Short-Time Working
A temporary reduction in an employee's hours or pay due to reduced work.
Short-time working is a temporary arrangement where an employee's working hours or earnings are reduced below normal because the employer does not have enough work. Like lay-off, it is intended to be short-lived and to avoid redundancies during a downturn.
In Ireland, short-time is defined and regulated under the Redundancy Payments Acts. Where reduced hours persist beyond specified thresholds, affected employees may become entitled to claim redundancy, so employers must track the duration carefully.
Handled transparently, short-time can preserve jobs and skills through a difficult period. Employees should understand the reason, the expected timeframe and how any State income supports interact with reduced earnings.
