Below you will find some examples of the flexible working and leave available, but full details will be given by your employing authority.
Flexible working
Flexible working is available for certain roles. If you have a flexible work arrangement you can work in a relatively flexible way, as long as you ensure that you work the minimum number of hours per week and you are present during core hours. Arrangements vary depending on your employer and role and further details will be available from your employer if you are offered a job in local government.
Annual leave
Many roles in local government offer annual leave in excess of the statutory 20 days per year. Details of the annual leave entitlement will usually be contained in the information booklet for the role.
Bereavement leave
We aim to support our employees and special leave with pay is generally available to employees at times of bereavement due to the death of a relative.
Carer's leave
Local authority employees may be eligible for Carer's leave for the purpose of providing full time care to a person in need of such. Details of the carer's leave scheme will be available from the employing authority.
Career break
A career break scheme in the local government sector provides for employees to take a career break of six months or more off work unpaid. If approved, you may take a career break for family or other domestic reasons, education reasons, for travel or for self-employment.
Maternity leave and adoptive leave
Paid maternity leave and paid adoptive leave are available to local government employees. You are entitled to 26 weeks paid maternity leave and 16 weeks additional unpaid maternity leave. In addition, you are entitled to time off for ante-natal and post-natal care appointments and attendance at ante-natal classes. An adopting parent is entitled to 24 weeks adoptive leave and 16 weeks additional unpaid adoptive leave.
Paid paternity leave
A new parent (other than the mother of the child) is entitled to 2 weeks’ paid paternity leave around the time of the birth or adoption of a child.
Parent’s leave
Parent's leave lets working parents spend more time with their baby or adopted child during the first year. Each parent is entitled to 5 weeks leave. This is a statutory entitlement. Parent’s leave is unpaid but you may be eligible for parents’ benefit payment for the period from the Department of Social Protection.
Parental leave
All parents are entitled to 26 weeks unpaid parental leave. This is a statutory entitlement. You must take the leave before the child is 12 (or 16 in the case of a child with a disability). You may take the leave as one continuous period, in two separate blocks or, if your employer agrees, broken into working days.
Shorter working year scheme
This scheme aims to support local authority employees to promote work-life balance.
Sick leave
As a local government employee, you will benefit from paid sick leave under the public service sick leave scheme. Generally, you have a threshold of 3 months sick leave on full pay in a year followed by a maximum of 3 months sick leave on half pay. This is subject to an overall maximum of 6 months paid sick leave in a rolling four-year period. Further details of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme will be available from the employing authority.
Study leave
Study or exam leave may be available to you as a local government employee if you are completing an education course that is supported by your employer.
Work-sharing or reduced hours
A work-sharing arrangement may be possible to reduce your weekly working hours an agreed period of time.