Some of the main points for your attention:
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An application for an ICB must be made through the HSE Internet at www.hse.ie or HSE intranet no later than 31 st May 2013.
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Employees will be advised if their application has been approved or otherwise on or before 18 th June 2013.
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Employees who have satisfactorily completed two years continuous service on the date of commencement of the ICB are eligible to apply.
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Successful applicants for an ICB will be paid an incentive of one third of gross basic pay up to a maximum of €12,000 per year, pro rata to hours worked and payable quarterly in arrears, for each year of the ICB.
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Where a previous career break was availed of, the person must have served, since their return from the earlier career break, for a period equal to the duration of that career break. In exceptional cases this period of service requirement between career breaks may be waived. However, a person who previously availed of an ICB is not eligible for a career break under the terms of this ICB scheme.
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A career break may be allowed for family reasons, other domestic purposes, travel abroad, volunteering overseas, self employment or educational purposes. An ICB is not available for taking up paid employment in the State, with any agency or company providing services to a publically funded body in the State or for educational purposes where the student/trainee is in an employment relationship with the training body and is in receipt of a normal salary/wage.
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An ICB will be for a period of three years.
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The HSE should normally reallocate or reorganise work or staff, where any vacancy arises under this scheme. The filling of vacancies arising through persons availing of special leave will be subject to current Government policy on public service numbers and, in particular, the moratorium on recruitment and promotion. A vacancy may only be filled be redeployment. A vacancy may not be filled by recruitment, an acting up arrangement, overtime or through agency/contract working.
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Persons availing of an ICB will not be eligible for promotion and will not be notified of competitions. They may however, apply for open recruitment competitions in other disciplines or staff categories for which they are eligible (i.e. disciplines/grades other than their current grade) If offered an appointment as a result of the competition, they will be required to end the ICB. No further incentive payment will be paid from the date that they take up their appointment. They will be required to resign their current position.
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The starting pay on appointment, from the open competition, of an employee on an ICB, will be calculated as though s/he were a new entrant at the time of the appointment. As stated in paragraph 22, the period of absence on an ICB will not count as service.
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An employee, who indicates s/he wishes to resume duty will be assigned to the next appropriate vacancy to be filled following the expiry of the ICB, with a guarantee of reemployment in a relevant grade (not necessarily in his/her existing work location) within twelve months of the expiry of the ICB. An appropriate vacancy, for these purposes, is a vacancy approved for filling, in the employees grade in the location in which he/she was serving immediately prior to commencing the ICB. In the context of this Circular “location” means within the local catchment/hospital group area or within a 45km radius of their current work location/home address, whichever is the shorter commute, with the Dublin area being treated as one suc h location. (Or other definition as may be in force at the time of return)
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As stated in paragraph 22 the period of an ICB does not reckon for superannuation purposes. However, an employee may, in certain circumstances, have the period reckoned for superannuation purposes by making a contribution of an appropriate percentage of salary. As the arrangements and the percentage of salary may differ depending on an employees individual circumstances, employees are advised to clarify the position with th eir Area HR department prior to commencing the ICB.
Click here to view HSE HR Circular 011-2013
Click here to view Letter and ICB Process
The above are only key points, it is imperative that if you wish to apply for the scheme that you read the attached circular in detail.
