Private sector - moving to public sector - pros & cons

Age points are often specified in certain civil service standard grades. That is, anyone (usually school-leavers) under a certain age are paid on a point appropriate to their age. Generally though, the age point thing really just comes into being for those who join straight from school or college where they may be under 21, so the first point or two on a scale might be age 18 or 19 or so. Or may even start at age 23 or so.

If you join a grade and the first point is for example age 23 (and you are, say 35) then you generally start at that point (the age 23 or over point). None of the points on the remainder of your incremental salary scale have anything to do with your age - just the first one. You then progress on through the various increments each year until you reach the maximum of the scale.

The only exception to the above is where you are an existing Civil Servant and get promoted to a higher grade but that's another matter.

When any Civil Servant reaches the maximum of their scale, they remain on that point for a few years (usually 3) and then receive a long-service increment. After remaining on that 1st long-service increment for a further period (usually another 3 years) you will progress to the 2nd long-service increment. Apart then from increases in national pay agreements etc. you will not receive further pay increases until you are either promoted to a higher grade (or you may be moved to a higher grade).

It's worth bearing in mind that annual pay increments on salary scales are not awarded without reviewing performance. Failure to achieve the appropriate standards means you will not receive your increment.

Civil Service pay circulars (and all other circulars) are published on the Dept. Finance website and you can review them here:
http://www.finance.gov.ie/ViewDoc.asp?DocId=-1&CatID=28&m=c

Specific informaton relating to the actual pay or age points on general service Civil Service Grades is available from the Public Appointments Commission ()
 
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I'm guessing its me....but I have never been able to find anything at all on publicjobs about salary amounts.
 

This is incorrect, the government has abolished age-related pay scales in the civil service in compliance with the Employment Equality Act.

Circular 15/2005: Revision of pay of Civil Servants can be found at

http://www.finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=3069&CatID=28&StartDate=1+January+2005&m=c
 
so joining at the second or third point of a scale might be applicable if you are experienced
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Yes it is common to start 6 or 8 steps up the scale.

....i presume its the HR people in the civil service branch in question who decide that?
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Yes, but sometimes there are Department of Finance Guidelines (not necessarily written) that must be complied with. Also the potential senior manager of the applicant will be asked if they think the applicant is worth giving the extra increments to.
 
lads,
This post might be very relevant to me soon....so anyone know the best way to basically avoid starting at the bottom of the scale....would be the Admin Officer scale i think.
Also, what does one do if you are 30 now...so unlikely to work the full 40 years in the public service...i currently have 20k in private pension fund of which i own both employee and employer contributions...
Any tips would be really appreciated...
 
Hi - Thanks for all the help and advice on this thread. I've found it very helpful in getting my thoughts straight. I'm expecting the formal job offer next week, and I'm giving serious consideration to accepting the position. The only downside is salary. I've got mixed messages regarding avoiding starting off on the bottom of the scale, i.e.


However, my prospective employer tells me that this policy varies depending on the parent Dept. For example, in the Health sector, it seems to be fairly common that someone would not start on the bottom of the scale, and there was a policy that new recruits would start on the next increment above their current salary. But I'm told that with my parent Dept (don't want to reveal which one for confidentiality reasons), everyone starts on the bottom of the scale, and the chances of getting anything better are slim to none. Any help to confirm or deny this issue would be most welcome.

I'm trying to work out my pension entitlements via the http://www.cspensions.gov.ie/calculators.asp website. Can anyone explain the difference between 'established' and 'non-established' for pension purposes? It looks like this refers to civil service vs public services, but if anyone knows for sure, please explain.

Any information about how I could benefit from the 'New scheme for the award of professional, technical and specialist added years to certain new entrant staff of the Civil and Public Service. ' mentioned at http://www.cspensions.gov.ie/Circulars.asp would be much appreciated.
 
Help please

Hi i am in the same position as the person above.

Just been offered a great job but the pay cut means that i will not be able to take it.

One of the issues is that there is an overlap in pay scales so while I was on the top of my pay scale a number of years ago, this is higher than the 1st point of the new scale. Apparently this anomaly has been addressed if you are a HSE employee but i do not know if it is the case if you are moving from the private sector. Does anyone know?

Also I have been looking for the 1994 circular mentioned above as well as I am wondering if they will take account of my current job as I am mid way up the new pay scale. I have read that they may take in to account experience and qualification if it is particularly relevant to the role. However, the HR department have said that they want to look at my current job description to establish "parity". Has anyone any advice as I really want to leave my current job but feel trapped.

It actually feels that as a private sector worker I am at a disadvantage in moving as my pay scales don't fit with the HSE;s and they wont take account of my experience or additional qualifications!
 
Hi Summers,

You have tagged onto a "cold thread" which is over 5 years old.

If you post with more details of the job Ill split it off with a new title

How about something like: "joining HSE from private sector but have to drop to the first point of the scale which is lower than my current salary"

aj
 
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