FE External Authenticators travelling expenses

jfly57

Hi,

I'm interested in hearing comments, opinions, suggestions or experiences from other user on the following issue: Aggregated Mileage payments by ETBs to FE External Authenticators (EA). In early 2017 the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issued a Circular (05/2017: Motor Travel Rates) to all departments and public bodies, in which it was outlined that civil and public servants are entitled to aggregate their travel mileage/kms for each year. If the aggregated total travel exceeds 1,500 km the employee is entitled to claim a higher travel expenses rate of 83.53 cent per km for engine capacity 1501cc and over, as against 44.79 cent for a total distance of under 1,500 km. The Circular states that "the revised rates are based on a methodology that reflects changes in technology, road conditions, commuter behaviour, and car ownership patterns". This indeed is an admiral recommendation to make, considering that such a volume of travel exacts a considerable amount of wear and tear on an employees' vehicle.
The State Examinations Commission have implemented the directive issued in the circular and have made back-payments for previous years. This is a commendable development.
However, the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) are failing to implement the directive for travel incurred by EA's who are authenticating FE and Training Centre courses. Some of the ETBs plead ignorance regarding the Circular while others claim they lack any policy on the issue. The ETBI(umbrella body for ETBs) appears to be dragging its heels on the issue by claiming it is up to an employee to take up this issue with the individual ETBs. One would expect that ETBI's role is to guide member ETBs in discharging their statutory duties instead of dodging the issue.
This is a very significant issue for EAs who are incurring high volumes of travel and deserves immediate attention.
Are there any readers affected by this issue? Any suggestions?

spurious

Has it been raised with the Union?

jfly57

Hi,
It is likely that those who are affected are in most cases retired as it would not be possible for a currently employed teacher/tutor to do that amount of EA work resulting in 1500 km of aggregated travel. People in this situation are unlikely to be in a union.

Wanderer19

Are you a permanent employee of the ETB or under a specified contract?
Who set your rate/wage?
What does your contract/terms and conditions say about travel expense?

jfly57

Wanderer19 wrote: »

Are you a permanent employee of the ETB or under a specified contract?
Who set your rate/wage?
What does your contract/terms and conditions say about travel expense?

No, I'm no longer a permanent employee of an ETB, I'm retired but when one is employed to do EA work for an ETB one is classed as an employee and issued with an employee number.
Payment is set and agreed by the Dept of Education and each ETB draws up a contract for all appointed EAs. None of the ETB contracts for 2019, that I signed, made any reference to the aggregation of travel as set out in the DPER circular.

jfly57

jfly57 wrote: »

No, I'm no longer a permanent employee of an ETB, I'm retired but when one is employed to do EA work for an ETB one is classed as an employee and issued with an employee number.
Payment is set and agreed by the Dept of Education and each ETB draws up a contract for all appointed EAs. None of the ETB contracts for 2019, that I signed, made any reference to the aggregation of travel as set out in the DPER circular.

Btw It was clarified by ETBI before Xmas that all ETBs had been informed by ETBI that the DPER circular 05 2017 is to implemented by all ETBs.