1.    Leadership & Management Posts

2.    Revised Procedures for the Upgrading of Grade III Secretary Posts in  Schools to Grade IV Posts

3.    Other Employment Matters

4.    Childcare

5.    Job-sharing, Career Breaks and Secondments

6.    School Staff Accessing Schools During the Current Period

1.    Leadership & Management Posts.

The attached Information Note TTC 0001/2020 (issued May 2020) applies to the current period of school closure to students. This Information Note addresses the biennial review process, the annual review, the advertising and filling of current vacant posts of responsibility, documentation, definition of school days and appeals.

Please note that the current period of school closure, during which tuition takes place, shall be considered as school days for the purpose of circular 0003/2018.

Definition of School Days (TTC 0001/2020)

It is agreed that the definition of school days extends to the current period of school closure to all students as tuition continues to be provided to students.   

Therefore advertising, interviewing and appeal in relation to leadership and management posts can continue during this current period using the provisions of TCC 0001/2020. Interviews should be held via a remote platform and all applications should be treated confidentially and circulated by secure means to those involved in the selection process.

School management may find the attached template Information Note for Candidates for an Online Interview useful. It can be adapted as required by the school.

2.    Revised Procedures for the Upgrading of Grade III Secretary Posts in Schools to Grade IV Posts.

The Department of Education & Skills has issued Circular Letter 0081/2020 on the revised criteria and procedures for the upgrading of Grade III secretary posts in DES approved posts or on the 1978 Scheme to Grade IV posts.

In order for the upgrade of eligible Grade III posts, the school must meet the following criteria:

1. The school must have 40 or more permanent whole-time equivalent (WTE) teachers in each of the previous two years and forecast to remain at this level in the current school year.

Appendix 2 of the circular letter has some useful worked examples for upgrade eligibility to guide schools. The procedures are effective from 1st September 2018 and queries relating to eligibility, the procedures and sanctioning of these upgrades should be directed to: sdfinfo@education.gov.ie

1. The school must not have a Grade IV secretary already in the school. A school may have one Grade IV post only.

2. A secretary who receives an upgrade to Grade IV will retain the Grade IV post on a personal basis for the full duration of their employment in their eligible school.

On upgrading, the Grade IV post will replace the Grade III post and no new or additional Grade III posts will be authorised in the school as a result of the upgrading from Grade III to Grade IV level.

Filling of Grade IV post

All Grade IV posts should be filled by competition except in circumstances where a school employs only one existing Grade III secretary in a Department approved post or on the 1978 scheme and satisfies the criterion of having 40+ teachers as outlined above, then this existing Grade III secretary can be upgraded to Grade IV level without competition.

Where a school employs 2 or more existing Grade III secretaries in Department approved posts or on the 1978 scheme, a competitive process should be held.

The upgrade to Grade IV is effective from the date on which the successful candidate is appointed to the upgraded post during the school year.

Eligible successful persons will be placed on the Grade IV pay scale on the basis of the nearest increment point. The current circular letter on salaries for school secretaries is CL 0065/2020. School management should also refer to point 7.1.6 in CL 0081/2020 in this regard.

3.    Other employment matters

       The DES has confirmed that:

• where certain employees were recorded as absent from the workplace due to (i) restricted movement or (ii) deemed very high risk, schools could appoint a substitute to replace these employees in the classroom. However, as these categories of employees remain available to work from home, where medically fit, substitutes will not be required during the period of remote learning.

Substitutes who have already entered into a contract with the Board of Management will continue to be paid by the Department during this period of remote learning. However, further substitutes cannot be employed to cover for employees who, during this period of remote learning, are required to restrict their movements or are identified by the OHS as very high risk.

• During the period of remote learning, substitution will continue to be paid by the Department for employees who are granted special leave with pay due to self-isolation or Covid-19 diagnosis.

• There should be no requirement for additional supervision for the next few weeks and, as a result, no such additional supervision payments should be made, unless there is a contractual obligation to do so.

• In respect of staff employed by Boards of Management using grant funding the payment of grant funding to schools will continue as normal.

• Any request for cancellation of leave already approved by the Board of Management should only be considered in exceptional circumstances in accordance with the terms of the individual leave scheme and where a substitute replacement has not been contracted to cover the leave absence.

It is important that schools key all absences and input claims for substitutes on the On-line Claims System (OLCS) as normal.

4.  Childcare

Please see attached Information Leaflet with FAQs for parents of children in early learning and care and childcare services for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.

This FAQ document states that childcare services will remain open only for the children of essential workers and vulnerable children. Educational staff are considered essential workers for childcare purposes and, as such, these childcare arrangements in place for essential workers apply to educational staff during this current period.

