Ireland Holiday Pay Calculator 2024
Calculate your statutory holiday entitlement and pay in Ireland based on your employment type, working hours, and leave taken. Updated with 2024 legislation.
Your Holiday Pay Calculation
How to Calculate Holiday Pay in Ireland: Complete 2024 Guide
Understanding how to calculate holiday pay in Ireland is essential for both employers and employees to ensure compliance with Irish employment law. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) governs holiday entitlements, which are primarily outlined in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
This guide covers:
- Statutory holiday entitlements for different employment types
- How holiday pay is calculated for full-time, part-time, and casual workers
- Public holidays and their impact on holiday pay
- What to do if your holiday pay is calculated incorrectly
- Recent changes to Irish holiday pay legislation (2023-2024)
1. Statutory Holiday Entitlement in Ireland
Under Irish law, all employees are entitled to paid annual leave. The minimum statutory entitlement is:
- 4 working weeks per leave year (for full-time employees)
- Pro-rata entitlement for part-time workers based on hours worked
- 1/3 of a working week per calendar month for casual workers (up to 4 weeks)
- A paid day off on the public holiday
- An additional day’s pay if they work on the public holiday
- A day off within a month (if the public holiday falls on a non-working day)
- New Year’s Day (1 January)
- St. Brigid’s Day (1 February or first Monday in February)
- St. Patrick’s Day (17 March)
- Easter Monday
- First Monday in May
- First Monday in June
- First Monday in August
- Last Monday in October
- Christmas Day (25 December)
- St. Stephen’s Day (26 December)
- Fail to include regular overtime in holiday pay calculations
- Do not account for commission or bonuses that are part of normal remuneration
- Incorrectly pro-rate holiday entitlement for part-time workers
- Deduct holiday pay for public holidays already taken
- Raise the issue informally with your employer
- Submit a formal grievance in writing
- Contact the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) for mediation
- Make a claim to the Labour Court if necessary
- St. Brigid’s Day became a permanent public holiday in 2023 (previously a one-off in 2022)
- Clarification that regular overtime must be included in holiday pay calculations (following EU case law)
- Stronger protections for zero-hours contract workers regarding holiday entitlement
- New guidelines on carry-over of untaken leave in exceptional circumstances
- A paid day off within a month, or
- An additional day’s pay, or
- A paid day off plus premium pay (if agreed in your contract)
- Long-term sick leave
- Maternity/paternity leave
- Other approved leave where taking holiday wasn’t possible
- Weekly salary: €40,000 ÷ 52 = €769.23
- Holiday pay: €769.23 × 4 = €3,076.92
- Public holidays: 9 days × €769.23 ÷ 5 = €1,384.61 (if not already included in salary)
- Weekly pay: 20 × €14 = €280
- Holiday entitlement: (20 ÷ 39) × 20 = 10.26 days (rounded to 10.3)
- Holiday pay: €280 × (10.26 ÷ 5) = €574.56
- Holiday hours: 120 × 0.08 = 9.6 hours
- Holiday pay: 9.6 × €13 = €124.80
- Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) – Official guidance and dispute resolution
- Citizens Information – Comprehensive guides on employment rights
- Department of Social Protection – Information on employment law
2. Calculating Holiday Pay for Different Employment Types
The method for calculating holiday pay depends on your employment status and working pattern:
Full-Time Employees
Full-time employees working a standard 5-day week are entitled to 20 days’ paid holiday per year (4 weeks × 5 days). Holiday pay is calculated as:
Weekly Wage × 4 (for the 4 weeks’ entitlement)
For example, if you earn €600 per week, your minimum holiday pay would be €2,400 per year (€600 × 4).
Part-Time Employees
Part-time workers receive a pro-rata entitlement based on the hours they work compared to a full-time equivalent. The calculation is:
(Weekly Hours ÷ Full-Time Hours) × 20 Days
Example: If you work 20 hours per week (and full-time is 40 hours), your entitlement would be (20 ÷ 40) × 20 = 10 days per year.
Casual or Seasonal Workers
Casual workers accrue holiday entitlement at a rate of 1/3 of a working week per calendar month, or 8% of hours worked. The calculation is:
Total Hours Worked × 0.08 = Holiday Hours Entitlement
Example: If you worked 150 hours in a 3-month period, your entitlement would be 150 × 0.08 = 12 hours of holiday pay.
Shift Workers
Shift workers (including those on rotating shifts) are entitled to the same 4 weeks’ holiday as other employees. However, holiday pay is calculated based on average weekly earnings over the 13 weeks prior to taking leave.
3. Public Holidays in Ireland
Ireland has 9 public holidays per year. Employees are entitled to:
The 9 public holidays in Ireland are:
4. How Holiday Pay Is Calculated
The method for calculating holiday pay depends on how you are paid:
| Payment Type | Calculation Method | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Salary | Weekly salary × 4 | €500/week × 4 = €2,000 |
| Hourly Rate | Hourly rate × weekly hours × 4 | €15/hour × 30 hours × 4 = €1,800 |
| Variable Hours | Average weekly pay over 13 weeks × 4 | (€450 + €500 + €475) ÷ 3 × 4 = €1,808 |
| Shift Allowances | Include regular shift pay in average | €12 base + €3 shift = €15/hour for calculation |
5. Common Issues with Holiday Pay Calculations
Disputes often arise when employers:
If you believe your holiday pay has been calculated incorrectly, you can:
6. Recent Changes to Holiday Pay Law (2023-2024)
Recent updates to Irish employment law include:
The Irish Government’s official website provides updates on employment law changes.
7. Holiday Pay for Different Scenarios
Maternity/Paternity Leave
Employees on maternity, paternity, or parental leave continue to accrue holiday entitlement as normal. Holiday can be taken before or after the leave period.
Sick Leave
Holiday entitlement continues to accrue during certified sick leave. Employees cannot be required to use holiday days for sick leave.
Termination of Employment
Upon termination, employees must be paid for any untaken holiday. This is calculated at the normal rate of pay, including regular overtime and commissions.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Can my employer refuse my holiday request?
Yes, but they must have a valid business reason and give you notice at least one month before the requested leave date (or twice the length of the requested leave, whichever is shorter).
Do I get paid for public holidays if I don’t work?
Yes, if the public holiday falls on a day you would normally work, you are entitled to a paid day off. If it falls on a non-working day, you should get an additional day off within a month.
What if I work on a public holiday?
You are entitled to:
Can I carry over unused holiday?
Generally, holiday must be taken in the current leave year. However, exceptions apply for:
In these cases, holiday can be carried over for up to 15 months.
9. Practical Example Calculations
Example 1: Full-Time Employee on Fixed Salary
Scenario: Sarah works full-time (39 hours/week) on a salary of €40,000/year.
Calculation:
Example 2: Part-Time Employee on Hourly Rate
Scenario: John works 20 hours/week at €14/hour.
Calculation:
Example 3: Casual Worker with Variable Hours
Scenario: Emma worked 120 hours over 3 months at €13/hour.
Calculation:
10. Tools and Resources
For further assistance with holiday pay calculations: