MATERNITY PROTECTION ACT, 1994

AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 92/85/EEC OF 19 OCTOBER 1992 ON THE INTRODUCTION OF MEASURES TO ENCOURAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK OF PREGNANT WORKERS AND WORKERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY GIVEN BIRTH OR ARE BREASTFEEDING, TO REENACT WITH AMENDMENTS THE PROVISIONS OF THE MATERNITY PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES ACTS, 1981 AND 1991, TO ENTITLE A MALE EMPLOYEE TO LEAVE IN CERTAIN CASES WHERE THE MOTHER OF HIS CHILD DIES, TO EXTEND AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PROVISIONS THE PROTECTION AGAINST UNFAIR DISMISSALS CONFERRED BY THE UNFAIR DISMISSALS ACT, 1977, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [27th December, 1994]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

PART I Preliminary and General

1. Short title and commencement.

1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Maternity Protection Act, 1994.

• (2) This Act shall come into operation on such day as may be fixed by order made by the Minister, and different days may be so fixed for different provisions and for different purposes.

2. Interpretation.

2.—(1) In this Act—

“the 1977 Act” means the Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977;

“the 1981 Act” means the Maternity Protection of Employees Act, 1981;

“the 1989 Act” means the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989;

“the 1992 Directive” means Council Directive 92/85/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding;

F1["Act of 2001" means the Local Government Act 2001;]

F2["Act of 2015" means the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015;]

“additional maternity leave” has the meaning assigned by section 14;

“associated employer” has the meaning assigned by section 27 (3);

“the Authority” means the National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health;

“confinement” and “the date of confinement” have the meanings respectively assigned to them by section 41 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993;

“contract of employment” means, subject to subsection (2)—

• (a) a contract of service or apprenticeship, or

• (b) any other contract whereby an individual agrees with a person who is carrying on the business of an employment agency, within the meaning of the Employment Agency Act, 1971, and is acting in the course of that business, to do or perform personally any work or service for another person (whether or not that other person is a party to the contract),

whether the contract is express or implied and if express, whether it is oral or in writing;

“employee”, subject to subsection (2), means a person who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, entered into or worked under) a contract of employment;

“employee who has recently given birth” means at any time an employee whose date of confinement was not more than 14 weeks earlier and who has informed her employer of her condition;

F3[“employee who is breastfeeding” means at any time an employee whose date of confinement was not more than one hundred and four weeks earlier, who is breastfeeding and who has informed her employer of her condition;]

“employer”, subject to subsection (2), means, in relation to an employee, the person with whom the employee has entered into or for whom the employee works under (or, where the employment has ceased, entered into or worked under) a contract of employment;

F2["expectant father" shall be construed in accordance with subsection (1A) (inserted by section 176 of the Act of 2015);]

“job” has the meaning assigned by section 26 (3);

F1["local authority" has the meaning assigned to it by the Act of 2001;]

“maternity leave” has the meaning assigned by section 8;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Equality and Law Reform;

F2["other parent" means a person (other than the mother) who is, under section 5 of the Act of 2015, a parent of a child;]

F4["parent’s leave" has the same meaning as it has in the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019;]

F5["paternity leave" and "transferred paternity leave" have the same meanings as they have in the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016;]

“pregnant employee” means an employee who is pregnant and who has informed her employer of her condition;

F6["premature birth period" has the meaning assigned to it by the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005;]

“successor” has the meaning assigned by section 26 (1);

“the Tribunal” means the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

• F2[(1A) In this Act, a reference to an expectant father includes a person who has given his or her consent in accordance with section 11 of the Act of 2015 to a DAHR procedure (within the meaning of section 4 of that Act) where that procedure results in a pregnancy.]

• (2) For the purposes of this Act—

• (a) a person holding office under, or in the service of, the State (including a member of the Garda Síochána or the Defence Forces) or otherwise as a civil servant, within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956, shall be deemed to be an employee employed by the State or Government, as the case may be, under a contract of service;

• (b) an officer or servant of a local authority for the purposes of the Local Government Act, 1941, a harbour authority, a health board or F7[a member of staff of an education and training board] shall be deemed to be an employee employed by the authority F7[or board], as the case may be, under a contract of F8[service;]

• (c) in relation to an employee whose contract of employment falls (or, where the employment has ceased, fell) within paragraph (b) of the definition of “contract of employment” in subsection (1), the person who is liable to pay the employee’s wages shall be deemed to be F8[the employer; and]

• F1[(d) a member of a local authority shall be deemed to be an employee of the local authority employed under a contract of service for a fixed term.]

• (3) Subject to subsections (1) and (2), expressions used in this Act have the same meaning as in the 1992 Directive.

• (4) In this Act a reference to a Part or section is to a Part or section of this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended.

• (5) In this Act a reference to a subsection or paragraph is to the subsection or paragraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended.

• (6) In this Act a reference to an enactment includes a reference to that enactment as amended by any other enactment, including this Act.

3. Orders and regulations.

3.—(1) The Minister may, in relation to any provision of this Act relating to notification (or confirmation of notification), by order vary any such provision.

• (2) An order under this Act may contain such consequential, supplementary and ancillary provisions, including any provisions modifying any provision of this Act, as the Minister considers necessary or expedient.

• (3) Any power under this Act to make an order includes power to amend or revoke an order made in the exercise of that power.

• (4) Where an order is proposed to be made under this Act, other than an order under section 1, a draft of the order shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas, and the order shall not be made until a resolution approving the draft has been passed by each such House.

• (5) Every regulation made under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as practicable after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next twenty-one days on which the House has sat after the regulation is laid before it, the regulation shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under the regulation.

4. Voidance or modification of certain provisions in agreements.

4.—(1) A provision in any agreement shall be void in so far as it purports to exclude or limit the application of any provision of this Act or is inconsistent with any provision of this Act.

• (2) A provision in any agreement which is or becomes less favourable in relation to an employee than a similar or corresponding entitlement conferred on the employee by this Act shall be deemed to be so modified as to be not less favourable.

• (3) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as prohibiting any agreement from containing any provision more favourable to an employee than any provision in Parts II to VI.

• (4) References in this section to an agreement are to any agreement, whether a contract of employment or not, and whether made before or after the commencement of this Act.

