Sunday Business Post View point
As a small business owner in West Cork running Employflex, a recruitment agency focused on flexible work solutions, the government’s decision to pause the rollout of the living wage is very disappointing.
While we understand that businesses are navigating rising costs and economic uncertainty, delaying the implementation of a living wage sends the wrong message, particularly to low-paid workers who are already struggling to make ends meet. We see firsthand that many of the candidates we work with, including working parents and returners to the workforce, are already struggling with increased living costs. For them, the living wage is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.
We recently had a highly qualified candidate in West Cork turn down an admin role, despite it being close to home and offering flexible hours because the pay simply wasn’t enough to cover basic living costs. She told us she couldn’t justify the childcare and fuel costs for a job that paid below the living wage. That’s the reality people are facing. People are doing the sums and often it just does not make financial sense to go to work to lose money.
Pausing progress on the living wage will also widen the gap between urban and rural employment opportunities, and halt efforts to create a fairer, more equitable workforce.
Some greedy rural employers are taking advantage of their location and we’ve seen cases where employers in isolated areas , particularly in sectors like retail or hospitality are offering minimum wage for demanding roles, knowing full well that local candidates have few alternatives. One young woman we worked with in West Cork was offered a job in a retail outlet for just €11.30 an hour, despite having experience in customer service. The employer justified the low pay by saying, ‘There aren’t many jobs around here—you’ll take it or someone else will.’ It’s disheartening, and without a living wage benchmark, this kind of quiet exploitation continues unchecked.
We hope the pause is temporary, and that the government will find a better path forward – one that balances business viability with dignity for workers.
Karen O’Reilly
Founder, Employflex
Sunday Business Post 22 April 2025
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