Additional Special Leave

This is NICVA's policy outlining the rights and responsibilities of NICVA employees who additional leave for health purposes, trade union duties, public duties, jury service or any other special circumstances.

Absence for Special Health Purposes

NICVA will allow time off with pay during working hours to an employee who requires to attend any medical or counselling centre with special health problems including an alcohol, drugs or AIDS related condition.

Leave for Trade Union Duties

NICVA will allow time off to employees who are members of SIPTU as follows:

  • Members of the SIPTU Staff Section will be entitled once monthly to 45 minutes paid time off in order to attend section meetings – such meetings to commence at 12.15pm.
  • Members of the SIPTU Staff Section who are elected by that Section will be entitled to reasonable time off with pay in order to take part in SIPTU duties.
  • Officers of the SIPTU Staff Section will be entitled to paid time off in order to enable them to carry out industrial relations duties on behalf of that Section (excluding industrial action).
  • Members of the SIPTU Staff Section will be entitled to reasonable time off without pay to enable them to take part in industrial relations activities approved by SIPTU (excluding industrial action).  Such time off will be granted only with the prior permission of the Chief Executive.

Otherwise, NICVA will allow reasonable time off with pay to any employee who is an officer of a branch of a recognised trade union (within the meaning of Article 42 of the Industrial Relations (No 2) Northern Ireland Order 1976) to enable that officer to undertake industrial relations duties on behalf of that branch (excluding industrial action).

Public Duties

NICVA will allow reasonable time off for employees to carry out public duties as set out below:

  • Duties as a Justice of the Peace or lay magistrate
  • Membership of a District Council
  • Membership of a statutory tribunal, area Education or Health Board
  • Membership of a governing body of an educational establishment recognised by the Department of Education
  • Membership of any public body at the discretion of the Chief Executive

Payment for time off spent on these duties will be at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

Jury Service

An employee will be granted paid leave to attend for jury service, unless exemption is secured, subject to the deduction from salary of the allowance to which they are entitled under the Jurors’ Allowances Regulations. When required for jury service, the employee will be given certified details of their salary expressed as an hourly rate.

Miscellaneous Reasons

Short periods of paid or unpaid leave may be granted as required but at the discretion of the Chief Executive to whom advance applications must be made.

We share NICVA’s policies to assist organisations in drafting their own. However, our policies are relevant to NICVA and are not samples. They should not be replicated, but may be used for reference purposes, in conjunction with other guidance available. NICVA cannot accept any claims arising from error or misinterpretation.

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