Notice of Resignation
Teachers may resign from the service at any time. However, teachers are required by the terms of their contract to give three months notice to their board of management, specifying the date on which they will be leaving the service. They are then entitled to be paid up to that date. It is open to a board of management to accept a shorter period of notice.
Young teachers leaving the service temporarily are advised to complete their probation. Otherwise they are obliged, on returning to service, to recommence the probationary period. Teachers do not progress along the incremental scale until probation is complete.
Resigning While on Career Break
A teacher on career break can resign during the school year. The board of management may either allow the temporary teacher to remain in the post until the end of the school year or may make a permanent appointment under the appropriate procedures. The board of management should consider the contractual arrangements made with the temporary teacher before proceeding with an appointment.
Opting for Deferred Pension on Resignation
Teachers who have at least two years of pensionable service may leave the service and have their pension rights preserved. They may claim a pension and lump sum based on their pensionable service as teachers when they reached their 60th birthday.
Withdrawing Pension Contributions on Resignation
Teachers who are resigning from the service and who were in service prior to July 1977 or are in service for less than two years may seek the return of the contributions which they made to the superannuation fund. Such refunds are subject to a deduction of income tax at the rate of 20%.
However, under recent legislation, there are restrictions on the number of years’ pension contributions that can be withdrawn in respect of service given since 1 January 1991. (These limits apply only to people with two years or more service). The Department of Education and Skills is assessing the implications of this legislation and details will be provided to teachers on request.
In any event, the withdrawal of pension contributions is inadvisable, particularly if a teacher intends to return to service. Where contributions are withdrawn this period of service will not be recognised for pension purposes on return. It is possible to pay back the money which was withdrawn on return to service and recover the pensionable service but only with the additional payment of compound interest currently at 3% per annum on the money for the period when it was out of the scheme.
Teachers who are returning to the service and have completed their probation are placed on the point of the incremental scale at which they left off. If they have not withdrawn their contributions to the pension fund their previous service is recognised in full for purposes of the superannuation scheme.
Enquiries to Primary Teachers’ Pension Section, Department of Education and Skills, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. on (090) 648-4189 or Dublin (01) 873 4700.