5. Expenses.

5.—Any expenses incurred by the Minister or the Minister for Enterprise and Employment in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.

6. Repeal of 1981 Act, as amended.

6.—(1) The Maternity Protection of Employees Acts, 1981 and 1991 (which are replaced by the provisions of this Act) are hereby repealed.

• (2) The repeal by this Act of the Maternity Protection of Employees Acts, 1981 and 1991 does not affect the construction of any reference in any other Act which defines “employee” or “employer” or any other expression by reference to those Acts (or the 1981 Act alone).

• (3) In section 37 (4) (a) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 for “the Maternity Protection of Employees Act, 1981” there shall be substituted “the Maternity Protection Act, 1994”.

• (4) In so far as any order or regulation made, notification given or other thing done under an enactment repealed by this Act could have been made, given or done under a corresponding provision of this Act, it shall have effect as if so made, given or done.

• (5) Where a period of time specified in any enactment repealed by this Act is current at the commencement of this Act, this Act shall have effect as if the corresponding provision thereof had been in force when that period began to run.

PART II Maternity Leave

7. Interpretation of Part II.

7.—(1) In this Part “the minimum period of maternity leave” has the meaning assigned by section 8.

• (2) F9[…]

• (3) References in this Part to a pregnant employee include, as respects any time before the expiry of her maternity leave, an employee who was pregnant immediately before that leave began.

8. Entitlement to maternity leave.

F10[8.—(1) Subject to this Part, a pregnant employee shall be entitled to leave, to be known (and referred to in this Act) as "maternity leave", from her employment for a period (in this Part referred to as "the minimum period of maternity leave" of not less than—

• (a) F11[26 consecutive weeks], or

• (b) F12[26 weeks] part of which is postponed in accordance with F13[section 14B or section 14C],

as may be appropriate.

• F14[(1A) Subject to this Part, a pregnant employee referred to in subsection (1) shall be entitled to a further period of maternity leave that is in addition to the minimum period of maternity leave referred to in paragraphs (a) or (b) of subsection (1), if, on or after 1 October 2017 the date of confinement occurs more than 2 weeks before the expected week of confinement.

• (1B) The duration of the further period of maternity leave referred to in subsection (1A) shall be equal to the duration of the premature birth period.]

• (2) The Minister may by order, made with the consent of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the consent of the Minister for Finance, amend subsection (1) and section 13(2) so as to extend the period mentioned in each of those subsections.]

8A. F15[Supplemental provisions relating to premature birth period

8A.—The further period of maternity leave referred to in section 8(1A) shall be without prejudice to sections 12, 14, 14A and 14B.]

9. Notification to employer.

9.—(1) F16[Subject to subsection (3), entitlement] to the minimum period of maternity leave shall be subject to a pregnant employee—

• (a) having, as soon as reasonably practicable but not later than four weeks before the commencement of maternity leave, notified in writing her employer (or caused her employer to be so notified) of her intention to take maternity leave; and

• (b) having, at the time of the notification, given to her employer or produced for her employer’s inspection a medical or other appropriate certificate confirming the pregnancy and specifying the expected week of confinement.

• (2) A notification under this section may be revoked by a further notification in writing by the employee concerned to her employer.

• F16[(3) A notification under this section required to be effected by a member of a local authority to the local authority shall be effected by giving the notification to the meetings administrator, referred to in section 46 of the Act of 2001, of the local authority.]

10. Allocation of minimum period of maternity leave.

10.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) and sections 11 to 13, the minimum period of maternity leave shall commence on such day as the employee selects, being F17[not later than two weeks before the end of the expected week of confinement], and shall end on such day as she selects, being not earlier than four weeks after the end of the expected week of confinement.

• (2) Where an employee is employed under a contract for a fixed term and that term expires before the day which, apart from this subsection, would be the last day of her maternity leave, then—

• (a) notwithstanding any other provision in this Part, the last day of her maternity leave shall be the day on which the term expires; and

• (b) nothing in this Part shall affect the termination of the employee’s contract of employment on that day.

11. Variation in allocation of minimum period of maternity leave.

11.—(1) Where it is certified by a registered medical practitioner or otherwise to the satisfaction of the Minister and the Minister for Social Welfare that, for an employee specified in the certificate, the minimum period of maternity leave should for a medical reason so specified commence on a date so specified, and the certificate is produced for inspection by the employer concerned within such period as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under this section, the minimum period of maternity leave for that employee shall commence on the date so specified.

• (2) Where a certificate under this section is issued and the requirement in subsection (1) relating to the production of the certificate for the employer’s inspection is complied with, the employee specified in the certificate—

• (a) shall be taken to have informed her employer of her pregnancy (if she had not previously done so); and

• (b) shall be deemed to have complied also with section 9 (1) (a).

12. Extension of maternity leave.

12.—(1) Where the date of confinement of a pregnant employee occurs in a week after the expected week of confinement, the minimum period of maternity leave shall be extended by such number of consecutive weeks (subject to a maximum of four consecutive weeks) after the week in which the date of confinement occurs as ensures compliance with section 10.

• (2) Where the minimum period of maternity leave is proposed to be extended under this section, the employee concerned shall—

• (a) as soon as practicable after the proposal for such extension, notify in writing her employer (or cause her employer to be so notified) of the proposed extension; and

• (b) as soon as practicable after the date of confinement, confirm in writing to her employer the notification under paragraph (a) and specify the duration of the extension.

13. Commencement of maternity leave (early confinement).

13.—(1) Where, in relation to a pregnant employee, the date of confinement occurs in a week that is four weeks or more before the expected week of confinement, the employee shall, where the circumstances so require, be deemed to have complied with section 9 (1) (a) if the notification required by that section is given in the period of 14 days commencing on the date of confinement.

• F18[(2) Notwithstanding section 10(1), but subject to regulations under section 11, the minimum period of maternity leave for an employee referred to in subsection (1) shall be a period of not less than—

• (a) F19[26 consecutive weeks] F20[and a further period of maternity leave in respect of a date of confinement that occurred on or after 1 October 2017, the duration of which is equal to the duration of the premature birth period], or

• (b) F19[26 weeks] F20[and a further period of maternity leave in respect of a date of confinement that occurred on or after 1 October 2017, the duration of which is equal to the duration of the premature birth period] part of which is postponed in accordance with F21[section 14B or section 14C],

as may be appropriate, commencing on whichever of the following is the earlier—

• (i) the first day of maternity leave taken in accordance with section 10, or

• (ii) the date of confinement.]

