STUDENTS AND PART-TIME WORK
1. Effects of Excessive Part-Time work. Well organised research projects have shown that students working more than 15 hours per week:
- Do less homework
- Due poor quality schoolwork……due to tiredness
- Get lower grades in their examinations
- Are more likely to be absent from school
- Are more likely to drop out of school
- Spend more money on drink and cigarettes
- Are less likely to be involved in extra-curricular activities
2. The Law on Part-Time Work.
“Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996”
- Students of 15 years may work up to a maximum of 8 hours per week during term time.
- Students under 16 years may only work until 8pm at night.
- 16/17 year old students may work up to 10pm on school days.
- They may work until 11pm- only if they have no school the next day. It is illegal to employ a 16/17 year old after this time on other nights.
- The fines for employers who break the law are very high.
- Eight out of ten young people now do the Leaving Certificate. Those without the qualification will find themselves at a great disadvantage later in their working life.
- If you want to be serious about your examinations, you do not have the time to take on a demanding part-time job.
- As stated in the school rules students may be required to stay for up to 30 minutes after the end of each teaching day(detention..). Part-time work may not interfere with this.
- Visits and trips/outings are an essential part of some school courses e.g. Transition Year and LCA. Part-time work will not be an acceptable excuse for failing to take part in such school activities.
- Some employers have begun to ask students to take days off school to do extra paid work. This is not permitted.
- If as a student you are considering leaving school to take up an offer of work we ask you (and Parents/Guardians) to contact the school to discuss this further. The Guidance Counsellor may be able to advise on the prospects.
