Also in employment
Monitoring rights. Disciplinary procedures. Dismissal grounds. It's all in the document you signed on day one and filed away.
Most employees discover what their company policy actually says at the worst possible moment — when they're in a disciplinary process, when they want to raise a complaint, or when they're trying to understand what their employer can legally do.
By then the document is no longer on your side. It was never written for you.
What can your employer legally monitor? Email. Devices. Internet usage. Location. Phone calls. Your handbook defines the boundary — and many handbooks give employers far broader rights than employees realise they agreed to.
What are the stages? What notice are you entitled to? Can you bring a representative? What constitutes gross misconduct in this organisation specifically — and is it defined broadly enough to cover almost anything?
Summary dismissal means instant termination without notice or pay. The grounds that trigger it are defined in your handbook. We surface them — and flag where they are defined so broadly that almost any serious allegation could qualify.
If you raise a concern about your employer, what protection do you actually have? We surface the reporting mechanism, the protections offered, and whether they meet the standard required under the Irish Protected Disclosures Act.
Annual leave. Sick leave. Parental leave. Compassionate leave. What does your handbook actually guarantee versus what has been told to you verbally? We surface the exact entitlements and flag where they fall below statutory minimums.
Standard protections that are absent from your handbook. Things that should be there under Irish employment law but are not documented — which affects your ability to rely on them.
Can my employer read my work emails?
In most cases yes — if your handbook contains a monitoring clause and you have been made aware of it. The extent of permissible monitoring depends on the specific wording of your policy and GDPR obligations. SecondLayer surfaces exactly what your employer has reserved the right to monitor.
What counts as gross misconduct?
Gross misconduct is defined by your employer in your handbook or disciplinary policy. It varies significantly between organisations. Some define it narrowly — theft, violence, serious safety breaches. Others define it so broadly that a wide range of behaviours could qualify. We surface the exact definition and flag unusually broad scope.
Do I have the right to bring someone to a disciplinary meeting?
Under Irish employment law you have the right to be accompanied at formal disciplinary hearings. Your handbook should reflect this. SecondLayer flags where disciplinary procedures do not adequately reflect employee rights under the Workplace Relations Act.
SecondLayer analyses document content and surfaces information to help you understand what your document says. This is not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Always consult a qualified solicitor, financial advisor, or insurance broker before making decisions based on any document analysis.