13A. F22[Additional provision for certain early confinement circumstances

13A.—Where, on or after 1 October 2017, the date of confinement of a pregnant employee occurs more than 2 weeks before the expected week of confinement but less than 4 weeks before that expected week, notwithstanding section 10(1), the minimum period of maternity leave for a pregnant employee other than a pregnant employee referred to in section 13(1) or 13(2), shall be a period of not less than—

• (a) 26 consecutive weeks and a further period of maternity leave the duration of which is equal to the duration of the premature birth period, or

• (b) 26 weeks and a further period of maternity leave the duration of which is equal to the duration of the premature birth period part of which is postponed in accordance with section 14B,

and which commences on the date of confinement.]

14. Entitlement to additional maternity leave.

14.—F23[(1) An employee who has taken maternity leave shall, if she so wishes, be entitled in accordance with this section to further leave from her employment, to be known (and referred to in this Act) as "additional maternity leave", for a maximum period of—

• (a) F24[16 consecutive weeks] commencing immediately after the end of her maternity leave F25[and, where applicable, any period of transferred paternity leave taken by her], or

• (b) F24[16 weeks], all or part of which is postponed in accordance with section 14B, commencing either in accordance with that section or immediately after the end of her maternity leave F25[and, where applicable, any period of transferred paternity leave taken by her],

as may be appropriate.]

• (2) An employee shall be entitled to additional maternity leave, whether or not the minimum period of maternity leave has been extended under section 12.

• (3) F23[Subject to section 14B, entitlement to additional maternity leave] shall be subject to an employee having notified in writing her employer (or caused her employer to be so notified) in accordance with subsection (4) of her intention to take such leave.

• F26[(4) Notification under subsection (3) shall be given either at the same time as the relevant notification under section 9 or not later than four weeks before—

• (a) the date which would have been the employee’s expected date of return to work under Part IV if she had not taken the additional maternity leave, or

• (b) where the employee takes transferred paternity leave, the date on which the additional maternity leave is, under subsection (1), to commence.]

• (5) A notification under this section may be revoked by a further notification in writing given by or on behalf of the employee concerned to her employer not later than four weeks before the date which would have been her expected date of return to work under Part IV if she had not taken the additional maternity leave.

• F23[(6) The Minister may by order amend subsection (1) so as to extend the period mentioned in that subsection.]

• F27[(7) Where pursuant to section 8, a pregnant employee is entitled to a further period of leave referred to in subsection (1A) of that section, nothing in section 8, 13 or 13A shall operate to prevent the entitlement of the pregnant employee to additional maternity leave under this section.]

14A. F28[Termination of additional maternity leave in event of sickness of mother.

14A.—(1) If, at any time—

• (a) during the last 4 weeks of maternity leave whether or not part of such leave is F29[postponed under section 14B or section 14C] and where, in accordance with section 14(4), an employee has, or is deemed under section 14B(3) to have, notified her employer, or caused her employer to be notified, of her intention to take additional maternity leave, or

• (b) during the additional maternity leave whether or not such leave or part of it is postponed under section 14B,

an employee who is sick wishes to terminate the additional maternity leave, she may request in writing (or cause a written request to be submitted to) her employer to terminate the additional maternity leave.

• (2) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) may agree to terminate the additional maternity leave of the employee concerned and, if the employer does so, the additional maternity leave shall terminate on a date agreed by the employee and the employer that is not earlier than the date of the commencement of the employee’s sickness and not later than the date on which the additional maternity leave would have ended in accordance with the notification given by the employee to the employer under section 14(4) or 14B(8), as the case may be.

• (3) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) shall notify the employee concerned in writing of the employer’s decision in relation to the request as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt of it.

• (4) Where the additional maternity leave of an employee is terminated under this section—

• (a) the absence from work of the employee due to sickness following such termination shall be treated in the same manner as any absence from work of the employee due to sickness, and

• (b) the employee shall not be entitled to the additional maternity leave or the part of it not taken by her at the date of such termination.]

• F30[(5) A reference in subsection (1) to the last 4 weeks of maternity leave shall, in the case of an employee who takes transferred paternity leave, be construed as a reference to the last 2 weeks of maternity leave and the period of that transferred paternity leave.]

14B. F31[Postponement of maternity leave or additional maternity leave in event of hospitalisation of child.

14B.—(1) F32[Subject to subsection (2) and section 14C(10)], an employee who is on maternity leave or is entitled to, or is on, additional maternity leave may, if the child in connection with whose birth she is on, or is entitled to, that leave (in this section referred to as "the child") is hospitalised, request in writing (or cause a written request to be submitted to) her employer to postpone—

• (a) part of the maternity leave,

• (b) part of the maternity leave and the additional maternity leave, or

• (c) the additional maternity leave or part of it.

as may be appropriate, in accordance with this section.

• (2) An employee may make a request under paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) to postpone part of her maternity leave with effect from a date she selects only if the period of maternity leave taken by her on that date is not less than 14 weeks and not less than 4 of those weeks are after the end of the week of confinement.

• (3) Notwithstanding the fact that an employee who is on maternity leave has not in accordance with section 14(4) notified her employer in writing (or caused her employer to be so notified) of her intention to take additional maternity leave, she shall be deemed, for the purposes of making a request under paragraph (b) or (c) of subsection (1), to have complied with section 14(4).

• (4) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) may agree to postpone the leave concerned and, if the employer does so—

• (a) the employee concerned shall return to work on a date agreed by her and the employer that is not later than the date on which the leave concerned is due to end in accordance with the notification given, or deemed under subsection (3) to have been given, by the employee to the employer under section 9 or 14, as the case may be,

• (b) the leave concerned shall be postponed with effect from the date agreed under paragraph (a), and

• (c) the employee concerned shall be entitled to—

• (i) the part of the maternity leave,

• (ii) the part of the maternity leave and the additional maternity leave, or

• (iii) the additional maternity leave or the part of it,

as the case may be, not taken by her by reason of the postponement (in this section referred to as "resumed leave") in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister to be taken in one continuous period commencing not later than 7 days after the discharge of the child from hospital.

• (5) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) shall notify the employee concerned in writing of the employer’s decision in relation to the request as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt of it.

• (6) Where, following the postponement of leave under this section, an employee returns to work in accordance with subsection (4)(a) and during the period of the postponement she is absent from work due to sickness, the employee shall be deemed to commence resumed leave on the first day of such absence unless she notifies her employer in writing (or causes her employer to be so notified) as soon as reasonably practicable that she does not wish to commence such leave and, following such notification—

• (a) the absence from work of the employee due to sickness shall be treated in the same manner as any absence from work of the employee due to sickness, and

• (b) the employee shall not be entitled to the resumed leave.

• (7) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4), regulations under this section may make provision in relation to either or both of the following matters:

• (a) the maximum period of postponement of leave under this section, and

• (b) the evidence to be furnished by an employee to her employer of the hospitalisation, and the discharge from hospital, of the child.

• (8) Entitlement to resumed leave shall, subject to subsection (10), be subject to an employee having notified her employer in writing (or caused her employer to be so notified) as soon as reasonably practicable but not later than the day on which the leave begins of her intention to commence such leave.

• (9) A notification under subsection (8) may be revoked by a further notification in writing given by or on behalf of the employee concerned to her employer within the period specified in that subsection for the giving of the notification concerned.

• (10) An employer may, at the discretion of the employer, waive the right to receive a notification in accordance with subsection (8).

• (11) Where an employee’s leave is postponed under this section—

• (a) subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), the employee shall comply with subsection (1A), in lieu of subsection (1), of section 28,

• (b) the employee shall not, in relation to returning to work under subsection (4)(a), be required to comply with section 28, and

• (c) the employee shall, if deemed under subsection (6) to be on resumed leave, comply with subsection (1B), in lieu of subsection (1) or (1A), of section 28.]

14C. F33[Postponement of maternity leave in event of serious health condition of relevant employee

14C.—(1) A relevant employee may, in accordance with this section, notify her employer, or cause her employer to be notified, in writing (in this section referred to as a "relevant notification") that she intends to postpone the commencement of all or part of her maternity leave to such date that is not later than 52 weeks from the date on which the postponement (in this section referred to as the "first postponement") is to commence.

• (2) A relevant notification shall—

• (a) subject to subsection (5), specify the date on which the proposed postponement is to—

• (i) commence, and

• (ii) end (referred to in this section as the "end date"), which date shall be at least 5 weeks from the date referred to in subparagraph (i),

and

• (b) be accompanied by a medical certificate signed by a relevant medical practitioner and specifying the dates referred to in paragraph (a).

• (3) A relevant employee shall make a relevant notification not later than 2 weeks before the date on which the proposed postponement is to commence.

• (4) Where a relevant notification has been made in accordance with subsections (1), (2) and (3)—

• (a) the maternity leave concerned shall be postponed with effect from the date specified in the relevant notification,

• (b) subject to subsection (5), the postponement shall end on the end date, and

• (c) the relevant employee shall be entitled to the maternity leave, or part thereof, as the case may be, (in this section referred to as "relevant resumed leave") not taken by the relevant employee by reason of the postponement, to be taken in one continuous period commencing on the day immediately after the end date.

• (5) Entitlement to relevant resumed leave shall be subject to a relevant employee having notified her employer in writing (or caused her employer to be so notified) as soon as reasonably practicable but not later than the day on which the leave begins of her intention to commence such leave.

• (6) Subject to subsections (7), (8) and (9), a relevant employee who has postponed all or part of her maternity leave in accordance with subsection (4)(a) may, once only, notify her employer, or cause her employer to be notified, in writing (in this section referred to as a "second notification") that she intends to further postpone (referred to in this section as the "second postponement") the commencement of her maternity leave, or the part of the maternity leave that she has not yet taken, to a date that is not later than 52 weeks from the date on which the first postponement is to commence.

• (7) A second notification shall—

• (a) specify the date on which the second postponement is to—

• (i) commence (referred to in this section as the "second commencement date") and which shall be no later than the end date, and

• (ii) end (referred to in this section as the "second end date"),

and

• (b) be accompanied by a medical certificate signed by a relevant medical practitioner and specifying the dates referred to in paragraph (a).

• (8) A relevant employee shall make a second notification not later than 2 weeks before the second commencement date.

• (9) Where a second notification has been made in accordance with subsections (6), (7) and (8)—

• (a) the maternity leave concerned shall be postponed with effect from the second commencement date,

• (b) the second postponement shall end on the second end date, and

• (c) the relevant employee shall be entitled to the maternity leave, or part thereof, as the case may be, not taken by the relevant employee by reason of the first postponement and the second postponement, to be taken in one continuous period commencing on the day immediately after the second end date.

• (10) An employee to whom subsection (1) of section 14B and subsection (1) apply shall not be entitled to postpone maternity leave under section 14B and this section in respect of the same birth.

• (11) In this section—

"Act of 2007" means the Medical Practitioners Act 2007;

“maternity leave” includes, where applicable, a further period of maternity leave referred to in section 8, section 13(2), or section 13B;

“medical practitioner”, “register” and “Specialist Division” have the same meanings as they have in the Act of 2007;

“necessary medical intervention”, in relation to mental health, means inpatient hospital treatment;

“relevant employee” means an employee who—

• (a) is—

• (i) a pregnant employee, or

• (ii) on maternity leave, and

• (b) has a serious health condition;

“relevant medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner who—

• (a) is for the time being registered in the Specialist Division of the register of medical practitioners pursuant to section 47 of the Act of 2007 and is a specialist in a medical speciality recognised by the Medical Council under section 89 of that Act, and

• (b) is treating, or is responsible for the treatment of, the relevant employee concerned in relation to the serious health condition concerned;

“serious health condition” means a health condition that—

• (a) entails a serious risk to the life or health, including the mental health, of an employee, and

• (b) in order to address the risk, requires necessary medical intervention that is ongoing for a period of time to be carried out in respect of the employee.]

15. Right to time off from work for antenatal or post-natal care.

15.—(1) For the purpose of receiving ante-natal or post-natal care or both, an employee shall be entitled to time off from her work, without loss of pay, in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister.

• (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), regulations under this section may make provision in relation to all or any of the following matters—

• (a) the amount of time off to which an employee shall be entitled under this section;

• (b) the terms or conditions relating to such time off;

• (c) the notice to be given in advance by an employee so entitled to her employer (including any circumstances in which such notice need not be given);

• (d) the evidence to be furnished by an employee so entitled to her employer of any appropriate medical or related appointment.

15A. F34[Entitlement to time off from work to attend ante-natal classes.

15A.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), a pregnant employee shall be entitled to time off from her work, without loss of pay, in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister, for the purpose of attending one set of ante-natal classes (other than the last 3 classes in such a set) and those classes may be attended by her during one or more pregnancies.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), an expectant father of a child (if he is employed under a contract of employment) shall be entitled once only to time off from his work, without loss of pay, in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister, for the purpose of attending the last 2 ante-natal classes in a set of such classes attended by the expectant mother of their child before the birth of the child.

• (3) Subsection (1) or (2) shall not apply—

• (a) to a member of the Defence Forces who is—

• (i) on active service within the meaning of section 5 of the Defence Act 1954 or deemed to be on active service within the meaning of section 4(1) of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960,

• (ii) engaged in operational duties at sea,

• (iii) engaged in operations in aid of the civil power,

• (iv) engaged in training that is directly associated with any of the activities referred to in subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, or

• (v) engaged in any other duty outside the State,

• (b) if the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces in exceptional circumstances so directs, to a member of the Defence Forces who is required to perform a duty which is, in the opinion of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, of a special or urgent nature for so long as the member is performing the duty,

• (c) to a member of the Garda Síochána who is on the direction, or with the consent, of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána serving outside the State performing duties of a police character or advising others on, or monitoring them in, the performance of such duties or any related duties for so long as the member is so serving, and

• (d) if the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána in exceptional circumstances so directs, to a member of the Garda Síochána who is required to perform a duty which is, in the opinion of the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, of a special or urgent nature for so long as the member is performing the duty.

• (4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2), regulations under this section may make provision in relation to all or any of the following matters:

• (a) the amount of time off to be allowed for attendance at ante-natal classes;

• (b) the terms or conditions relating to such time off;

• (c) the notice to be given in advance by a pregnant employee or an expectant father entitled to time off under this section to her or his employer;

• (d) the evidence to be furnished by a pregnant employee or an expectant father so entitled to her or his employer of ante-natal classes that she or he is to attend.]

15B. F35[Entitlement to time off from work or reduction of working hours for breastfeeding.

15B.—(1) An employee who is breastfeeding shall be entitled, without loss of pay, at the option of her employer to either—

• (a) time off from her work for the purpose of breastfeeding in the workplace in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister where facilities for breastfeeding are provided in the workplace by her employer, or

• (b) a reduction of her working hours in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister for the purpose of breastfeeding otherwise than in the workplace.

• (2) An employer shall not be required to provide facilities for breastfeeding in the workplace if the provision of such facilities would give rise to a cost, other than a nominal cost, to the employer.

• (3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), regulations under this section may make provision in relation to all or any of the following matters:

• (a) the amount of time off and the number and frequency of breastfeeding breaks to which an employee is entitled under paragraph (a) of that subsection;

• (b) the reduction of working hours to which an employee is entitled under paragraph (b) of that subsection;

• (c) the terms or conditions relating to time off under paragraph (a), or to a reduction of working hours under paragraph (b), of that subsection;

• (d) the notice to be given in advance by an employee to her employer in relation to the proposed exercise by her of her entitlement under this section:

• (e) the evidence to be furnished by such an employee to her employer in relation to the date of confinement.

• (4) If an employee who has exercised her entitlement under subsection (1) ceases to breastfeed, she shall, at the earliest practical time, notify her employer in writing that she has so ceased.

• (5) In this section "breastfeeding" means breastfeeding a child or expressing breast milk and feeding it to a child immediately or storing it for the purpose of feeding it to the child at a later time.]

16. Entitlement of employed F36[father or other parent, as the case may be,] to leave on death of mother.

16.—F37[(1) If a F38[woman or other person] who has been delivered of a living child (in this section referred to as "the mother") dies at any time before the expiry of the F39[fortieth week] following the week of her confinement, the F36[father or other parent, as the case may be,] of the child (if he is employed under a contract of employment) shall be entitled in accordance with this section to leave from his employment for a period ending as follows—

• (a) if the mother dies before the expiry of the F39[twenty-fourth week] following the week of her confinement, the period ends, subject to section 16B, at the end of that F39[twenty-fourth week], and

• (b) if the mother dies at any time after the expiry of that F39[twenty-fourth week], the period ends, subject to sections 16A and 16B, at the end of the F39[fortieth week] following the week of her confinement.]

• F40[(1A) Where—

• (a) on or after 1 October 2017, the date of confinement of a mother occurred more than 2 weeks before the expected week of confinement, and

• (b) the mother dies at any time on or before the expiry of the combined period,

the father of the child (if he is employed under a contract of employment) shall be entitled in accordance with this section, and subject to F41[subsections (10) and (10A)], to leave from his employment for a period, if the mother dies on or before the expiry of the combined period, ending at the end of the unexpired portion of that combined period.]

• (2) Entitlement to leave under subsection (1) shall be subject to the F36[father or other parent, as the case may be,]—

• (a) notifying his employer in writing (or causing his employer to be so notified) not later than the day on which his leave begins of the death of the mother, of his intention to take leave under subsection (1) F42[or (1A)] and of the length of the leave to which he believes he is so entitled; and

• (b) if requested by his employer, causing his employer to be supplied, as soon as is reasonably practicable, with a copy of the death certificate made in respect of the mother and of the birth certificate in respect of the child.

• F37[(3) F43[Subject to F41[subsections (10) and (10A)] and section 16B], the period of leave under subsection (1) F42[or (1A)] shall commence within 7 days of the mother’s death; and in this section and sections 16A and 16B—

• (a) a period of leave which ends as mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) is referred to as "subsection (1)(a) leave", and

• F42[(aa) a period of leave which ends as mentioned in subsection (1A) is referred to as "subsection (1A) leave",]

• (b) a period of leave which ends as mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection is referred to as "subsection (1)(b) leave".

• (4) A F36[father or other parent, as the case may be,] who has taken subsection (1)(a) leave shall, if he so wishes, be entitled to further leave from his employment for a maximum period of—

• (a) F39[16 consecutive weeks] commencing immediately after the end of his subsection (1) (a) leave F44[or, where applicable, paternity leave under section 13(1) of the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016], or

• (b) F39[16 weeks], all or part of which is postponed in accordance with section 16B, commencing either in accordance with that section or immediately after the end of his subsection (1)(a) leave F44[or, where applicable, paternity leave under section 13(1) of the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016],

as may be appropriate.]

• (5) F37[Subject to section 16B, entitlement to further leave under subsection (4)] shall be subject to the F36[father or other parent, as the case may be,] having notified in writing his employer (or caused his employer to be so notified) in accordance with subsection (6) of his intention to take such leave.

• (6) Notification under subsection (5) shall be given either at the same time as the notification under subsection (2) (a) or (if it is later) not later than four weeks before the date which would have been the F36[the father’s or the other parent’s] expected date of return to work under Part IV if he had not taken the further leave under subsection (4).

• (7) A notification under this section may be revoked by a further notification in writing given by or on behalf of the F36[father or other parent, as the case may be,] to his employer—

• (a) if it relates to subsection (1) (a) leave or subsection (1) (b) leave, not later than the day on which the leave is due to begin; and

• (b) if it relates to leave under subsection (4), not later than the latest date on which, under subsection (6), the notification which is to be revoked could have been given.

• (8) The Minister may by order, made with the consent of the Minister for Social Welfare and with the consent of the Minister for Finance, amend subsections (1) and (4) F44[and paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (10)] so as to extend the periods mentioned in F43[those subsections or paragraphs].

• (9) Any reference in this section to the week of the mother’s confinement is a reference to the week in which fell the date of her confinement.

• F44[(10) Where, on the date on which a person becomes entitled under subsection (1) to leave under that subsection F42[or, as the case may be, under subsection (1A) to leave under that subsection], the person is on paternity leave, this section and sections 16A and 16B shall apply to the person subject to the following modifications and any other necessary modifications:

• (a) where the person is entitled to subsection (1)(a) leave, the leave shall commence immediately after the end of the paternity leave and, subject to section 16B, end at the end of the twenty-fourth week following the end of the paternity leave;

• F42[(aa) where the person is entitled to subsection (1A) leave, the leave shall commence immediately after the end of the paternity leave and, subject to section 16B, end at the end of the combined period following the end of the paternity leave;]

• (b) where the person is entitled to subsection (1)(b) leave, the leave shall commence immediately after the end of the paternity leave and, subject to sections 16A and 16B, end at the end of the fortieth week following the end of the paternity leave;

• (c) a reference in this section and sections 16A and 16B to—

• (i) subsection (1) (a) leave shall be deemed to include a reference to a period of leave F45[to which paragraph (a) applies,]

• F42[(ia) subsection (1A) leave shall be deemed to include a reference to a period of leave to which paragraph (aa) applies, and]

• (ii) subsection (1) (b) leave shall be deemed to include a reference to a period of leave to which paragraph (b) applies.]

• F46[(10A) Where, on the date on which a person becomes entitled under subsection (1) to leave under that subsection or, as the case may be, under subsection (1A) to leave under that subsection, the person is on parent’s leave, this section and sections 16A and 16B shall apply to the person subject to the following modifications and any other necessary modifications:

• (a) where the person is entitled to subsection (1)(a) leave, the leave shall commence immediately after the end of the parent’s leave and, subject to section 16B, end at the end of the twenty-fourth week following the end of the parent’s leave;

• (b) where the person is entitled to subsection (1A) leave, the leave shall commence immediately after the end of the parent’s leave and, subject to section 16B, end at the end of the twenty-fourth week following the end of the parent’s leave;

• (c) where the person is entitled to subsection (1)(b) leave, the leave shall commence immediately after the end of the parent’s leave and, subject to sections 16A and 16B, end at the end of the fortieth week following the end of the parent’s leave;

• (d) a reference in this section and sections 16A and 16B to—

• (i) subsection (1)(a) leave shall be deemed to include a reference to a period of leave to which paragraph (a) applies,

• (ii) subsection (1A) leave shall be deemed to include a reference to a period of leave to which paragraph (b) applies, and

• (iii) subsection (1)(b) leave shall be deemed to include a reference to a period of leave to which paragraph (c) applies.]

• F42[(11) In this section "combined period" means a period comprising—

• (a) 42 weeks following the week of confinement, and

• (b) the duration of the premature birth period.]

16A. F47[Termination of leave in event of sickness of F48[father or other parent].

16A.—(1) If, at any time—

• (a) during the last 4 weeks of subsection (1)(a) leave, whether or not such leave or part of it is postponed under section 16B and where, in accordance with section 16(6), a F48[father or other parent] has, or is deemed under section 16B(2) to have, notified his employer, or caused his employer to be notified, of his intention to take further leave under section 16(4), or

• (b) during subsection (1)(b) leave or a period of further leave under section 16(4), whether or not such leave or a part of it is postponed under section 16B,

a F48[father or other parent] who is sick wishes to terminate his subsection (1)(b) leave or a period of further leave under section 16(4), as the case may be, he may request in writing (or cause a written request to be submitted to) his employer to terminate that leave.

• (2) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) may agree to terminate the leave concerned of the F48[father or other parent] concerned and, if the employer does so, the leave concerned shall terminate on a date agreed by the F48[father or other parent] and the employer that is not earlier than the date of the commencement of F48[the father’s sickness or the other parent’s sickness] and not later than the date on which the leave concerned would have ended in accordance with the notification given by the F48[father or other parent] to the employer under subsection (2)(a) or (6) of section 16 or section 16B(7), as the case may be.

• (3) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) shall notify the F48[father or other parent] concerned in writing of the employer’s decision in relation to the request as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt of it.

• (4) Where the leave of a F48[father or other parent] is terminated under this section—

• (a) the absence from work of the F48[father or other parent] due to sickness following such termination shall be treated in the same manner as any absence from work of the F48[father or other parent] due to sickness, and

• (b) the F48[father or other parent] shall not be entitled to the subsection (1)(b) leave or further leave under section 16(4), as the case may be, or the part of such leave not taken by him at the date of such termination.]

16B. F49[Postponement of leave under section 16 in event of hospitalisation of child.

16B.—(1) A F50[father or other parent] who is entitled to, or is on, leave under section 16 may, if the child in connection with whose birth he is entitled to, or is on, that leave (in this section referred to as "the child") is hospitalised, request in writing (or cause a written request to be submitted to) his employer to postpone—

• (a) his subsection (1)(a) leave or part of such leave F51[or his subsection (1A) leave or part of such leave],

• (b) his subsection (1)(a) leave or part of such leave and a period of further leave under section 16(4),

• F51[(bb) his subsection (1A) leave or part of such leave,]

• (c) his subsection (1)(b) leave or a period of further leave under section 16(4), as the case may be, or part of such leave, as may be appropriate, in accordance with this section.

• (2) Notwithstanding the fact that a F50[father or other parent] who is on subsection (1)(a) leave has not in accordance with section 16(6) notified his employer in writing (or caused his employer to be so notified) of his intention to take further leave under section 16(4), he shall be deemed, for the purposes of making a request under paragraph (b) or (c) of subsection (1), to have complied with section 16(6).

• (3) An employer who receives a request under subsection (1) may agree to postpone the leave concerned and, if the employer does so—

• (a) the F50[father or other parent] concerned shall continue to work, or return to work on a date agreed by him and the employer that is not later than the date on which the leave concerned is due to end in accordance with the notification given, or deemed under subsection (2) to have been given, by the F50[father or other parent] to the employer under section 16, as may be appropriate,

• (b) the leave concerned shall be postponed or postponed with effect from the date agreed under paragraph (a), as may be appropriate, and

• (c) the F50[father or other parent] concerned shall be entitled to—

• (i) the subsection (1)(a) leave or the part of such leave F51[or, as the case may be, subsection (1A) leave or the part of such leave],

• (ii) the subsection (1)(a) leave or the part of such leave and the period of further leave under section 16(4).

• (iii) the subsection (1)(b) leave or the period of further leave under section 16(4), as the case may be, or the part of such leave,

as the case may be, not taken by him by reason of the postponement (in this section referred to as "resumed leave") in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister to be taken in one continuous period commencing not later than 7 days after the discharge of the child from hospital.

• (5) Where, following the postponement of leave under this section, a F50[father or other parent] returns to work in accordance with subsection (3)(a) and during the period of the postponement he is absent from work due to sickness, the F50[father or other parent] shall be deemed to commence resumed leave on the first day of such absence unless he notifies his employer in writing (or causes his employer to be so notified) as soon as reasonably practicable that he does not wish to commence such leave and, following such notification—

• (a) the absence from work of the F50[father or other parent] due to sickness shall be treated in the same manner as any absence from work of the F50[father or other parent] due to sickness, and

• (b) the F50[father or other parent] shall not be entitled to the resumed leave.

• (6) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), regulations under this section may make provision in relation to either or both of the following matters:

• (a) the maximum period of postponement of leave under this section, and

• (b) the evidence to be furnished by a F50[father or other parent] to his employer of the hospitalisation, and the discharge from hospital, of the child.

• (7) Entitlement to resumed leave shall, subject to subsection (9), be subject to a F50[father or other parent] having notified his employer in writing (or causing his employer to be so notified) as soon as reasonably practicable but not later than the day on which the leave begins of his intention to commence such leave.

• (8) A notification under subsection (7) may be revoked by a further notification in writing given by or on behalf of the F50[father or other parent] concerned to his employer within the period specified in that subsection for the giving of the notification concerned.

• (9) An employer may, at the discretion of the employer, waive the right to receive a notification in accordance with subsection (7).

• (10) Where a F50[the father’s leave or the other parent’s leave] is postponed under this section—

• (a) subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), the F50[father or other parent] shall comply with subsection (1A), in lieu of subsection (1), of section 28,

• (b) the F50[father or other parent] shall not, in relation to returning to work under subsection (3)(a), be required to comply with section 28, and

• (c) the F50[father or other parent] shall, if deemed under subsection (5) to be on resumed leave, comply with subsection (1B), in lieu of subsection (1) or (1A), of section 28.]

PART III Leave to Protect Health and Safety of Pregnant Employees, etc.

17. Employees to whom Part III applies.

17.—This Part applies to—

• (a) pregnant employees;

• (b) employees who have recently given birth; and

• (c) employees who are breastfeeding.

18. Leave on health and safety grounds.

18.—(1) If, by regulations under the 1989 Act implementing the 1992 Directive, an employer is required to move an employee to whom this Part applies to other work (whether as a result of a risk assessment or because the employee cannot be required to perform night work), but—

• (a) it is not technically or objectively feasible for the employer to move the employee as required by the regulations, or

• (b) such a move cannot reasonably be required on duly substantiated grounds, or

• (c) the other work to which the employer proposes to move the employee is not suitable for her,

the employee shall be granted leave from her employment under this section.

• (2) Where an employee is granted leave under this section, she shall be entitled to receive, on request to her employer, a certificate, in such form as may be determined by regulations—

• (a) stating that she has been granted leave for whichever of the reasons in paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1) is appropriate in the circumstances and containing such supplementary information as the regulations may require; and

• (b) specifying the date on which the leave began and its expected duration.

• (3) For the purposes of subsection (1) (c), other work is suitable for an employee if it is—

• (a) of a kind which is suitable in relation to the employee concerned, as an employee to whom this Part applies; and

• (b) appropriate for the employee to do in all the circumstances.

• (4) For the first 21 days of leave granted to an employee by an employer under this section in any relevant period, the employee shall be entitled to receive from the employer remuneration of an amount determined in accordance with regulations.

• (5) Regulations under subsection (2) or subsection (4) shall be made by the Minister after consultation with—

• (a) the Minister for Finance;

• (b) the Minister for Social Welfare; and

• (c) the Minister for Enterprise and Employment.

• (6) In subsection (4) “relevant period”, in relation to an employee, means the period beginning with her pregnancy and continuing beyond any confinement resulting from that pregnancy until she ceases to be an employee who has recently given birth or, as the case may be, an employee who is breastfeeding.

• (7) Regulations under subsection (4) may provide that such day or days as may be determined under the regulations shall be left out of account in calculating the 21 days referred to in that subsection.

19. Ending of leave under section 18 where no change of circumstances.

19.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) and section 20, leave granted to an employee under section 18 shall end—

• (a) in the case of leave granted to a pregnant employee, immediately before her maternity leave begins; and

• (b) in any other case, on the date on which she ceases to be an employee to whom this Part applies.

• (2) Where an employee to whom leave is granted under section 18 is employed under a contract for a fixed term and that term expires before the day which, apart from this subsection, would be the day on which that leave would end, then—

• (a) the last day of the leave so granted to her shall be the day on which the term expires; and

• (b) nothing in this Part shall affect the termination of the employee's contract of employment on that day.

20. Ending of leave under section 18 on change of circumstances.

20.—(1) If an employee to whom leave has been granted under section 18 as being an employee who is breastfeeding ceases breastfeeding, she shall, at the earliest practical time, notify her employer in writing that she has so ceased.

• (2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), if, during a period of leave granted to an employee under section 18, the employee becomes aware that her condition is no longer such that she is vulnerable to the risk by virtue of which she was granted the leave, she shall at the earliest practical time notify her employer in writing that she is no longer at risk.

• (3) Where an employer receives notification from an employee under subsection (1) or subsection (2), and has no reason to believe that, if the employee returned to work, she would be vulnerable to risk as an employee to whom this Part applies—

• (a) the employer shall take all reasonable measures to enable the employee to return to work in the job which she held immediately before the start of her leave and shall then notify her in writing that she can resume work in that job; and

• (b) the leave granted to the employee under section 18 shall end seven days after the notification under paragraph (a) is received by her or, if it is earlier, on the day she returns to work.

• (4) If, during a period of leave granted to an employee under section 18, her employer—

• (a) either takes whatever measures are necessary to ensure that she will no longer be exposed to any risk by virtue of which she was granted the leave or becomes able to move the employee as mentioned in section 18 (1), and

• (b) notifies the employee in writing that she can return to work without exposure to that risk or, as the case may be, that other work is available to her which is suitable for her as mentioned in section 18 (3),

the leave granted to the employee under section 18 shall end seven days after the notification under paragraph (b) is received by her or, if it is earlier, on the day she returns to work or, as the case may be, takes up the other work.

PART IV Employment Protection

21. Interpretation of Part IV.

21.—(1) In this Part—

“natal care absence”, in relation to an employee, means a period of absence from her work to which the employee is entitled in accordance with regulations under section 15; and

“protective leave” means—

• (a) maternity leave;

• (b) additional maternity leave;

• (c) leave to which a F52[father or other parent] is entitled under subsection (1) or subsection (4) of section 16; or

• (d) leave granted under section 18.

• (2) Where protective leave of one description is immediately followed by protective leave of another description, the time on leave shall be treated for the purposes of this Part as one continuous period of protective leave.

• F53[(3) Where—

• (a) maternity leave,

• (b) additional maternity leave, or

• (c) leave to which a F52[father or other parent] is entitled under subsection (1) or (4) of section 16,

or part of such leave is postponed in accordance with section 14B or 16B, as may be appropriate, the time (if any) on leave before such postponement and the time on leave after such postponement shall be treated for the purposes of this Part as separate periods of protective leave.]

21A. F54[Disapplication of sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 to member of local authority

21A.—Sections 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 do not apply to a member of a local authority in the member’s capacity as such.]

22. Preservation or suspension of certain rights, etc. while on protective leave, etc.

22.—(1) During a period of absence from work by an employee while on—

• (a) maternity leave,

• (b) subsection (1) (a) leave, as defined in section 16 (3), or

• (c) leave granted under section 18,

and during a period of natal care absence, the employee shall be deemed to have been in the employment of the employer and, accordingly, while so absent the employee shall, subject to subsection (6) and section 24, F55[be treated as if she or he had not been so absent]; and such absence shall not affect any right (other than, except in the case of natal care absence, the employee’s right to remuneration during such absence), whether conferred by statute, contract or otherwise, and related to the employee’s employment.

• F55[(2) In respect of a period of absence from work by an employee while on—

• (a) additional maternity leave,

• (b) subsection (1)(b) leave within the meaning of section 16, or

• (c) further leave under section 16(4),

the employee shall be deemed to have been in the employment of the employer and accordingly, while so absent the employee shall, subject to section 24, be treated as if she or he had not been so absent; and such absence shall not affect any right or obligation (other than the employee’s right to remuneration or superannuation benefits or any obligation to pay contributions in or in respect of the employment during such absence), whether conferred or imposed by statute, contract or otherwise, and related to the employee’s employment.

• (2A) In respect of a period of absence from work by an employee while—

• (a) attending ante-natal classes in accordance with section 15A, or

• (b) breastfeeding in accordance with section 15B,

the employee shall be deemed to have been in the employment of the employer and accordingly, while so absent the employee shall, subject to section 24, be treated as if she or he had not been so absent; and such absence shall not affect any right, whether conferred by statute, contract or otherwise, and related to the employee’s employment.]

• (3) Nothing in this section affects—

• (a) an employee’s right to be offered suitable alternative employment under section 27; or

• (b) an employee’s right to remuneration in accordance with section 18 (4).

• (4) A period of absence from work while on protective leave shall not be treated as part of any other leave (including sick leave or annual leave) to which the employee concerned is entitled.

• (5) An employee shall be deemed not to be an employed contributor for the purposes of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993, for any contribution week (within the meaning of that Act) in a period of absence from work on protective leave if the employee does not receive any reckonable earnings (within the meaning of that Act) in respect of that week.

• (6) Where subsection (1) applies during a period of absence by an employee while she is on leave granted under section 18, nothing in this section shall entitle her to benefits under section 4 of the Holidays (Employees) Act, 1973 in respect of a public holiday (within the meaning of that Act) falling during that period of absence.

23. Voidance of certain purported terminations of employment, etc.

23.—Each of the following shall be void:

• (a) any purported termination of an employee’s employment while the employee is absent from work on protective leave;

• (b) any purported termination of an employee’s employment during a period of natal care absence;

• F56[(bb) any purported termination of an employee’s employment during a period of absence from work to attend ante-natal classes in accordance with section 15A;