Good Jobs
We can increase the number of people working in Good Jobs by:
- investing in affordable childcare and fair pay for childcare workers;
- creating more and better paid apprenticeships and skills academies;
- replacing zero hour contracts with contracts that provide flexibility and protect workers rights;
- strengthening the role of trade unions, particularly in low-paying sectors;
- altering our economic structure by supporting industries that provide Good Jobs;
- harnessing the unrealised potential of the Social Economy; and
- improving careers advice, including in schools, so that people are fully informed about the opportunities available to them.
'Good Jobs' Employment Rights
Following public consultation, the Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, announced in April 2025 a package of proposed reforms to employment law:
The proposals cover four main themes – terms of employment, pay and benefits, voice and representation, and work-life balance. The wide-ranging reforms include proposals to:
- end exploitative zero hours contracts;
- enhance protections for agency workers;
- end abuse of fire and rehire tactics;
- ensure tips left to workers are passed on to them in full;
- modernise our trade union framework;
- make it easier to attain flexible working; and
- enhance rights to family-related leave, including the introduction of carer’s leave, as well as neonatal leave and pay.
These reforms will include an Employment Rights Bill and complementary legislation, statutory Codes of Practice and guidance.
Carnegie Framework
To measure the quality of work in ‘Good Jobs’ the Department has adopted the Carnegie Framework. This Framework identifies seven elements of job quality including work life balance, health and safety, and terms of employment.
'Good Jobs' statistics and research
Further information on the Framework, official statistics and research commissioned on Good Jobs: