an insightful tour of the Elite Form facility. A massive thank you to Sandra Byrne, Managing Director of Elite Form and President of Irish Steel, for hosting us and showing us exactly what a world-class production line looks like in action.

Why PurpleTree got behind this event: