Following representations by the ASTI, the Department of Education has confirmed that the current temporary changes to the Parental Leave scheme will remain in place for the remainder of the 2021/22 school year.
Employers are being advised that they should, under Section 8(4) of the Parental Leave Act, 1998 waive or reduce the requirement for the 6-week notification for Parental Leave applications, during this temporary period.
Where this 6-week notification requirement is waived, the deadlines detailed for the employer Confirmation Document referenced in the Parental Leave Scheme and the notification requirement of 4 weeks to the Department/ETB should be adjusted accordingly.
Under the current temporary arrangements, an employer may, having considered the circumstances, approve Parental Leave in blocks of less than one week (i.e. less than 5 working days), or single days, where the employee is eligible to apply for Parental Leave.
Prior to the approval of such a Parental Leave arrangement, the employer and the employee must agree in advance, the pattern of workplace attendance, during this period of temporary change to the Parental Leave Scheme.
Full information is available here: Information Note TC 0003/2022.
