{"id":208254,"date":"2025-04-27T06:43:21","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T06:43:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/business\/insurance\/sick-leave-sick-pay\/"},"modified":"2025-04-27T06:43:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T06:43:21","slug":"sick-leave-sick-pay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=208254","title":{"rendered":"Sick Leave & Sick Pay"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"sick\"sick<\/p>\n

Sarah is 33 and works as an accountant in a firm in the city centre.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s mostly on time \u2013 though last week she was late because her cat vomited on the floor.<\/p>\n

Sarah suspects that Jim, the cat in question, took one look at the hardwood flooring in the hallway and thought,<\/p>\n

\n

Nah, the carpet is a way better shout.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Little fecker.<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s a great employee; she\u2019s even started contributing to her employer\u2019s pension scheme.<\/p>\n

But then Sarah gets sick.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s out of work for a week because of cramps.<\/p>\n

The company she works for are decent and pay her ten sick days a year.<\/p>\n

Sarah\u2019s not worried.<\/p>\n

But then the cramps don\u2019t go away, and she finds out she\u2019s got stomach cancer, and she\u2019s about to face a long medical battle, and God knows how long out of work.<\/p>\n

Those ten paid sick days are all the company offers.<\/p>\n

So, what happens next?<\/p>\n

And what if something like that were to happen to you?<\/p>\n

How do Sick Leave and Sick Pay Work in Ireland?<\/h2>\n

Stories like Sarah\u2019s happen all the time.<\/p>\n

Life happens \u2013 and sometimes it happens hard<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Most of us don\u2019t consider insuring our salary<\/a> in the event of illness \u2013 it\u2019s not on top of our minds when negotiating a new job or a revised contract.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re probably too busy finagling over the dollar bills we\u2019re making.<\/p>\n

But sick pay is important \u2013 hopefully, you\u2019ve got a caring employer willing to cough up for more than a few days.<\/p>\n

Because here\u2019s the thing: an employee in Ireland (that\u2019s you) is legally entitled to just five days of sick pay per year (and that\u2019s only since Jan 1 2024!<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

Your company doesn\u2019t owe you a cent.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter whether you\u2019re toiling at your desk long past office hours or taking the mick with extremely extended lunch breaks \u2013 we all have the same statutory rights when it comes to sick pay \u2013 three<\/del> five measly days.<\/p>\n

Other than those five days, the amount of sick you get is up to your employer, though most businesses settle for the bare minimum \u2013 which, in the grand scheme of an entire working year, isn\u2019t a whole lot.<\/p>\n

Especially as you hit 40 and end up with hangovers that last longer than those five days.<\/p>\n

Remember that one particular session when you were keeled over your desk until the Thursday, considering selling all your worldly possessions and living out of the back of a van while you travel around Europe. Your kids could go live with their gran for a while, surely.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"hangover\"hangover<\/p>\n

In all seriousness, get familiar with your company\u2019s sick pay policy \u2013 including how many days you\u2019ll get.<\/p>\n

Also, find out how soon your employer requires a medical certificate \u2013 it\u2019s usually after two or three consecutive days off and it should say when you\u2019ll be able to return to work.<\/p>\n

PRO TIP:<\/strong> If you\u2019re on annual leave and you\u2019re ill and get a cert to prove it, you should get the day back and can take it off later. You\u2019re welcome.<\/p>\n

Could\u00a0 You Survive Financially if you Took More Than Five Days Off?<\/h2>\n

Deep breaths, sonny, because we\u2019re about to look at the cold, hard facts of being long-term out of work.<\/p>\n

It ain\u2019t pretty.<\/p>\n

So, depending on your exact circumstances, you\u2019ll be looking at various options \u2013 all of which have terrifying names.<\/p>\n

The options are:<\/a><\/p>\n