Page 47 - ITM Employee Handbook September 2020
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3.9.16 Continuity of Employment
For both statutory and contractual purposes, continuity of employment is not broken by minimum,
extended or additional maternity leave or father's leave. This means that the full period of leave counts
for calculating continuous employment for statutory and contractual purposes except for accrual of
remuneration and holiday entitlement (see above).
Your contract of employment will continue during minimum, extended or additional maternity leave
or father's leave, although, of course, you will not be obliged to work nor, will the Company be obliged
to provide you with work. If for any reason you fail to return to work, or fail to give the appropriate
notification of your return to work, at the end of the relevant period of leave you will be treated as
having resigned from your employment and your employment and contract will come to an end as a
result of your resignation.
3.9.17 Health and Safety
In accordance with the Company's legal obligations the Company has carried out an assessment of the
risks to all pregnant employees, new mothers and breast-feeding mothers who work for the Company.
You should advise a MANAGER as soon as possible that you are pregnant, have given birth in the last
6 months or are breast feeding to allow adequate protection to be provided to you.
If your job is identified as carrying any risk for you or your unborn child, you will be notified
immediately, and arrangements will be made to remove you from those risks. This may mean that
your working conditions are altered or that you are offered another more suitable job for the duration
of your pregnancy. If neither of these options is possible the Company is obliged to suspend you on
full pay until you are no longer at risk. If you have any concerns about your own health and safety at
any time you should speak to, you’re a supervisor or a MANAGER immediately.
3.10 PARENT’S LEAVE
The company offers Parent’s Leave as provided under The Parents Leave and Benefit Act 2019. The
company provides two weeks statutory leave to employees within the first year of a child’s life, or in
the case of adoption, within one year of the placement of the child with the family. Parent’s leave is
available to each parent.
(Currently parent’s leave is 2 weeks, but it may be increased in the future up to a maximum of 9 weeks).
Please note, parent’s leave will be refused if you are not entitled to it.
Parents leave is unpaid by the company. Where enough PRSI contributions have been made the parent
will be entitled to a payment from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. If you
qualify for Parent’s Benefit, you will get €245 each week, if you are to receive a “top up” while on
parents leave, this will be specified in your contract of employment.
Parent’s Leave, Paternity Leave, Parental Leave and Adoptive Leave are individual family friendly
leaves. Each leave must be applied for separately and has different entitlements.
3.10.1 The difference between Parental Leave and Parents Leave
Parental leave entitles parents to take unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their
children. Currently both parents can take up to 22 weeks parental leave and from 1 September 2020,
this will increase to 26 weeks.
Parent’s leave is specifically for parents during the child’s first year.
Paternity leave is specifically for new parents (other than the mother) in their child’s first 6 months.
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