Details of accessing childcare services are at point 13 of the attached Information Leaflet. (See also https://myccc.ie/)

Please circulate this FAQ Information Leaflet among your employees.

5.  Job-Sharing, Career Breaks and Secondments

Applications from teachers for job-sharing and career breaks must be made to the Board of Management of the school by 1st February for the 2021/22 school year.

Key dates:

Job-sharing – teachers

• Applications for job-sharing must be submitted by 1st February, 2021 using the form, Appendix A of Circular Letter 0054/2019 Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers Employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools. See chapter 8 of: 0054/2019.

• A teacher wishing to extend a job-sharing arrangement must apply, using the form in Appendix A, on an annual basis by 1st February.

• The Board of Management is required to issue a written notice of approval or refusal to the teacher by 1st March.

• A teacher is not permitted to withdraw his/her application after 14th April.

Career break – teachers

• Applications for career break must be submitted to the Board of Management by 1st February 2021 using the form, Appendix A of circular letter 0054/2019 (chapter 7).

• Applications for an extension to a career break must also be made by 1st February, provided the total period of the career break does not exceed 5 years at any one time.

• A teacher who intends to return to work from a career break must notify the Board of Management by 1st February of his/her intention to return.

• The Board of Management is required to issue a written notice of approval or refusal by 1st March and submit notice of the career break scheme to the Department (via OLCS system) on or before 1st April.

• An applicant is not permitted to withdraw his/her application after 14th April.

Secondment – teachers

Details of the application process for secondment are contained in circular letter 0029/2018.

Applications for secondment must be submitted using the form Application for Secondment in circular letter 0029/2018.

Ø  the teacher, host organisation and the employer must complete the relevant parts of the Application Form at Appendix A (Part 1 to be completed by the employee, Part 2 by the host organisation and Part 3 by the employer).      

Where an application for an initial secondment or extension of a secondment is approved by the employer, it must be returned (by the employer) to the relevant section in the Department by the deadline date of 1st May for approval.

Job-Sharing – Special Needs Assistants

• Special Needs Assistants interested in job-sharing must submit an application to the Board of Management by 1st March using the application form attached to circular letter 0041/2014.

• A Special Needs Assistant must re-apply if s/he is seeking to avail of an extension to a job-sharing arrangement for a further year by 1st March.

• The BOM is required to issue a written notice of approval or refusal to the Special Needs Assistant by 31st March at the latest.

• An SNA is not permitted to withdraw his/her application after 14th April.

• A copy of the approved job-sharing application should be submitted to the Non-Teaching Payroll Section of the Department by 1st May.

Career Break – Special Needs Assistants

• Special Needs Assistants seeking a career break for the 2021/22 school year must submit a letter of application to the Board of Management by 1st March. Details of the Career Break Scheme for SNAs can be found in circular letter 0022/2012. The letter of application must provide clear details of the exact purpose of the career break.

• A special needs assistant who wishes to extend his/her career break must apply for this extension by the 1st March.

• The BOM is required to issue a written notice of approval or refusal to the special needs assistant by 1st April at the latest and submit notice of the career break absence (if approved) to the Department (via the OLCS) on or before 1st May.

• An SNA is not permitted to withdraw his/her application after 14th April.

The school should consider each application for job-sharing, career break or secondment on its own merits within the context of the school’s policy on employee absences. In relation to this policy, the needs of the students shall take precedence over all other considerations and the Board of Management must seek to strike a balance between the needs of staff and students and the long-term good of the school as a stable educational environment and workplace.

6. School Staff Accessing Schools During the Current Period.

As per Department guidelines, given the importance of ensuring continuity and progression in pupils’/students’ learning, teachers are permitted to travel and attend their place of work to provide continuity of teaching and learning if they are unable to do so from their home and school buildings remain accessible for teaching and learning and other essential services. This includes for the provision of school meals.

Where required, ancillary staff may be required to attend for essential work such as cleaning, opening/closing of the school, payroll purposes.

Access to the school by teachers or other staff should be approved by the Principal or a person designated by the Principal, sign-in sheets and records should be kept.

In all circumstances schools must follow public health advice regarding social distancing and other public health guidance. Attendance in the school building should for now be as deemed necessary for the delivery of essential services only and as required by school management.

Is mise, Le mór mheas,

John Irwin,  GENERAL SECRETARY.

Addenda:

1.     Information Note TTC 0001/2020

2.     Template Information Note for Candidates for Online Interview

3.     Childcare Information Leaflet - 8 January 2021 Parent FAQ’s