I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to Long Covid and I am committed to providing support.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has provided for Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) for the recommended isolation period (currently 7 days), for civil and public servants nationally who contract Covid. For certain employees who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a temporary Scheme, specific to the public health service was introduced to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection. Employees who met the eligibility criteria for the Scheme transferred to the Scheme on 1st July 2022. For those who do not meet the criteria for the temporary Scheme but remain unwell, the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme may be utilised.
Department officials are working to establish a process for engagement with multiple stakeholders to analyse how support could be provided going forward for those public health employees suffering from Long Covid. However, as this is an ongoing Industrial Relations matter, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this point.
