Parental Leave Check List: Taking a break

Transcription

1 Parental Leave

2 Parental Leave Check List: Taking a break Apply for leave of absence for the duration of leave (LOA Application form) Retain Professional Indemnity Insurance for the duration of the parental leave. (Contact Georgina in Aon georgina.couling@aon.ie) You can contact Joanne in Aon Insurance joanne.smith@aon.ie for helpful advice on financial planning alternatively speak to your accountant very early on (financial planning can affect the quality of your break) Contact your Bank/Bank Manager (let them know what is happening) Contact Member Accounts at memberaccounts@lawlibrary.ie to make sure you are up to date Apply for maternity benefit HERE if eligible (please note timing is important) Amend addresses/out of office messages/voice mail message Nominate a colleague someone to check your DX in your absence Decide what you want to be told about (e.g. CPD/seminars/solicitor events) Agree best contact details for the duration of leave (for member services, colleagues etc.) Your parental leave Check List: Returning to Practice Reinstate your full Professional Indemnity Insurance (if you were on run-off cover) and allow sufficient time to do so (Contact Georgina in Aon georgina.couling@aon.ie) Check with CPD (you may be entitled to an exemption) cpd@lawlibrary.ie Notify member services memberservices@lawlibrary.ie of your return date Check in with memberaccounts@lawlibrary.ie to confirm you are up to date Amend your addresses/out of office messages/voice mail message Inform solicitors about your plans for coming back 2

3 Parental Leave: Advice Subscriptions You may apply for a reduced subscription level for the duration of your leave if you choose to take a leave of absence. Leave of Absence Form CPD Check the up to date position with the Professional Practice Committee and keep them informed. Currently if you are on maternity leave for 6 months and if CPD is 10 points, then you must do 5 CPD hours. If you re away for 9 months of the year, then you only need to do a quarter and so on. Consider whether you want to seek a reduction in CPD commitments; some find attending CPD courses during their break useful for keeping their hand in and increasing confidence. CPD seminars are an excellent way of refreshing/ retaining your core skills. How you deal with CPD is a personal decision; a reduction might be practically the better option, particularly if the CPD options historically chosen are ones which require attendance at seminars that might not be compatible with leave. But, you should note that there are now online options, you could avail of CPD online during your leave period. CPD may have useful catch-up courses/information keep in touch with them CPD@lawlibrary.ie. Maternity Benefit This is one of the benefits that the money you pay for PRSI as a self-employed person actually entitles you to. Information on benefits, both statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance, is available HERE Consider what services you want to have during your break. It may be tempting to cancel everything, but consider what it would be useful to keep up to date with to make a return easier. Addresses/Out of Office Messages/ Voice Mail Message Consider what message you want solicitors and fellow members of the Bar to get when they try and contact you? Nomination of Colleague Contact Routine How will you find out what is going on in your absence? Ask one person to keep you informed and to check your DX and notify you of (or sort out) any problems. Establish what you want to be told about, seminars, solicitor events etc. Informing Solicitors Remember your contact details remain on the website for the period of Parental leave for up to one year. It is your decision should you wish to advise Solicitors that you are on leave. Contact Details for Member Services When you come back to work after having children your life will have changed. Build a network of other sup-porting parents and/or family who can stand in and do the pickup from school if there is a problem. Consider whether you want colleagues to have these numbers in case of emergency. 3

4 Guidance from Colleagues Before/during parental leave 1. Budget and save money - plan your finances. You can contact Joanne in Aon Insurance joanne.smith@aon.ie for helpful advice on financial planning alternatively speak to your accountant very early on (financial planning can affect the quality of your break) 2. Plan your work as much as possible 3. Communicate with your colleagues, solicitors and professional clients 4. Talk to your partner/family and start to think about childcare 5. Consider how you want to communicate with colleagues during your parental leave. Establish contact rules. Consid-er having a separate parental leave address 6. Be as flexible as you can 7. Accept you can t do everything all the time; manage your own and others expectations 8. Determine to keep yourself up to date on developments and education 9. Forge and maintain relationships inside and outside of the Bar 10. Keep options open by keeping in touch After a parental leave 1. Be positive - While those in conventional employment might get an extended period of Parental leave, once they return they are likely to have to commit to being in work from 9-6 daily. As a self-employed barrister, you can manage your own time to a degree and it is certainly rewarding that you can go home at 4pm (or earlier!) a number of days per week if you are willing to accept that this means working at home at night sometimes. The flexibility of the Bar is great when it comes to things like bringing your children to an appointment, taking a day off to do something fun, working half days etc. The fact that you don't physically have to be in "work" to take phone calls, send a quick etc. is also a positive. 2. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate! The logistics of it all seem overwhelming during and after parental leave so the key thing is that people know that they can ask colleagues who have been through it for advice. 3. Be proactive about your diary and practice management. Set yourself achievable objectives 4. Be prepared to work unusual hours 5. Don t be afraid to say no to work you can t do. Be bold and clear about defining your work parameters with solicitors and colleagues. Set boundaries and be clear on how much work you are willing to take on 6. Try to take cases that fit with family life when you return 7. Have a contingency plan 8. Remember to take time for yourself 4

5 Courses that may be of Merit on return to Practice The CPD department run many courses throughout the law year and it is a helpful way of diving back into practice and membership at any time throughout the year. For information on courses contact CPD@lawlibrary.ie The Advanced Advocacy Course can be most helpful to members who need that shot of confidence having been away from Practice for a period of time. 5