Lay-Off
A temporary suspension of work, and pay, when an employer has no work available.
A lay-off is a period during which an employer provides no work and no pay to an employee, on the understanding that the arrangement is temporary and the role is expected to resume. It differs from redundancy, where the position ceases permanently.
In Ireland, lay-off is governed by the Redundancy Payments Acts. Employers should give reasonable notice, ideally in writing, and short-time working (reduced hours or days) is treated similarly. Where a lay-off or short-time situation extends beyond four weeks, or six weeks in a thirteen-week period, employees may be entitled to claim redundancy.
Clear communication matters: staff need to understand the expected duration, how any social welfare supports apply, and what will trigger a return to work. Documenting the rationale protects both parties if the situation later becomes a redundancy.
