Labour Court recommends against restoring COVID-19 absence exemption at Mondelez

The Labour Court recommended against restoring an exemption for COVID-19 absences under Mondelez International Ireland’s sickness benefit and Lates and Absence policies. The recommendation was signed on 12 January 2026. The dispute involved Approximately 250 Workers represented by the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union (SIPTU) and Unite the Union. They said the company’s change could reduce sick-pay cover and attendance bonuses. Mondelez said the exemption was a temporary pandemic measure and that certified COVID-19 absences remained covered by sick pay within scheme limits. The Court noted that the exemption was temporary and discretionary, and outside the collective agreements. It also noted the site’s 10.06% absence rate and that the parties provided no data on current COVID-19 absences or comparable food manufacturers’ practices.