shorter working year scheme

Marymoore

Hey i wanted to ask a few things about this. Do your children need to be on holidays to take this? The problem is that i am not allowed take annual leave during the summer so if i was to take a shorter working year, it would have to be in winter during school. Do many people take this? I was thinking to take maybe 3/4 weeks. Wht are chances it would be approved thanks. how do companies cope without the person? Who would take over the job?

Mrs OBumble

This scheme is only for public servants as a scheme.

Some private companies may agree to give you unpaid leave, but I doubt they would smooth your pay over the year

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267453/shorter-working-year-scheme

In the civil service, you do not have to be a parent to avail of the Shorter Working Year Scheme, as limiting it to parents only would be discriminatory on grounds of family status. You can take the leave at any time of the year.

Whether your application is approved or not is down to your supervisor, and the applications are made via PeoplePoint. If you prefer to be paid pro-rata you have to apply early - I think the deadline for pro-rata paid SWYS for 2023 may have already passed, though I believe it is possible to take two weeks off payroll on a few weeks notice.

Where I work, we just treat SWYS absences the same as annual or sick leave, in terms of cover.

Marymoore

thanks for the replies. and if i opt for it, is it better to get my salary spread over the year and get a lower amount each month or to leave my pay and just take the weeks unpaid? im just confused how it would work as im due an increment in october. so if i get it spread, they might pay me less as theyll be dividing up my current salary...? i wanna make sure i get my increment

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744166#Comment_119744166

Have to advise you're already too late for that. Closing date for applications for pro-rata SWY was September 30. But as stated above, you can put in for SWY without pay at any stage.

Marymoore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744225#Comment_119744225

thank you :) and would my manager frown upon this? or do they happily let people take it.... im scared to ask for it

Marymoore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744225#Comment_119744225

guessing i can save a few quid each week myself to plan for it...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744166#Comment_119744166

I always took pro-rata pay, as I still got paid while on leave and there was no break in my credit union deductions, etc. You get used to the reduced amount very quickly.

SWYS will have no affect on your increment.

Marymoore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744266#Comment_119744266

thanks. and would there be an issue if there was a break in your deductions? thanks just trying to consider all options

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744242#Comment_119744242

I can't speak for your manager! 😁

What I can tell you though is I've taken it myself the past two summers (four weeks in July each time), and am already approved to do the same next year. There are a few others on my floor who have taken it to varying degrees in recent years too. Not aware of anybody in my place ever being denied it. So all you can do is ask....

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744308#Comment_119744308

If you were off payroll and you had something like a credit union deduction, you'd have to make arrangements to pay it yourself.

I take SWYS every year and have done since my daughter was in fifth class. Never been refused. She is now nearly 26 :)

Marymoore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744425#Comment_119744425

ah ye i understand. thats nice you take it every year :) its a nice perk with the public sector, i was just afraid to ask as nobody else seems to take it... how many weeks do you tend to take each year, thanks

When my daughter was still in school I took 8 weeks. Now I take 4 weeks, just for me :)

Bicyclette

The Pro-rata is fine if there are no changes in your circumstances. However once you are approved, there is very little room for change.

I got very badly bitten in 2020. I had been approved, the previous autumn, for a month's SWY from mid June to mid July. However with the lockdowns nothing was open and we couldn't travel. After a LOT of negotiations, I was able to postpone my month's leave for a few weeks until things were opened up again. But because of lockdowns, I then had a huge amount of annual leave to take but I couldn't go anywhere because of further lockdowns.

Since then, I've gone unpaid when I've taken SWY. You have a greater level of control over what you are doing, and you really only need to firm down your plans about eight weeks in advance.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119746308#Comment_119746308

That's actually a good point. Once SWYS is approved, you can't cancel it.

Also, if you are work-sharing, and take SWYS leave on a pro-rata basis, you can't change your work-sharing pattern during that year, as they calculate your pro-rata pay based on your salary on the last pay date of the year.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119744474#Comment_119744474

Just be aware that you are off payroll. There are no PRSI or pension deductions even if you get pro rata swy allowance. It will lessen service when it comes to your pension calculation. If your paying tax you may be entitled to a tax refund when off.

MomandCo

What happens if you are on SWY Pro rata and resign before the end of the year?

Bicyclette

It depends on whether you have taken the SWY leave or not. What you have been paid will be balanced against what you have earned and if you have been paid more than you have earned then you will be liable to pay back what you have been overpaid e.g. if you took July off and then resigned mid-August. If however you have earned more than you have been paid e.g. booked August but resigned in July, then they would pay you back what you have been underpaid. All of that information should have been in the documentation you completed when applying for your Pro-Rata.

MomandCo

Great thank you it will be the first example: booked July of and intend to resign in August.... how do I pay it back? Has anyone came across this before? TIA x