Chamber slams sick pay plans

Athlone Chamber has strongly criticised proposals to transfer responsibility for paying sick pay from the Department of Social Protection to individual employers in the first month of illness. President Athlone Chamber Michael O'Brien said: "If these reports are true then this proposal runs contrary to Government rhetoric about supporting business and especially smaller domestic economy focused businesses. "This kite flying proposal has come out of nowhere without any consultation with employers. It would be much better for the Department of Social Protection to concentrate on making work pay and developing better labour force activation strategies rather than hammering employers with a fresh round of additional costs at this time."