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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 1

Written Answers. - Civil Service Sick Leave.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

82 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Finance the permissible period of sick-leave for staff in Government Departments; his views on the regulation that in excess of 56 days sick-leave in a four year period would relegate an officer on the seniority and suitability for promotion list; if work-related illness is included in the 56 days permissible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15052/95]

Established staff in the Civil Service are allowed full pay, or in the case of officers who were appointed on or after 1 April, 1995, full pay less appropriate deduction in respect of social welfare benefits during properly certified sick leave, provided there is no evidence of permanent disability for service, up to a maximum of six months in one year and half pay thereafter, subject to a maximum of 12 months sick leave in any period of four years.

In the case of temporary or unestablished whole-time civil servants the position is as follows: Full pay, less appropriate deduction in respect of social welfare benefits may be allowed during sick absence up to the following limits in any period of 12 months service; after three months continuous service, up to six weeks; after six months continuous service, up to nine weeks; after 12 months continuous service, up to 13 weeks.

No sick pay is allowed during the first three months service but previous service, so far as it has been continuous, may be allowed to reckon towards the qualifying period for the grant of paid sick leave. Qualifying service is exclusive of any period of leave without pay.

With regard to the 56 day sick leave in a four year period regulation, the position is that this regulation has no implications for an officer's seniority. However, for the purpose of assessing an officer's suitability for establishment or promotion, Departments are required to examine an officer's sick absence record over the previous four years from two angles; (i) to see whether there is any indication that he or she is suffering from a condition affecting or likely to affect his or her health; and (ii) to determine whether his or her sick absence record is such that it can be regarded as compatible with the requirements of regular and effective service.
It is in regard to (ii) that the 56 day limit comes into play. It should be pointed out at this stage that in addition to the 56 day limit regulation, officers must also not have any more than 25 sick absences in any four year period. In applying these limits the following factors are also borne in mind by Departments: (i) absences of a minor curative or "repair" operations need not be counted; (ii) non-recurring illnesses may be ignored; (iii) the pattern of the absences, e.g. if most of the absences have been in the earlier part of the four year period and there has been a very significant improvement in the last two years the candidate may be given the benefit of the doubt; and (iv) if most of the absences were due to a health problem which the Chief Medical Officer accepts has been rectified, and if on ignoring such absences, the sick leave record is within the limit, the officer may be accepted as suitable.
As can be seen from the above, it is likely that a non-recurring work related illness would be excluded for the purposes of assessing an officer's suitability for promotion.
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