19th September 2019
The DES has issued an information note (click here) on revised procedures for claiming illness benefit for Class A PRSI contributors effective 1 September 2019.
Who is this applicable to?
PRSI Class A contributors absent on sick leave for more than six successive days (excluding Sunday). Teachers appointed after April 6th, 1995 or teachers who have had a break in service after that date are PRSI Class A contributors.
What is the change?
From 1 September 2019, where a teacher is absent on sick leave for more than six successive days (excluding Sunday), they are required to submit a form IB1 and a form Med1 directly to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) in order to claim illness benefit. If the teacher is eligible to claim illness benefit, then it will be paid directly to them from the DEASP. They will receive their DES salary minus the sum of illness benefit paid by the DEASP.
How is this different?
Prior to 1 September 2019, teachers were required to submit these forms to the Department of Education and Skills (DES). The DES was mandated to continuing paying an employee their full salary while on sick leave and would later recoup the illness benefit from the DEASP on the employee’s behalf. The revised procedures are standard across the public service.
What do I need to do?
- Submit a standard medical certificate from your doctor to your school so that your absence can be recorded on the OLCS as soon as possible;
- When absent for more than six days, obtain a form IB1 and form MED1 from your doctor and send both directly to the DEASP (NB: ensure to include your bank account details on the form IB1);
- Submit the forms to the DEASP as soon as possible to ensure payment is processed in a timely manner.