Overview
The Sick Leave Act commenced on 1 January 2023 and provides for an entitlement to statutory sick leave for an employee who would have ordinarily worked but was incapable of doing so due to illness or injury.
Since 1 January 2024, employees are entitled to 5 days of paid sick leave per year, up from 3 days in 2023. This is known as Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), which is the legal minimum for sick pay.
Phased Increase in Entitlements:
The Government is currently reviewing ESRI research on the impact of statutory sick leave before confirming any further increases to paid sick leave for 2025 and 2026.
Key points about SSP:
- Rate of Pay: SSP is paid by your employer at 70% of your normal pay, up to a maximum of €110 per day.
- Eligibility: You must have been employed for at least 13 weeks with your employer to qualify for SSP.
- Employer Schemes: Employers may offer more generous sick pay schemes but cannot provide less than the statutory amount.
- Department paid Secretaries: This does not apply to school secretaries that are paid on the Department payroll. Please refer to the Department of Education website for information on leave entitlements.
- Sanctioned Staff in the C&C schools:
Additional Details:
- Sick days can be taken consecutively or non-consecutively.
- The sick pay year aligns with the calendar year, running from 1 January to 31 December.
Further Information:
Financial Guideline 14-23/24: Statutory Sick Leave Pay Scheme