Special pay scheme for health staff absent due to long-Covid extended for another three months

The temporary 12-month Special Scheme of Paid Leave was introduced in July 2022 for certain eligible public health sector employees suffering from long-Covid but after several extensions it ended on March 21.

The Department of Health said today that, at the request of the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, the scheme was extended a number of times, most recently in October 2023, when it was extended to run until the end of March 2024.

Taoiseach Simon Harris also announced the extension earlier in the Dáil. It will affect around 118 staff.

"The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform made it clear that this was a final extension, meaning the Special Scheme would end on March 31.

"The conclusion of the special scheme has been the subject of an industrial relations claim from health sector staff representative bodies and has been referred back to the Workplace Relations Commission.”

It said Minister Donnelly sought a further extension to allow for further conciliation to take place on the matter.

The Department of Health said the re-instatement of the scheme will be retrospective to April 1 and will apply only to those workers who were previously on the scheme.

There will be no impact on sick leave entitlements for those affected, as a result of its conclusion on March 31.

Health service employees impacted will be notified of this without delay, said the department. The matter may go back to the Workplace Relations Commission.

The small group who are impacted had previously been told that once it ended they could seek support from the public service sick leave scheme.

That scheme provides full pay for three months, followed by half pay for three months. After this workers can apply for temporary rehabilitative remuneration which, if granted, could provide up to a further 547 days of paid leave.

The Department of Health said that around 118 public health service employees were affected.

Fórsa trade union, which represents more than 30,000 healthcare workers nationwide, welcomed the announcement.

Responding, Fórsa’s national secretary for Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the extension would provide space for conciliation talks, due to take place at the Workplace Relations Commission tomorrow.

Ms Connolly added: “Long-Covid continues to be a serious health problem for hundreds of healthcare staff. It is a condition without precedent and creates a challenge both for those workers affected and the health services more generally.

“It is essential that we can develop an agreed and permanent solution for those affected. The temporary extension announced today provides a bit of much needed breathing space for conciliation, and will provide some peace of mind for affected workers following months of uncertainty and worry.”