Trinity College Dublin

-STAFF OFFICE

• Background and Rationale

   Trinity College Dublin has approximately 1600 core staff with a further group of seasonal and temporary staff. It is a feature of the College that the workforce is made up of a wide variety of posts. For example, there are technicians, buildings maintenance staff, housekeeping and catering staff, secretarial, library and administrative staff, all working alongside the academic staff. These staff are a diverse group in age, ethnicity, experience and educational qualifications. The College environment needs such diversity to maintain the quality of service and innovative edge.

   Since Ireland has become a member of the European Union there has been a growing emphasis on equality in the workplace. As part of the College's wish to ensure genuine equality in the workplace it has developed many family friendly policies. It is important that College staff and other employers are aware of what is available in this regard. This is particularly important in the context of Ireland's economic prosperity and the problems this brings in the recruitment and retention of staff.

  In Ireland it is clear that the future will bring an increased requirement for flexible working arrangements. Trinity College has always recognised this and has been at the forefront of employers who provide family friendly arrangements. For example, the first on site workplace nursery in Ireland was opened in the College in 1969. College has felt for some time that the various working arrangements should be highlighted for staff.

   The College has always been, and will continue to be, proactive in the development of new family friendly policies. Our most recent scheme to be developed is a pilot scheme for Teleworking, where staff can work from home on a set number of days per week. We also have an Employee Assistance Programme in operation for a number of years.

• Family Friendly Working Arrangements

   The range of Family Friendly Initiatives and Work / Life Balance Initiatives developed by the College is quite broad and includes the following arrangements.

• Flexible working arrangements
  • Job Sharing
  • Part time Working
  • Flexi-time
  • Term Time Working
  • Pilot Teleworking Scheme

• Leave Arrangements
  • Force Majeure Leave
  • Parental Leave
  • Adoptive Leave
  • Maternity Leave
  • Compassionate Leave
  • College Holidays

• Breaks from Employment
  • Special Unpaid Leave for Career Breaks
  • Special Leave of Absences

• Health and Welfare
  • Sick Leave Scheme
  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Occupational Health Clinic
  • Student Health Service (Physiotherapy, Staff Clinic, Travel Health)
  • Alcoholism Programme
  • Health Insurance group schemes (VHI, Hospital Saturday Fund)

• Schemes for Staff
  • Pension Scheme
  • Fee Remission
  • House Purchase Loan
  • Day Nursery and Montessori School

• Staff Development Courses
  • Career and Life Planning Development
  • Managing Stress
  • Time Management
  • Interpersonal and Communication Skills
  • Pension Seminars
  • Retirement Courses
  • First Aid

• Other Initiatives and Policies
  • Trinity College Dublin Active Retirement Group
  • Equal Opportunities Recruitment and policies
  • Removal Expenses
  • Anti-harassment policy

• Take up of Arrangements

There has been significant interest in the schemes outlined above, in particular, in staff career breaks. These primarily have been for travel and family reasons. Following recent legislation, a significant number of staff have applied for their entitlement to Parental Leave. Fee Remission for staff members has always been widely used. In recognising changing trends in staff's home and travel arrangements, it is anticipated that there will be a large group of staff willing to take up an opportunity to Telework in the future. Staff Development courses are evolving constantly and the take up for the courses has increased dramatically in recent years.

• New Schemes and Benefits 2001/2002

1. Paternity
Paternity leave entitlement is 3 days paid leave which is granted solely to a male staff member on the birth or on the adoption of the child. This leave must be taken within four weeks of the birth / adoption.

2. Mortgage Scheme, in conjunction with The Mortgage Store.
A special mortgage package for staff members of Trinity College has been organised in conjunction with The Mortgage Store. There are several benefits which include specially discounted mortgage rates. Staff members should be aware that lending terms and conditions apply and these are determined by The Mortgage Store.

3. Teleworking
The Board approved the Teleworking arrangement in June 2001. Teleworking is an arrangement whereby staff members work partly in College and partly from home. Staff members retain normal rights and benefits while on the scheme.

4. Travel Pass, in conjunction with CIE.
Trinity College successfully introduced the reduced price Travel Pass for eligible Trinity College staff members. This scheme provides for the supply of Annual CIE travel passes to eligible staff members at a substantial discount, without their incurring benefit.

Contact: Ms. Louise Power, Personnel Officer, Staff Office, Trinity College, Dublin 2. Phone 6081825, email [email protected]