The Department of Education and Skills has made the following important clarifications in relation to payment of both Hourly Paid Assistant Lecturers (HPALs) and certain ETB staff:
HPALs
The Department of Education and Skills had confirmed that, in relation to Hourly Paid Assistant Lecturers (HPALs):
- Where a HPAL was scheduled to work in the period of closure, then the institution should continue to record that claim. The person will be paid for that scheduled absence.
- Such payment will be based on the normal weekly contracted hours (as per institution records) that the employee would have delivered/would have been expecting to deliver if they were available for work / if the institution was open for students.
- Payment will be on the basis of the contracted hours only and for the duration of the contract.
THEA and TUD have been advised of the position.
'Tutor' grade in ETBs
The following sets out the position (as specified by the Department of Education and Skills) in respect of payments for ETB staff who are not encompassed by DES Circular 20/2020 – i.e. those in the “tutor” grade, so-called.
This clarification is in the context of the Government decision regarding the management of Covid-19 in education settings.
- Where a person was scheduled to work in the period of closure, then the ETB should continue to record that claim. The person will be paid for that scheduled absence.
- Such payment will be based on the normal weekly contracted hours (as per school/college/centre records) that the employee would have delivered/would have been expecting to deliver if they were available for work / if the centre was open.
- Payment will be on the basis of the contracted hours only and for the duration of the contract.