The Irish Department of Public Expenditure and Reform says all 340,000 Government employees who undertake non-essential foreign travel must use additional annual leave or pre-arranged unpaid leave to self-isolate for 14 days on return.
In a statement, the Department said that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it had operated as a “unified, One Public Service”.
“Accordingly, this requirement will apply to all Public Service employees in order to ensure equity of treatment between those who, due to the nature of their work, have been able to work from home during the crisis and those who have continuously attended the workplace throughout,” the statement said.
It noted that if an employee chose to go abroad for non-essential travel, they were going against Government advice, “and essentially making themselves unavailable to their place of work”.
“While employees may have been at home to date, working from home is not a right of employment, and as society and business reopens, employers will determine workplace attendance as necessary and in line with public health advice,” the statement said.
The Department was asked whether employees who lost out on pre-booked holidays should be compensated for following Government advice.
“With regard to reimbursement, travellers should contact their travel agent, airline or service provider to discuss their options,” the statement said.
Dublin, 17 July 2020
