The entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay is being phased in:
- 2024 - 5 days covered
- 2025 - 7 days covered
- 2026 - 10 days covered
Statutory Sick Pay
Leave
- Adoptive and Surrogacy Leave
- Annual Leave
- Career Break
- Carer's Leave
- Bereavement Leave
- Family Related Leave
- Force Majeure Leave
- Jury Service
- Managing Attendance & Sick Leave
- Maternity Leave
- Medical Care Leave
- Parental Leave
- Parents Leave
- Paternity Leave
- Research Sabbatical Leave
- Sick Leave
- Study & Exam Leave
- Shorter working year
- Leave Summary
Page updated 2 October 2024
Overview
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) applies to hourly employees who do not have access to the UCD Sick Leave scheme.
Since 1st January 2024, all employees have a right to 5 days’ Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) per calendar year. This will increase to 7 days in 2025 and 10 days in 2026.
Statutory Sick Pay is paid by your employer at 70% of your normal pay up to a maximum of €110 a day. To qualify, you must be;
- An hourly paid employee
- Have worked at least 13 weeks with the University
- Be certified by a GP as unable to work from the 1st day of absence
Illness Benefit (IB)
Illness Benefit is a Social Welfare, weekly payment that you may get if you cannot work due to illness or injury. You cannot get Illness Benefit (IB) on the days that you get Statutory Sick Pay. If your first illness in 2024 is less than 5 days and you qualify for Statutory Sick Pay then you should not apply for Illness Benefit. For illnesses lasting more than 5 days, Illness Benefit starts from day 6.
If you have a second period of illness in 2024 and have used your 5 days of Statutory Sick Pay, you'll get Illness Benefit from day 4 of your illness, which is after the normal 3 waiting days.
| Statutory Sick Pay (Paid by UCD) |
Illness Benefit (Paid by Dept. of Social Protection) |
*Waiting Days |
|
| Worked less than 13 weeks |
No |
If you qualify for Illness Benefit you will serve 3 waiting days and Illness Benefit will be paid on day 4 |
3 |
| Worked greater than 13 weeks with your employer (first time sick in the calendar year) |
Yes |
If you qualify for Illness Benefit you will receive SSP for 5 days and IB paid on day 6 |
N/A |
| Worked greater than 13 weeks with your employer (used 3 of your SSL days previously in calendar year) |
Yes |
If you qualify for Illness Benefit you will get SSP for 2 days, have 1 waiting day and IB will be paid on day 4 |
1 |
| Worked greater than 13 weeks with your employer (used 1 of your SSL days previously in calendar year) |
Yes |
If you qualify for Illness Benefit you will get SSP for 4 days, and IB will paid from day 5 (no waiting days) |
N/A |
| Worked greater than 13 weeks with your employer (used your full entitlement to SSL (5 days in 2024) |
No |
If you qualify for Illness Benefit you will serve 3 waiting days and IB will be paid from day 4 |
3 |
* You are not entitled to Illness Benefit for the first 3 days you are off sick from work. These are called 'waiting days'. Sunday is not counted as a waiting day.
Process
Step 1: Please check that you meet the eligibility criteria i.e., working at least 13 weeks with the University and certified by a GP as unable to work from day 1.
Step 2: Please complete the Statutory Sick Pay Application Form with details of your absence i.e., dates of sick leave related absence and number of hours you were scheduled to work. The form should be signed by your HOS, HOU or Line Manager and forwarded along with your medical certificate to (opens in a new window)sickleave@ucd.ie
Step 3: HR Operations will review your application, and once eligibility criteria are met, will confirm by email the relevant SSP amount to be processed in the next payment period.
For further information see FAQ’s below or visit:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You must be certified by a GP as unable to work. You should be certified from day 1 of your sick leave.
As an hourly-paid employee, you are eligible for SSP once you have worked at least 13 weeks with the University and have been certified by a GP as unable to work from day 1.
Where the gap in employment is not more than 26 weeks, the period of service prior to the break shall be deemed to be continuous, so once the minimum of 13 weeks is complete prior to and post gap in service, you meet the 13 weeks criteria.
Your statutory sick leave payment must be paid at your normal daily rate. You are entitled to 70% of your normal pay, up to a maximum €110 a day.
If you work part-time, your normal daily pay is based on your work pattern.
If you work:
(a) A set number of hours (for example, you work 4 hours every work day) at a fixed rate, then you get either €110 or 70% of your normal daily pay – whichever is lower
(b) Variable hours at a fixed rate, then you get either €110 or 70% of what you would have earned on the day you were sick – whichever is lower
If your work pattern does not fit into category (a) or (b) above, then you get the lower amount of either €110 or your average hourly rate. To get your average hourly rate you:
- Divide your total pay over the past 13 weeks by your hours worked
- Multiply this by the hours you were scheduled to work on the day you were sick
If you are off work sick for more than 5 days, and you have enough PRSI contributions, you can apply to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) for a payment called (opens in a new window)Illness Benefit. Your Illness Benefit starts from day 6.
As you have already received your full entitlement to SSP, if you qualify for Illness Benefit, you will serve 3 waiting days and IB will be paid from day 4 of this absence.