Ireland finally has legislation in place granting all workers basic sick leave but uncertainties remain about what people are entitled to.
Cabinet approved Statutory Sick Pay into law in March 2022, with the legislation taking effect at the beginning of this year. Irish workers previously had no automatic entitlement to sick leave under government law, with time off usually allocated by individual employers.
Employees can now receive up to 70 per cent of their normal weekly pay while on sick leave, capped at a maximum of €110 per day. The scheme is being introduced on a phased four year basis, meaning that employees will gradually receive more allocated sick leave per year.
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Who is entitled to sick pay?
Any employee who has worked for at least 13 weeks with their current employer is entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. Workers on probation and those undergoing training are also eligible for the scheme.
People who wish to take Statutory Sick Pay must first get a GP cert showing they are unfit to work. People have a right to Statutory Sick Pay from the first day they are unable to work.
How much leave am I entitled to?
Employees can receive up to 3 days of sick leave in 2023. However, people will gradually be granted more sick days up until 2026.
People can take their sick leave as either consecutive or non consecutive days off. The amount of sick days workers are entitled to are as follows.
- 2023 - 3 days covered
- 2024 - 5 days covered
- 2025 - 7 days covered
- 2026 - 10 days covered
What happens if I need more than three days sick leave?
People who need more than three days sick leave can instead apply for Illness Benefit. This payment is available via the Department of Social Protection and is based off of PRSI contributions.
What if my employer already has a sick pay scheme?
Individual employers may have a more generous sick leave policy in place than Statutory Sick Pay. If workers receive more generous sick pay arrangements through their employer, sick pay will be arranged under that scheme and not Statutory Sick Pay.
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