Benefits | FAQs

Annual leave entitlement depends on your grade and when you joined DCU. Please see the annual leave policy with new grade titles.  If you are still unsure or need any help, please email AskHr@dcu.ie. 

Yes, you can carry over up to five days of annual leave. Your line manager must approve any request to carry more than five days.

There are numerous family-related leave options, such as:     

• 26 weeks of maternity and adoption leave          
• 16 weeks of unpaid maternity leave and adoption leave 
• 2 weeks of paternity leave
• 7 weeks of parents’ leave
• 26 weeks of parental leave for each child up to the age of 13
• a minimum of 13 weeks and up to 104 weeks of carers’ leave.

We offer:

• Exam leave
• Study leave
• leave for jury service or court attendance
• Leave of absence

Please check the individual leave policies for more information.

It’s unpaid special leave where you can request to have your reduced pay spread over a 12-month period from January to December.

Depending on business needs, extraordinary leave may be granted when  no other policy covers  the type of leave requested. 

You can contact AskHr@dcu.ie. 

All staff are eligible for sick leave with pay, calculated on a pro-rata basis. This includes seven days of uncertified sick leave in any rolling four-year period. 

Additional sick leave must be certified or deducted from your annual leave entitlement for the current or succeeding year – subject to approval from the head of school or unit. Alternatively, it may be deducted from your salary. 

Staff with three or more consecutive days’ absence must be certified by a medical practitioner. They may be eligible to:

• Get full pay less social welfare illness benefit for certified sick leave up to 92 days pro rata, in line with their contract duration 
• Half pay after that for another 91 days pro rata, in line with their contract duration. This is subject to a maximum of 183 days’ paid sick leave in a rolling four-year period.

You may be eligible for pro rata sick leave. Check your contract for more information.

You may be eligible for pro rata sick leave. Check your contract for more information.

You are entitled to five days’ sick pay a year. Your employer pays sick pay at 70% of your normal pay, up to a maximum of €110 a day. You must be employed for at least 13 weeks to qualify for statutory sick pay. 

Yes, all DCU full-time and part-time fixed staff must join the pension scheme by law. 

The income continuance scheme gives you a replacement income of up to 75% of your annual salary if you become ill and are unable to work, and your sick pay has reduced to half pay or stopped completely. 

The plan provides a lump sum of typically twice your annual salary if you die. You will get a once-off lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of the specified illnesses listed in the policy document. You receive an extra 10% of your salary if you claim from the plan for over two years.

The plan costs 1.9% of your salary.

Once you have cancelled, you will need to sign a medical declaration or provide medical information if you wish to rejoin the plan. A change in medical history in the interim may affect your ability to rejoin the plan.

DCU buys annual commuter tickets on behalf of employees.  The cost is recuperated through payroll over a 12-month period or over the remainder of your contract, if your contract is less than 12 months.

This means you do not pay PRSI, USCI or pension-related deductions, resulting in significant savings on travel expenses. 

For more information, visit the travel pass scheme webpage.

DCU buys new bicycles, including accessories,on behalf of employees. The cost is recuperated through payroll over a 12-month period or over the remainder of your contract, if your contract is less than 12 months.

This means you do not pay PRSI, USCI or pension-related deductions, resulting in significant savings on travel expenses.  

You can apply for the scheme once every four years.

For more information, visit the Cycle to Work Scheme webpage. 

We offer facilities and amenities across all campuses, including restaurants and cafes, sports facilities, shops, chemists, a crèche, parking and interfaith centres. 

Find more information on DCU facilities. 

DCU does not offer a health plan, but can facilitate deductions from your salary for VHI only.