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Everything you need to know about the change to government’s Sick Pay Legislation

Since 1 January 2023, changes have been applied to the Sick Leave Act 2022 recognising your right to paid sick leave. Offering you greater security as an employee. For you, it is financial protection when you need it most - and at TTM we support these changes 100%. So, how exactly does it work and how do you benefit?
Here’s everything you need to know.

Your New Legal Right

Up until now, you had no legal right to be paid while you were off sick from work. You could apply for a flat Illness Benefit, paid weekly, but this meant you had to have made a minimum level of PRSI contributions. You also didn’t get paid for the first three days of your being absent.

Now, the government’s new Statutory Sick Pay Scheme (SSP) aims to bring Ireland in line with other European countries that provide workers with paid sick leave.

Since 1 January 2023, you have the right to a legal minimum of 3 days’ sick pay each year, known as Statutory Sick Pay. Under this Scheme, your employer must pay 70% of your normal daily pay up to a maximum allowance of €110 a day.

TTM’s Senior HR Business Partner, Samantha Slattery, welcomes the progressive development:

“It’s a massive step forward for agency workers. We obviously don’t want to be sending sick people out to work in healthcare settings where there are vulnerable people. But we don’t want workers to be out of pocket either. This new legal right works for everyone.”

An Increasing Benefit

The government has agreed to phase in entitlement to paid sick leave over 4 years. The number of days for which you are covered will increase annually as follows:

2023 - 3 Days

2025 - 7 Days

2024 - 5 Days

2026 - 10 Days

Check that You Qualify

To qualify for paid sick leave you will be an employee, intern, apprentice or agency worker who has been working with us for at least 13 continuous weeks.

To qualify for payment you also need to be certified by a GP as being unable to work.

Get with the Programme

TTM is proud to have been on board with the new Scheme from the get-go. Samantha explains:

“We have put a robust but simple process in place to help our workers access the Scheme. We want all our workers to familiarise themselves with it and know how to avail of its benefits.”

To claim your sick pay you need to:

1. Contact your consultant at least 1 hour before you are due to start work to let them know you are sick. Do not ring the client directly.

2. Complete our Sick Pay Claim Form which you can access here.

The Facts at a Glance

You can receive up to a maximum allowance of €110 a day.

You’ll be paid from the first day you are off sick - no ‘waiting days’ apply.

You can take your paid sick days consecutively or non- consecutively.

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You’ll find more details on Sick Pay with TTM in your TTM HR Handbook.