This article is about Justworks EOR (Employer of Record). What product am I using?
As an employee working in Ireland through Justworks, you’re supported by a full range of statutory benefits and workplace protections under Irish law. These benefits are designed to safeguard your wellbeing, provide flexibility when life events occur, and ensure you’re paid fairly and treated with care.
To help you understand what you’re entitled to, we’ve created a series of employee guides that explain your rights and how to access your benefits. Each guide includes plain-language explanations and verified information from trusted Irish government sources, including Citizens Information and Gov.ie.
What You’ll Find in This Series
- Leave and Sick Pay – Learn about your annual leave, public holidays, and statutory sick pay, including how to apply for Illness Benefit through the Department of Social Protection.
- Family and Parental Leave – Understand your maternity, paternity, adoption, and parent’s leave entitlements and how to claim related state benefits.
- Other Types of Leave – Find information on special leave options such as carer’s leave, force majeure leave, health and safety leave, and domestic violence leave.
If you ever have questions about your employment or benefits while working in Ireland, you can contact Justworks Support or visit the Citizens Information – Employment Rights and Conditions page for more detailed guidance.
These resources are meant to help you understand your rights and available supports — and to make sure you can confidently take the time you need, when you need it.
Working in Ireland with Justworks: Family and Parental Leave
As an employee in Ireland, you are entitled to several types of family-related leave to support you through pregnancy, the arrival or adoption of a child, and early childcare responsibilities. This guide explains each entitlement and how to apply for the corresponding state benefits.
Maternity Leave
Pregnant employees are entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave, with the possibility of an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave afterward. During maternity leave, you can receive Maternity Benefit of €274 per week, paid directly by the Department of Social Protection (DSP), provided you have sufficient PRSI (social insurance) contributions.
You must take at least 2 weeks of leave before the birth and 4 weeks after.
Maternity leave ensures you have protected time to recover from childbirth and bond with your new baby, while maintaining your employment rights and income security.
How to Apply
You must notify your employer in writing at least four weeks before your maternity leave begins. Include a medical certificate confirming your pregnancy and expected due date. If you intend to take the additional 16 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, you must also give four weeks’ notice, although both notices can be submitted together.
If your baby is born more than four weeks early, you must notify your employer within 14 days of the birth. If your doctor certifies that you must start leave earlier for medical reasons, your maternity leave will begin immediately.
You must also apply separately for Maternity Benefit through the DSP, at least six weeks before your leave begins. Applications can be made through MyWelfare.ie – Maternity Benefit.
Source: Citizens Information – Maternity Leave
Paternity Leave
Fathers and partners are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave within the first six months after the birth or adoption of a child. During this time, you may qualify for Paternity Benefit of €274 per week, paid directly by the state if you meet PRSI contribution requirements.
Paternity leave ensures that fathers and partners can bond with their new child and support their family during the early stages of life or adoption.
How to Apply
Applying for Paternity Leave
To apply for paternity leave, you must submit a written request to your employer at least four weeks before you plan to take your leave. Along with your application, you need to provide one of the following documents:
- A doctor’s certificate indicating your baby’s due date.
- Confirmation of the actual date of birth if you are applying for leave after the birth.
- A letter confirming the date of the child’s placement if you are adopting a child.
Applying for Paternity Benefit
You should apply for Paternity Benefit at least four weeks before the date you intend to start your paternity leave. You can apply for Paternity Benefit online at mywelfare.ie
Source: Citizens Information – Paternity Leave
Adoption Leave
Adoptive parents are entitled to 24 weeks of adoption leave with Adoptive Benefit paid by the state, plus 16 additional weeks of unpaid leave. This allows adoptive families to have the same protected time to care for and bond with their child as biological parents.
Note that only one parent in the couple can qualify for adoptive leave.
How to Apply
You must give your employer at least four weeks’ written notice before your leave begins, stating when you plan to start. The same four-week rule applies whether you are adopting a child in Ireland or abroad.
If you plan to take the additional 16 weeks of unpaid adoptive leave, you must also give four weeks’ notice. Both notices can be submitted at the same time.
Within four weeks of the child’s placement, you must give your employer a certificate of placement confirming the adoption.
If your child must stay in hospital before you have started your leave, you can ask your employer to postpone your adoption leave until your child comes home.
Applications for Adoptive Benefit are made through mywelfare.ie – Adoptive Benefit.
Source: Citizens Information – Adoptive Leave
Parent’s Leave
Each parent has a right to nine weeks of Parent’s Leave during the first two years following the birth or adoption of their child. The leave can be taken all at once or in smaller blocks and is supported by a Parent’s Benefit of €289 per week, paid by the DSP.
Parent’s Leave gives both parents the opportunity to share childcare responsibilities and spend meaningful time with their young children.
How to Apply
You must give your employer at least six weeks’ written notice before your leave begins. Your notice should include:
- The start date of your leave
- How you plan to take it (one continuous block or separate periods)
- The total duration of leave requested
- Proof of eligibility, such as your child’s birth certificate or, for adoption, the certificate of placement
You can apply for Parent’s Benefit through the Parent’s Benefit Section of the Department of Social Protection:
Parent’s Benefit Section
Department of Social Protection
McCarter’s Road, Buncrana, Donegal, F93 CH79, Ireland
Tel: 074 9164496 or 0818 300600
Visit the official Parent’s Benefit page →
For further information about your employment rights, you can contact the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC):
Workplace Relations Commission – Information and Customer Service
O’Brien Road, Carlow, R93 E920
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m.
Tel: (059) 917 8990 | Locall: 0818 80 80 90
Visit the WRC website →
Source: Citizens Information – Parent’s Leave
Need Help?
If you have questions about your benefits or time-off entitlements, you can reach out to international-support@justworks.com for assistance.
Disclaimer
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for accounting, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.