AIB STAFF LIVING in Northern Ireland and working in the Republic have been told they must work five days a week in an office in the Republic of Ireland or face termination.

In correspondence seen by The Journal, AIB informed staff last week that they must attend work in the jurisdiction in which they are employed for the full working week.

AIB told cross border workers that failure to comply with the rules can result in termination of employment.

The bank said it will not cover any travel costs, nor will it be responsible for any costs arising from any staff member’s decision to work cross-jurisdictionally, including taxes.

From January, AIB workers in the Republic who typically work from home are now required to work from the office three days each week - but the decision has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission.

Speaking to The Journal, a spokesperson said the rules for cross border workers – which they said relate to tax obligations – have been in place since at least 2023, and were restated and shared with staff as part of the recent changes to its hybrid working policy. 

“Employees of our Republic of Ireland business who live in Northern Ireland must work in our Republic of Ireland locations. In order to comply with our tax obligations under current tax laws we are not in a position to facilitate them in working from their home in Northern Ireland,” they said.

However, one worker employed by AIB Ireland said they have been working remotely in Northern Ireland three days every week since Covid-19 began and no issue has ever been brought up by management.

Four hour commute

The AIB worker, who is a homeowner in Northern Ireland, said they now face a minimum four-hour daily commute to and from work.

They said they know several other AIB employees in the same situation who are faced with the decision of leaving their job or travelling long distances to and from the office.

The employee said that they felt the change was trying “to make me leave”. 

“How many people can switch from two to five days in the office with four days’ notice just before Christmas?” they said.

Cross-border workers have been asking the Irish and British governments for a fix to the problems caused by working and living in two jurisdictions, particularly relating to tax. 

The AIB employee said that since they began working with AIB they have paid their taxes in full to the Irish Revenue services. They also filed a tax return in the United Kingdom but have not been obliged to pay taxes there.

They said AIB carried out no consultation with staff on the change, which they described as “deeply disingenuous”. 

The news comes just weeks after AIB staff “overwhelmingly” voted to reject new hybrid working principles it put forward following staff frustrating over the original protocol.

The original protocol – which caused “significant backlash” among workers – did not allow staff to work from the company’s 47 staff hubs or 170 bank branches on days when they are mandated to work in the office.

The Financial Services Union (FSU) labelled the original order “regressive and without justification”.

Following the proposals being rejected by AIB staff, the union has referred the issue to the Workplace Relations Commission.