parental leave
(updated in December 2015)
Parental Leave provides for unpaid leave to qualifying parents in order to facilitate them to care for their child as outlined within the Parental Leave Acts 1998 and 2006 and subsequent amendments.
All qualifying Employees who are natural or adoptive parents of, or who are persons acting in loco parentis to, a child under the relevant age have an entitlement to avail of up to 18 working weeks parental leave in respect of that child over a defined period of time.
Who is a qualifying Employee?
In order to qualify for parental leave an Employee must meet the following criteria:
What age must the child be in order to be deemed under the relevant age?
The relevant age of the child in respect of whom leave may be taken may vary depending on certain factors. Parental leave is allowed in respect of a child:
Sickness during Parental Leave
Should an Employee fall ill during parental leave, and as a result is unable to care for their child, they may suspend their parental leave and the time may be treated as certified sick leave. This is normally subject to the Employee complying with normal sick leave reporting procedures and submission of a doctors certificate confirming the illness irrespective of the number of days of sickness.
Annual Leave and Public Holidays
Annual leave entitlements continue to accrue and public holiday benefits continue to be provided during the period of an Employee’s parental leave.
Returning to Work
Employees are entitled to return to work to the same job and under the same terms and conditions of employment following parental leave. Where this is not reasonably practicable, the Organisation should consider providing suitable alternative employment that is no less favourable in terms and conditions.
Parental Leave provides for unpaid leave to qualifying parents in order to facilitate them to care for their child as outlined within the Parental Leave Acts 1998 and 2006 and subsequent amendments.
All qualifying Employees who are natural or adoptive parents of, or who are persons acting in loco parentis to, a child under the relevant age have an entitlement to avail of up to 18 working weeks parental leave in respect of that child over a defined period of time.
Who is a qualifying Employee?
In order to qualify for parental leave an Employee must meet the following criteria:
- He / she must have completed 12 months’ service with the Organisation to qualify for 14 working weeks leave, or
- Where the child is about to go over the relevant age, and the Employee has completed more than 3 months service but less than 12, he / she will be entitled to avail of 1 working week of leave per completed month of service.
What age must the child be in order to be deemed under the relevant age?
The relevant age of the child in respect of whom leave may be taken may vary depending on certain factors. Parental leave is allowed in respect of a child:
- Aged under 8 years of age, or
- Within two years of an adoption order where the child is adopted between the ages of 6 and 8 years, or
- Aged under 16 years in the case of a child with a disability/ long term illness.
Sickness during Parental Leave
Should an Employee fall ill during parental leave, and as a result is unable to care for their child, they may suspend their parental leave and the time may be treated as certified sick leave. This is normally subject to the Employee complying with normal sick leave reporting procedures and submission of a doctors certificate confirming the illness irrespective of the number of days of sickness.
Annual Leave and Public Holidays
Annual leave entitlements continue to accrue and public holiday benefits continue to be provided during the period of an Employee’s parental leave.
Returning to Work
Employees are entitled to return to work to the same job and under the same terms and conditions of employment following parental leave. Where this is not reasonably practicable, the Organisation should consider providing suitable alternative employment that is no less favourable in terms and conditions.
