Covid-19: Special leave with pay

Special leave with pay is available to teachers who have tested positive for Covid-19.

Circular 0038/2022 was updated by the publication of information note TC/IN 0016/2024 (PDF) on 5 November 2024.

Prior to the publication of information note TC/IN 0016/2024, Special Leave with Pay was also available when a teacher was beginning to develop symptoms of Covid-19, and was arranging their test. Special Leave with Pay will now only be available following a positive Covid-19 test.

Up to five consecutive days in one instance. These five days will include weekends and other school closures.

No, it is separate from your sick leave, and you do not need to claim Illness Benefit while you’re on Special Leave with Pay.

In line with current public health advice, you should stay at home and avoid contact with other people.

You should carry out a Covid-19 test at your earliest opportunity. If you test positive for Covid-19, you will have access to up to five consecutive days of Special Leave with Pay.

Having tested positive for Covid-19, you may take Special Leave with Pay for five consecutive days. These five days will include weekends and other school closures.

You will submit the form at Appendix A of information note TC/IN 0016/2024 (PDF) to your employer, and per part 4.2: “A screenshot of the positive antigen test result will be accepted as proof.”

Special Leave with Pay is only available if you have tested positive for Covid-19. If you are unfit to work, but have tested negative for Covid-19, the ordinary terms of the sick leave scheme will apply to your absence.

A period of self-certified sick leave will not generally have substitute cover, with some limited exceptions.

A medical certificate must be provided for any absence on sick leave in excess of three consecutive days, and if you pay Class A PRSI you may need to claim Illness Benefit. The obligations of teachers regarding illness benefit are set out in this DE information note (PDF).

Since 1 January 2024, statutory sick pay has increased from three days to five days per year, during which time statutory sick pay should be paid. So, for the first five days of your sick leave in 2024, you will not need to claim Illness Benefit. If your first absence on sick leave in 2024 is for a period of longer than five days, you will need to claim Illness Benefit from the sixth day of leave. After you have used five days of paid sick leave in the 2024 calendar year, the usual three day waiting period to claim Illness Benefit will apply.

There is further detail about the sick leave scheme for teachers in circular 0013/2024 (PDF) and on the INTO website here.

Following your positive Covid-19 test, your school can reclassify the whole absence, to a maximum of five consecutive days, as Covid-19: Special Leave with Pay.

You should submit the form at Appendix A of information note TC/IN 0016/2024 (PDF) to your employer, with a photograph of your positive antigen test.

If you are still unfit to work following this period of self-isolation, the normal terms of the sick leave scheme will apply to any further absence.

A period of self-certified sick leave will not generally have substitute cover, with some limited exceptions.

A medical certificate must be provided for any absence on sick leave in excess of three consecutive days, and if you pay Class A PRSI you may need to claim Illness Benefit. The obligations of teachers regarding illness benefit are set out in this DE information note (PDF).

Since 1 January 2024, statutory sick pay has increased from three days to five days per year, during which time statutory sick pay should be paid. So, for the first five days of your sick leave in 2024, you will not need to claim Illness Benefit. If your first absence on sick leave in 2024 is for a period of longer than five days, you will need to claim Illness Benefit from the sixth day of leave. After you have used five days of paid sick leave in the 2024 calendar year, the usual three day waiting period to claim Illness Benefit will apply.

There is further detail about the sick leave scheme for teachers in circular 0013/2024 (PDF) and on the INTO website here.

You can take a maximum of five days of special leave with pay in any one instance.

If you are required to self-isolate again for a subsequent Covid-19 infection,  you can avail of further periods of special leave with pay, subject to the conditions of circular 0038/2022 (PDF) and information note TC/IN 0016/2024 (PDF).

Special leave with pay is not available for the purpose of attending a vaccination or booster appointment.

Sick leave can be used for the purpose of obtaining “medical related services” provided such appointments could not have been arranged outside of regular working hours.

You should provide evidence of your appointment to your employer, and the absence can be recorded as certified sick leave on the OLCS.

Special Leave with Pay is not available for teachers who develop side-effects from their Covid-19 vaccine or booster.
If you are unfit to attend work, the ordinary terms of the sick leave scheme will apply.

The current public health advice does not require a household close contact of a person with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to restrict their movements or to self-isolate, therefore special leave with pay will not be available in these circumstances.

If you need to take leave to care for your child, you have access to five days of Family Illness Leave per school year.

Full details of Covid-19: Special Leave with pay may be found in circular 38/2022 (PDF).

Circular 38/2022 was further updated by the publication of information note TC/IN 0004/2023 (PDF), effective from 22 May 2023, which reduced the period of Special Leave with Pay from seven to five days, and by information note TC/IN 0016/2024 (PDF), on 4 November 2024, which withdrew the provision for Special Leave with Pay to be taken when a teacher was beginning to develop symptoms, but had not yet tested positive.