HSE Sick Leave Policy 2026: Pay, Certs & Entitlements

Uncertified Sick Leave

What Is Uncertified Sick Leave?

Uncertified sick leave is short-term absence where you do not need to provide a doctor’s certificate. In the HSE, employees are entitled to:

• Up to 7 days self-certified sick leave in a rolling 24-month period (pro rata if you work part time)

You must notify your line manager (or designate) before your normal start time on each day of absence. Failure to do so can result in the absence being recorded as unauthorised leave.

Self-Certification

From the first day of absence, you are required to self-certify — this means completing your employer’s self-certification form when you return to work. Your manager will provide this form.

Important: Uncertified sick leave still counts toward your overall sick leave record. Excessive uncertified absences can trigger a formal absence management review.

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Certified Sick Leave

When Is a Medical Certificate Required?

A medical certificate (GP or specialist cert) is required for:

• Any absence longer than 7 consecutive days
• Once you have used your 7-day self-certified allocation in the rolling 24-month period
• Any absence your manager specifically requests certification for

The cert must be provided to your manager promptly — delays in submitting certs can affect your sick pay.

Sick Pay During Certified Sick Leave

Under the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, paid sick leave is the same for all staff - it is not tiered by length of service. You can receive:

Pay stage	Amount	Period
Full pay	Up to 92 days (about 3 months)	rolling 1 year
Then half pay	Up to 91 days (about 3 months)	rolling 1 year
Overall maximum	183 days of paid sick leave	rolling 4 years

The full-pay and half-pay limits apply in a rolling 1-year period, and the 183-day overall maximum applies in a rolling 4-year period — meaning your sick leave record from the previous 4 years is taken into account when calculating entitlement. If you have used significant sick leave in the last 4 years, your current entitlement may be reduced accordingly.

Note: After exhausting your paid sick leave entitlement, you move onto Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration (TRR) — see below.

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Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration (TRR)

What Is TRR?

Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration (TRR) is a reduced rate of pay that applies when an HSE employee has exhausted their paid sick leave entitlement but is not yet fit to return to work.

TRR is not sick pay — it is a form of income support designed to bridge the gap while the employee’s health improves or while a formal ill-health retirement assessment takes place.

TRR Rate of Pay

TRR is paid at 37.5% of your salary:

• TRR is paid at 37.5% of your normal salary
• You must have at least 2 years' service to qualify for TRR
• TRR is not your full salary and is significantly below standard pay

How Long Can You Receive TRR?

TRR can be paid for a maximum of:

• Up to 547 days (18 months) in a rolling 4-year period after paid sick leave is exhausted - up to 1,095 days where combined with a critical illness
• Subject to ongoing medical review by the HSE Occupational Health department

During TRR, you remain an HSE employee and your service continues to accrue for pension purposes, although pension contributions continue at the TRR rate.

TRR and Social Welfare

You cannot receive both TRR and Illness Benefit at the same time. TRR is paid instead of Illness Benefit — the HSE processes the arrangement internally and you do not separately claim from the Department of Social Protection while on TRR.

If you are not entitled to TRR (e.g. you have insufficient service), you should apply to the Department of Social Protection for Illness Benefit directly.

Applying for TRR

TRR is not something you apply for separately — it is triggered automatically by your HR department when your paid sick leave entitlement is exhausted. However, you should:

1. Continue submitting medical certificates throughout your absence
2. Attend any Occupational Health referral arranged by the HSE
3. Keep your line manager and HR department informed of your expected return date

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Critical Illness Protocol

What Is the Critical Illness Protocol?

The Critical Illness Protocol (CIP) is an enhanced sick leave provision that gives HSE employees additional paid sick leave when they suffer from a serious illness, serious physical injury, or serious mental health condition.

Employees covered by the CIP can receive enhanced paid sick leave:

Pay stage	Amount	Period
Full pay	Up to 183 days (6 months)	rolling 1 year
Then half pay	Up to 182 days (6 months)	rolling 1 year

This effectively doubles the sick pay entitlement for those who qualify.

What Conditions Qualify for the Critical Illness Protocol?

The CIP applies to conditions that are serious, acute, or life-threatening. Examples include (but are not limited to):

• Cancer (any stage requiring treatment)
• Heart attack or serious cardiac event
• Stroke
• Major surgery with extended recovery
• Serious accident or trauma resulting in hospitalisation
• Serious mental illness requiring hospitalisation (e.g. acute psychiatric admission)
• Organ failure or transplant

The condition must be certified by a consultant or specialist (a GP cert alone is generally not sufficient for CIP purposes).

