Protecting You In Case of Sickness  

The Construction Workers' Pension Scheme operates a scheme called the Construction Workers' Sick Pay Trust. The Sick Pay Trust helps members if they become sick or cannot work due to injury. A Sick Pay benefit is provided at a very low weekly cost to members and their employer and benefit is payable to active members up to age 70.

Sick Pay benefit of €48.00 a day is paid from the fourth day of illness for 5 days each week up to a maximum benefit of 50 working days in a calendar year. The following are the requirements to qualify for the Sick Pay benefit:

• Claimants must be registered in CWPS and under age 70.
• Have paid at least 13 contributions into CWPS in the six months immediately before the first day of the illness or injury.
• Claimants must be currently employed by an employer registered in CWPS during the period covered by their claim.
• Claimants must make their claim for benefit within two months of the date their illness or injury began.
• Sick Pay benefit cannot be claimed for any periods of unemployment.

Some Exceptions

Benefit is not payable during official builder holiday periods. However, if the employer was operating as usual during the holiday period and work was available to the claimant had they not been sick, benefit can be paid by CWPS. This must be verified in writing to the Scheme by the claimant's employer. 

If there are not enough contributions paid to CWPS for a member who is claiming Sick Pay because the member was attending a course with SOLAS - the Further Education and Training Authority for a period  before the claim period, benefit can be paid by CWPS. The dates of attendance at the course must be verified by letter or email by the employer.

Sick Pay benefit paid from Monday to Friday and is not paid for weekend and/or public holidays.

How to claim Standard Sick Pay Benefit

A Standard Sick Pay benefit form (SP1) must be completed by the member and their employer. This form is available on the Sick Pay Trust website. The completed form should be returned to CWPS along with medical evidence such as a medical certificate, a letter from a doctor or hospital, or copies of the weekly Social Welfare Certificates. The medical evidence provided must cover the period from the first day of illness or injury.

Claims for Sick Pay benefit will be processed by the Benefits team and once everything is in order, the benefit will be paid to the member's bank account.

As all payments will be paid directly into bank account, CWPS will request the bank details from the member at the time of the initial claim. Therefore the members should ensure that they keep their contact details up to date.

When the claim is processed, CWPS will also send an email to the member advising to log on to the CWPS Member Online Access in order to view the Sick Pay benefit payslip. If the member does not have an email address or is not registered for Member Online Access, CWPS will send the payslip by post.

Follow the link to register for Member Online Services

How to claim Continuous Sick Pay Benefit

If a member is off work due to illness or injury for a continuous period, their employer will need to complete a ‘Claim for continuous Sick Pay Benefit’ form (SP2) and return it to CWPS with continuous medical evidence for the member. This allows the member to receive Sick Pay benefit on a continuous basis up to a maximum of 50 days benefit in any calendar year.

The member should therefore provide updated medical evidence to their employer for each week they are absent so there is no delay in processing their Sick Pay benefit.