Web Book for Teachers

Last updated: Tue, July 13th, 2021

A "WEB-BOOK" for teachers has been published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills setting out Terms and Conditions of Employment for Registered Teachers in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools.

The current "edition 2" deals with  particular leave entitlements and the terms and conditions which apply:

This book supersedes all previous circulars, memoranda, rules and regulations in relation to the leave types contained within.

The General Provisions of the Schemes contained in the web book are outlined in the introduction.

  • STATUTORY ANNUAL LEAVE/PUBLIC HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENTS

  • SICK LEAVE SCHEME

  • MATERNITY PROTECTION ENTITLEMENTS

  • PATERNITY LEAVE SCHEME

  • ADOPTIVE LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS

  • PARENTAL LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS

  • CAREER BREAK SCHEME

  • JOB SHARING SCHEME

  • CARER’S LEAVE SCHEME

  • UNPAID LEAVE

In particular it should be noted:

  1. Each employer shall develop and maintain a policy on teacher absences, including non statutory schemes i.e. job-sharing, career breaks, unpaid leave, specific to the needs of the school authority.

  2. In drawing up this policy, the welfare and educational needs of the pupils shall take precedence over all other considerations.

  3. This policy shall have due regard to the capacity of the school to meet its obligations to its pupils and may therefore apply a limit to the number of teaching staff that may avail of non-statutory leave schemes at any one time.

  4. A sample Career Break, Job Sharing and Secondment policy is attached below.

Temporary Changes to the Career Break Scheme for registered teachers in the 2021/22 school year (TC 0015/2021)

In order to increase the supply of teachers at post-primary level, certain restrictions (i.e. the limit of 300 hours) imposed in the Career Break Scheme will continue to be suspended for the 2021/22 school year. This means that a teacher on career break may be employed in a substitute capacity without restrictions on the days/hours worked. S/he may, therefore, teach up to 22 hours, in a substitute capacity, in a school in the 2021/22 school year.

Temporary Changes to the Job-Sharing Scheme for registered teachers in the 2021/22 school year (TC 0016/2021)

The restriction of undertaking substitute teaching imposed in the Job-Sharing Scheme (chapter 8 of CL 54/2019) has been suspended for the 2021/22 school year. 

The removal of this restriction means that a Job-Sharing teacher may now be employed to work in a substitute capacity during the period s/he is rostered off duty. Please note that this is limited to the Job-Sharing teacher carrying out substitute work in his/her own school to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Amendment to the Maternity Leave Scheme for Registered Teachers employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools (TC 0023/2021)

Due to legislative changes, the Maternity Leave Scheme (chapter 2 CL 54/2019) has been amended as follows:

Maternity Leave Entitlement 

2.1 Paragraph 2.6 of the Maternity Leave Scheme is amended as follows: 

‘In the event of a stillbirth, or miscarriage, any time after the 24th week of pregnancy, or where the child has a birth weight of at least 500 grammes, full Maternity Leave entitlements apply.’

 

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