With the current pressures on the health service, many doctors are unable to avail of their full annual leave entitlement in the current leave year.  As a result, it has been agreed that the normal rules governing the carry-over of leave, including the capping of leave that can be carried over, will be temporarily waived for frontline healthcare workers who are unable to avail of outstanding annual leave due to service requirements.

You can find a copy of the relevant HSE HR Circular here.

The onus remains on managers to ensure that frontline healthcare workers can take their statutory leave entitlement, and the IMO would encourage members, for their own wellbeing, to take as much of their leave as can be taken.

We would draw your attention to the specific section of the Circular relating to NCHDs which provides for payment to be made in lieu of leave that could not be taken as a result of pandemic service pressures, upon the termination of the NCHDs contract. This section was included at the insistence of the IMO in recognition of the employment patterns of NCHDs.

If you have any queries in this matter please contact the IMO on (01) 6767273, or by e-mail at memberadvisoryunit@imo.ie.