How to Apply for the Critical Illness Protocol

The CIP is not automatic — you or your manager must request it. The process is:

1. Your specialist or consultant provides a medical report confirming the serious nature of your condition
2. Your line manager submits an application to HSE HR / Occupational Health with the supporting medical documentation
3. The HSE Chief Medical Officer or Occupational Health physician reviews the application
4. You are notified in writing of the outcome

If approved, your sick leave record is recalculated under the CIP thresholds rather than the standard scheme. Applications can be made retrospectively if circumstances change during an existing sick leave period.

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Returning to Work After Sick Leave

Return to Work Meeting

When you return to work after sick leave, your line manager is required to hold a Return to Work meeting with you. This is a supportive, not disciplinary, conversation to:

• Welcome you back
• Understand any ongoing health needs or adjustments required
• Review your workload and any phased return arrangement
• Complete the Return to Work form (retained on your HR file)

Phased Return to Work

If you are not immediately fit for full duties, the HSE can facilitate a phased return to work — for example, starting at reduced hours or lighter duties before building back to full capacity. This must be agreed with your line manager and occupational health in advance.

Sick Leave and Annual Leave

If you were on certified sick leave during a period of scheduled annual leave, you may be entitled to have that annual leave credited back. You must notify your manager and submit medical certificates covering the relevant period.

Similarly, if a public holiday falls during a certified sick leave absence, you retain the entitlement to that public holiday and it is not counted as sick leave.

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Sick Leave and Probation

If you are within your probationary period, sick leave is monitored more closely. Extended or frequent sick leave during probation can delay the confirmation of your appointment. If this applies to you, speak to your line manager or HR business partner early.

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Sick Leave Monitoring and Absence Management

The HSE uses the Bradford Factor and local monitoring processes to identify patterns of absence. Triggers for a formal review may include:

• 3 or more separate absences in a rolling 12-month period
• Absence on Mondays and Fridays consistently
• Exhaustion of uncertified leave allocation

If your absence is referred for formal review, you will be notified in writing and given the opportunity to respond. The HSE HR Circular on Managing Attendance sets out the full process.

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Key HSE Sick Leave Forms

Form	Purpose
Self-Certification Form	Completed on return from uncertified sick leave
Return to Work Form	Completed at return to work meeting with manager
HR108	Occupational Health referral form
HR108T	TRR application / continuation form
CIP Application Form	Critical Illness Protocol request (via HR)

Forms are available from your line manager or HSE HR department. Some forms are available on the HSE staff intranet (HSeLanD).

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Sick Leave and Your Pension

Sick leave has implications for your HSE pension:

• Paid sick leave: counts as reckonable service — pension contributions continue as normal
• TRR period: counts as reckonable service, but contributions are based on TRR pay, not your normal salary
• Unpaid absence: generally does not count as reckonable service unless you make a special purchase of notional service later

If you are facing a long-term illness, it is worth requesting a pension projection from HSE HR to understand the impact on your retirement benefits.

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Summary: HSE Sick Leave at a Glance

Type	Max duration	Pay rate
Self-certified sick leave	7 days per rolling 24 months	Full pay
Ordinary certified sick leave	92 days full + 91 days half (max 183 days / rolling 4 years)	Full pay, then half pay
Critical Illness Protocol	183 days full + 182 days half	Full pay, then half pay
Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration	Up to 547 days (18 months) / rolling 4 years	37.5% of salary

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a doctor’s cert from day one?
No. You can self-certify for up to 7 days in a rolling 24-month period. A cert is required once you exceed 7 days or have used your uncertified allocation.

What happens if I run out of sick pay?
You may move onto TRR, paid at 37.5% of your salary, for up to 547 days (18 months) in a rolling 4-year period, subject to medical review and 2 years' service.

Can my employer contact me while I’m on sick leave?
Yes — the HSE may contact you regarding your absence, Occupational Health referrals, or return to work planning. You are expected to remain in reasonable contact with your manager.

Does sick leave affect my increment?
Extended sick leave can in some circumstances affect your annual increment date. Your HR business partner can advise based on your specific situation.

What is the difference between the Critical Illness Protocol and standard sick leave?
The CIP raises your paid sick leave to up to 183 days full pay plus 182 days half pay but requires certification from a specialist confirming the serious nature of your condition.

Can I take annual leave while on sick leave?
You cannot simultaneously be on sick leave and annual leave. However, you may take annual leave in agreement with your manager during a period when you have recovered sufficiently to do so.

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Disclaimer: This guide is for general information purposes. Entitlements depend on your grade, contract, and individual HR record. Always verify your specific entitlement with your HSE HR Business Partner or refer to the relevant HSE HR Circulars on hse.ie

Related HSE leave guides

• HSE leave entitlements (complete guide)
• Self-certified sick leave
• HSE annual leave entitlements
• HSE unpaid leave

Verified against the official HSE sick leave guidance and HSE HR Circular 024/2023 (Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, revised 4 September 2023).