Page updated 21 May 2024
A member of staff is entitled to take unpaid leave from work to provide significant care or support to a prescribed person for a serious medical reason. Medical Care leave can be used in a flexible way for parents or carers that need time off from work in situations that can be unpredictable or in some cases pre-planned.
In this section you can find more about the Medical Care leave process and browse Frequently Asked Questions.
(see Force Majeure & Medical Care Leave Policy)
Medical Care leave is unpaid and non-pensionable and falls under the Force Majeure & Medical Care Leave Policy. There are no service requirements to avail of Medical care Leave.
It is recognised that employees have family commitments and responsibilities and will need to take time off from work. While Force Majeure leave by its nature is unforeseen, Medical Care leave can be availed of with advance notice or in some instances, can arise unexpectedly.
This page contains a summary of the Policy but in all cases the Policy listed in the Governance Document Library remains the ultimate source of information.
As soon as it is reasonably practicable upon your return to work after an absence on Medical Care leave, you must complete and sign the Notification of intention to take Medical Care Leave Form, and have it countersigned by the Head of School/Unit/Line Manager and forward it to UCD HR at (opens in a new window)hrhelpdesk@ucd.ie
You will receive a letter from UCD HR confirming:
A prescribed person is:
(a) a person of whom the employee is the relevant parent or acting in loco parentis
(b) the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant
(c) a parent or grandparent
(d) a brother or sister
(e) a person other than one specified above, who lives in the same household as the employee and is in need of significant care or support for serious medical reason.
A maximum of five working days in any period of twelve consecutive months. The minimum leave taken at a time is one day. Half or part days are counted as one full day in terms of total entitlement.
UCD defines a serious medical reason as a disability, illness or injury that requires an employee to provide care or support to a prescribed person either at home or in a healthcare setting.
An employee may be required to produce relevant evidence such as a medical certification or evidence as may be reasonably required in order to show that the person concerned is or was in need of significant care or support for a serious medical reason.
The HR Helpdesk is the primary point of contact for all your employment-related queries by email and telephone. We are here to help you with any queries on employee benefits, terms & conditions and HR policies & procedures. If we can’t help you directly, we will refer your query to a HR specialist area.
All visitors to UCD HR, Roebuck offices should be by appointment only and arrangements to be made with specific HR staff members.
(opens in a new window)hrhelpdesk@ucd.ie
+ 353-1-716-4900
UCD HR
Roebuck Offices,
UCD Belfield Campus.
The UCD (EAS) is a 24/7 free and confidential support service designed to assist you in dealing more effectively with any personal or work-related problems you might be facing. The service is operated confidentially by Spectrum.Life, the largest provider of employee health and wellness services in Ireland.
The service can be used by a UCD employee, their spouse, civil partner and dependents where the family member can be described as over the age of 18 and residing in the family home.