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Advice on Career Break

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  • 13-12-2018 12:55pm
    #1
    Icsics
    Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭


    I'm considering applying for a career break for next year. I would like to hear peoples experience of career break & any disadvantages to it! Thanks


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    #2
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,222 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    The year flew by and I ended up applying for a second year.

    Depending on what you intend to do during it, one or two years may not be enough.

    Make sure on return to pay your pension contributions and take associate membership of your union while out, just in case.

    Not sure what the Teaching Council implications are, so check them out.


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    #3
    Icsics
    Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭Icsics


    Thanks spurious. Looking at Job Share option too


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    #4
    dermey97
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭dermey97


    One of the best options I ever took, took year out and headed to oz. great to experience something different....real shame didn't take more years out. Highly recommend it.


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    #5
    lennyloulou
    Registered Users Posts: 344 ✭✭lennyloulou


    am on year 3. In Australia. Best decision ever. Will not go back teaching.


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    #6
    roxychix
    Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭roxychix


    took two years out in 2016 and it was the best decision. should have took another but financially couldn't but well earned break which revitalised my view on being a teacher.


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    #7
    Grueller
    Registered Users Posts: 5,225 ✭✭✭Grueller


    lennyloulou wrote: »
    am on year 3. In Australia. Best decision ever. Will not go back teaching.

    If you are so sure would it not be fairer to resign your position so that your replacement can get some security of tenure?


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    #8
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    Grueller wrote: »
    If you are so sure would it not be fairer to resign your position so that your replacement can get some security of tenure?

    Replacement will have/be receiving security of tenure as career break is eligible for CID.


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    #9
    Lisa2017
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Lisa2017


    Career breaks are fantasic. I took one after I was teaching for 6 years. The year flew by & I achieved a master's in another discipline. I would say that it depends on what you want to do during the time off - for example I went job share two years ago. With the tax situation you get 2/3 of your salary & you are still making a contribution to your pension. Either way - career break or job share - you will likely be delighted that you took the option and gave yourself the freedom to do something else - go for it!


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    #10
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Lisa2017 wrote:
    Career breaks are fantasic. I took one after I was teaching for 6 years. The year flew by & I achieved a master's in another discipline. I would say that it depends on what you want to do during the time off - for example I went job share two years ago. With the tax situation you get 2/3 of your salary & you are still making a contribution to your pension. Either way - career break or job share - you will likely be delighted that you took the option and gave yourself the freedom to do something else - go for it!


    Can I ask about the pension contribution, are you losing a year pension for every year taken or are you saying you can buy these back on return to work?


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    #11
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,222 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    On a career break you can buy them back on return. I think I had one year within which to do it. It was pricey enough, so although I was on CB for two years, I could only afford to pay for one on return.


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    #12
    Lisa2017
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Lisa2017


    Yes that's true with regards to the pension. So it's personal preference - stay full-time for as long as possible and enjoy a full pension/as much as possible when you are older Or take a career break and enjoy something new now when you still have the energy to enjoy it! From my experience once you start thinking of career break, you want to try it so for me the freedom it gave was worth a year off the pension. So it depends on your own preference.


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    #13
    Marymidlands
    Registered Users Posts: 92 ✭✭Marymidlands


    Hoping to go on a career break. Is there a chance principal might say no. There is no shortage in my subjects and lots of young teachers with my subjects. Has one more chance of jobshare than career break?


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    #14
    Lisa2017
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Lisa2017


    It may vary from school to school but nobody has ever been refused a career break in our College. However
    You need to follow the terms & conditions carefully- ie specify the reason for your career break & as far as I am aware it cannot be to teach elsewhere at the same level or take up employment. You can say "personal reasons" though. Also teacher was granted a sabbatical instead of career break in order to work in industry - so this set a precedent in Our College for future applications.


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    #15
    Carrie6OD
    Registered Users Posts: 324 ✭✭Carrie6OD


    I’m also thinking of career break. Just back from maternity leave and am just hating it. Think a break will bring back my enthusiasm for the job. What exactly do I write on the letter? All advice much appreciated


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    #16
    Lisa2017
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Lisa2017


    Carrie6OD wrote: »
    I’m also thinking of career break. Just back from maternity leave and am just hating it. Think a break will bring back my enthusiasm for the job. What exactly do I write on the letter? All advice much appreciated

    The form is pretty short. Under reason you can write "family reasons" or "to care for my infant" etc. Job share is also an option, which I am currently doing. It's usually 2.5 days a week or 5 half days. It will depend on your personal.circumstances, but for most teachers it works out at 2/3 of your salary due to the lower rate of tax.


