Record keeping and WRC Inspections

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) aims to secure compliance with employment rights legislation through inspection and prosecution services. These services were formerly operated by the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA), which was established on an interim basis in February 2007 on foot of a commitment under Towards 2016. Under the Workplace Relations Act 2015, which came into effect on 1 October 2015, the WRC monitors employment conditions through its Inspection Services to ensure the compliance and enforcement of employment rights legislation. Inspectors have powers to enter any premises at a reasonable time and demand sight of records required under employment legislation. They may inspect and take copies of the records and interview any relevant persons. Where a breach of employment legislation occurs, the WRC's role is to seek compliance and rectification of the breach. This include redress for employees and payment of arrears due.

This section provides member companies with details of the records they need to keep under a number of areas of employment legislation to ensure compliance and the penalties incurred for non- compliance.

Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Publishes Work Programme for 2017

27/01/2017 - On 17 January 2017 the Workplace Relations Commission published their Work Programme for 2017. The document highlights the core mission and details the services and operation the Commission provides. The WRC is currently staffed by almost 180 permanent employees (civil servants), and is supplemented by 27 Adjudication Officers that are contracted for five year periods to assist the Adjudication Service on a case by case basis.

Record keeping requirements - guideline

11/01/2017 - The following guideline outlines the records which a company will need to be able to produce in the event of a labour inspection by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC)

Review of WRC Progress Report and Commentary - 1 Oct 2015 to 30 Sept 2016

15/12/2016 - The first Annual Report published by the WRC was released on 23 November 2016 and examines the initial 12 months of its operation during which the WRC premises were merged into one location at Lansdowne Road House, Dublin. The report indicates that 5,221 workplace inspections were completed in the period under review during which time the WRC also significantly reduced the backlog of legacy employment rights cases.