Shorter Working Year
Dear Colleague,
We are pleased to inform you that applications are now open for the Shorter Working Year Scheme 2024 (ref Circular 14/2009) which was provided by the Minister for Finance in the Supplementary Budget for 2009.
Under the rules of this scheme, eligible employees can avail of unpaid leave, from 2 weeks to 13 weeks in a calendar year. This can be deducted from salary at the time of the leave being taken or deductions are spread over the year for such leave taken in 2024. All applications must be forwarded for approval in the first instance to the Head of School/Department/Area and then sent by email to hr@tcd.ie by 5.00pm Friday, 3rd November 2023.
Please note that the Shorter Working Year Scheme is additional to, and separate from, the College's Special Unpaid Leave of Absence Scheme.
Prior to completing an Application Form, potential applicants are advised to carefully read the Circular 14/2009 from the Department of Education and Science at the link below:
Important Notes
- The leave may be taken as one continuous period, or as a maximum of 3 separate periods each consisting of not less than 2 weeks and not exceeding 13 weeks in total (Bank holidays are excluded).
- Applications must be approved by the Head of School/Department/Area before they are submitted.
- Once the application is submitted the dates cannot be altered or withdrawn at any point of time.
- Persons availing of the special administrative arrangements for the payment of salary may not vary their working hours during the same year.
- Application forms must be completed in full in order to be processed without any delays.
- Any overpayment that may arise from participation in the scheme will be repaid to TCD no later than 31 December in the same year.
- Subject to the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 (“the Act”), the annual leave allocation of the participant may be reduced to take account of the period of special unpaid leave. Further details can be viewed in the Circular 14/2009.
- Applicants will be provided with a confirmation letter from HR once the application has been processed.
- The period of the Shorter Working Year Scheme will reckon for the purposes of increments but will not reckon for pension purposes.
- Completed applications must be emailed to hr@tcd.ie by 5.00 pm on Friday, 3rd November 2023. Please note that we are not able to accept applications after this deadline.
If you have any queries on the Shorter Working Year Scheme, please refer to the supporting documents and following this contact the HR team through hr@tcd.ie
Yours sincerely,
Human Resources
Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin
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