Pay on Promotion

Pay on promotion arrangements in the public sector

Where a nurse/midwife is promoted to a higher grade they are placed on an appropriate point of the salary scale applicable to that grade. This process is known as assimilation. Depending on the circumstances a nurse/midwife may be placed on either: - 

  • the minimum point of the new salary scale; or 
  • the minimum point of the new salary scale, plus one increment; or 
  • the point on the new scale, which is nearest but not below existing pay, plus one increment; or 
  • the point on the new scale, which is nearest but not below existing pay, plus two increments. 

Pay on promotion Q&A

  • The Starting Pay on Promotion rules as laid down by the Department of Health Circular 10/71 only allow for existing pay, exclusive of allowances, to be taken into consideration upon promotion.  

    The allowances payable to nurses/midwives have increased significantly as a result of the strike settlement of 2019. Normal pay on promotion rules do not provide for allowances to be taken into consideration upon promotion, so a situation could arise where a nurse/midwife could be financially worse-off following promotion. 

    Accordingly, the Mark-Time Scheme for nurses has been introduced to offset any financial loss a nurse may incur under the normal pay on promotion arrangements.

  • The Mark-Time Scheme for nurses and midwives has been introduced to offset any financial loss a nurse/midwife may incur under the normal pay on promotion arrangements.

    The Mark-Time Scheme applies where a nurse/midwife receives either a location, specialist, or a red-circled allowance - or a combination of two of these - and is promoted to a grade which does not attract any of these allowances. If application of the starting pay on promotion rules would result in a loss in pay you will be eligible for the Mark-Time Scheme. 

  • Where a nurse/midwife is receiving either a location, specialist, or red-circled allowance or a combination of these for a period of a year or more, starting pay will be calculated in accordance with the normal pay on promotion arrangements, exclusive of the allowance(s). 

    Where a loss in basic earnings occurs having applied the normal pay on promotion rules, the nurse/midwife may retain their existing pay, plus the allowance(s) on a Mark-Time basis until the loss is eroded. 

    Mark-Time will cease when the value of the increments on the higher scale is equal to or greater than the mark-time salary. The value of the increments at the higher scale will be considered on the nurse/midwife's normal incremental date, which will not have changed because of the promotion. At that point the nurse/midwife will be assimilated to the nearest salary point above their Mark-Time rate of pay and will move up the scale on their normal incremental date.

    Mark-Time will not attract special increases but will attract general pay rounds.

    In no case may the rate of pay of a nurse/midwife on a mark-time basis exceed the maximum of the higher scale to which s/he has been promoted.

    Example:

    A nurse/midwife is on the ninth point of the enhanced practice salary scale, €55,594 and is also in receipt of a location allowance of €2,663. Total basic salary plus allowance is €58,257. 

    They are promoted to CNM1 position in an area where no allowances are applicable. Under pay on promotion arrangements the nurse/midwife would be assimilated to the appropriate point of the CNM1 scale, exclusive of allowances, i.e. third point, €57,385. This assimilation, however, would result in an actual loss on promotion of €872. 

    Under the Mark-Time Scheme the nurse/midwife would be allowed to retain her/his basic salary, inclusive of allowances (€58,257) on a Mark-Time basis. 

    When the nurse/midwife’s next normal incremental date comes around, they would have moved to the fourth point of the CNM1 scale, i.e. €58,816. Mark-time would then cease because the nurse/midwife’s salary would be higher than the mark-time salary, i.e. by €559. They would then be placed on the third point of the CNM1 scale and would move up the scale on their normal incremental date. 

     

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    Catherine Hopkins

    Information Officer

    INMO HQ, Dublin

    Catherine O'Connor

    Information Officer

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