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    #17
    Icsics
    Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭Icsics


    Lisa2017 wrote: »
    The form is pretty short. Under reason you can write "family reasons" or "to care for my infant" etc. Job share is also an option, which I am currently doing. It's usually 2.5 days a week or 5 half days. It will depend on your personal.circumstances, but for most teachers it works out at 2/3 of your salary due to the lower rate of tax.

    Lisa, I'm looking at jobshare too. Is there any way to calculate what you might get?


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    #18
    Lisa2017
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Lisa2017


    Icsics wrote: »
    Lisa, I'm looking at jobshare too. Is there any way to calculate what you might get?

    You can ring payroll and ask what your gross income will be & then ring the tax office and ask what your net income is likely to be. However, there are 6 of us on Job share in our centre and each one of us is getting 2/3 of our original salary.


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    #19
    Icsics
    Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭Icsics


    Lisa2017 wrote: »
    You can ring payroll and ask what your gross income will be & then ring the tax office and ask what your net income is likely to be. However, there are 6 of us on Job share in our centre and each one of us is getting 2/3 of our original salary.

    Thanks, I'll go that. Does it make any difference what ur husband earns if we're jointly assessed for tax?


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    #20
    Lisa2017
    Registered Users Posts: 12 ✭Lisa2017


    Icsics wrote: »
    Thanks, I'll go that. Does it make any difference what ur husband earns if we're jointly assessed for tax?

    I'm jointly assessed too, the tax office said that I could request a review of my taxes at the end of the first year of job share to see if I had overpaid, so I'm due to do that soon. Regardless, each teacher on Job share that I spoke to said it was 2/3 of their salary they were getting.


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    #21
    Icsics
    Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭Icsics


    Lisa2017 wrote: »
    I'm jointly assessed too, the tax office said that I could request a review of my taxes at the end of the first year of job share to see if I had overpaid, so I'm due to do that soon. Regardless, each teacher on Job share that I spoke to said it was 2/3 of their salary they were getting.

    Brilliant, thanks Lisa
    One last question, is it advisable to keep up pension payments & is it easily done?


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    #22
    Carrie6OD
    Registered Users Posts: 324 ✭✭Carrie6OD


    Lisa2017 wrote: »
    The form is pretty short. Under reason you can write "family reasons" or "to care for my infant" etc. Job share is also an option, which I am currently doing. It's usually 2.5 days a week or 5 half days. It will depend on your personal.circumstances, but for most teachers it works out at 2/3 of your salary due to the lower rate of tax.

    I must be sleep deprived! I don’t see any form to fill out! Just says write a letter of application to your employer. I assume that’s my principal. Am I missing a form? TIA


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    #23
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,222 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Icsics wrote: »
    One last question, is it advisable to keep up pension payments & is it easily done?
    Unless you want to work another year at the end of your career, yes.

    The payment can be done in a lump sum on your return, or they can take it out of your salary on return. I think there is a year to pay it back.


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    #24
    Crock Rock
    Closed Accounts Posts: 616 ✭✭✭Crock Rock


    Such a pity us mugs in the private sector can't really get this.


    18 weeks annual leave too for secondary teachers. Don't know why they strike so often to be honest. Can you take leave during your long holidays? It's not at all fair on the children to be chopping and changing teachers all the time.

    Not the place for this Crock Rock,
    poster has been warned.
    MOD


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    #25
    mtoutlemonde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭mtoutlemonde


    Crock Rock wrote: »
    Such a pity us mugs in the private sector can't really get this.


    18 weeks annual leave too for secondary teachers. Don't know why they strike so often to be honest. Can you take leave during your long holidays? It's not at all fair on the children to be chopping and changing teachers all the time.

    I usually ignore trolls but here goes - feel free to train as a teacher and try to get full time employment in the first ten years after graduating. You won't unless very lucky.

    In the last strike which was two years ago, amongst a few things, it was for the children mainly the introduction of the new junior cycle. There wasn't a strike for years before that.

    People change jobs all the time - teaching is no different. Teachers sub in various schools prior to getting job security and can get work far away from home and if jobs/work comes up locally - people will jump for it. Wouldn't you?? Remember that the media will state €36,000 starting salary but no teacher will get that out of university.

    Did you post the same in the nurses pay thread in after hours? Or is there a nurses forum. My anwser? ... probably not.


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