LTB 084/20 – Post Office: Collective Agreement – Career Break Policy
No. 084/2020
18th February 2020
Dear Colleagues
POST OFFICE: COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT – CAREER BREAK POLICY
I would like to advise Branches the Postal Executive has today unanimously endorsed a Collective Agreement for a new Career Break Policy. The National Agreement, which is attached, is being introduced from 24th February.
The Career Break Policy:
- Outlines eligibility and principles
- Explains the process from request to returning
- Gives clarity to the conditions while on a career break
The new agreement includes a number of key improvements to the previous agreement:
- Removed the disqualification of anyone with a current overpayment from applying by replacing it with employees being eligible if they settle any monies owed before the break commences (Section 2)
- Employees are no longer expected to come in and work for a number of days every year they have off
- Included a discretionary clause for eligibility so that those with poor attendance and ill health will not be automatically disqualified
- The career break is a maximum of two years with the ability to apply for an extension in exceptional cases (Section 4)
- Removed the inability of employees on a Career Break being able to undertake other work (Section 4). This enables those on further education to take part-time work to support their studies
- A robust appeal process has been put in place (Section 7).
In closing, I would like to thank Lynn Simpson, Postal Executive member, who was instrumental in bringing this negotiation to a successful conclusion.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
20LTB084 Post Office – Collective Agreement – Career Break Policy