The Department of Education Online Claims system (OLCS) is used by recognised primary, secondary, community and comprehensive schools to record all absences for school staff.
Absences are categorised as a substitutable or non-substitutable absence and the OLCS will be used to:
An OLCS quick reference manual is available on the OLCS home page under the help heading. Further information is included here.
Each payroll issue runs on a fortnightly schedule. All absences and substitution claims must be entered and approved by 5.30pm each Friday to ensure payment on the next pay issue. Payment dates around end of year may vary. These earlier payment dates will be displayed under Payroll Information on the LANDING page of OLCS.
Late recording of absences and claims will affect payment in the following cases.
For absent staff members:
For substitutes:
Each school must have adequate personnel with OLCS access to record and approve leave and claims. There are four user roles on OLCS. Schools may have more than one Data Entry Person and must have more than one Data Approver.
OLCS User IDs are unique to an individual and not a school. Each user's ID is for their sole use.
Where an OLCS user either resigns, retires, transfers to another school or is a new OLCS approver it is essential that the OLCS Section of the department is notified immediately.
Requests for Data Approver set up and/or deactivation or transfer requests must be submitted to the OLCS Section of the Department of Education, by emailing the completed Approver Change Request Form to onlineclaims@education.gov.ie . The form is available on the OLCS Landing Page under ‘Download Documents’
Information on OLCS user roles is included below:
| User | Role |
| Data Entry | To input details of absences of staff members and input claims for substitution and other details as required |
| Data Approver | To verify that the data input by the Data Entry person is correct and to approve as necessary. |
| Local Administrator | To re-assign Data Entry roles within the school and to reset Data Entry passwords. (This role does not require an additional User ID and the role is assigned to the Data Approver role) |
| Second Approver | To approve claims in respect of any absences including those of the first Data Approver |
Each OLCS user will be assigned a unique User ID, the details of which must be kept secure at all times and not disclosed to anyone. OLCS users must not request their computer to remember their security details.
Further information on Security requirements are outlined in the Operational Guidelines and in the Quick Reference Manual for OLCS.
1. Login to Esinet and under Maintain My Details select Update Login Details. Enter email address if not previously recorded or update the current email address.
2. Click save.
This email address will be used to issue a new password, therefore, it must not be a shared email address. Where possible, a school e-mail address that only you have access to should be used.
When a school user has made 3 or more incorrect attempts at login, their account is automatically locked and a new password must be created.
To reset your password:
1. Complete the personal details screen.
2. Click save to initiate the resetting of your account. Then click ok.
3. The login page will then display.
4. An email with a new password will issue to the registered email address within a few minutes.
5. Retrieve your new password from the email account.
6. Return to the Esinet login page. Enter the User ID, the new password and the personal question.
7. Click on login. The change password screen is displayed.
8. Enter the password received in the email as the old password.
9. Create a new password (it must consist of a combination of alpha and numeric characters and must be a minimum of at least 8 characters with at least one numeric) and confirm by retyping.
10. Click change password.
If the personal details of the school user do not match those recorded at the time of self-registration, the user’s account is locked after three incorrect attempts and the department must be contacted to reset their account.
When a data entry person requests a change of password using the automated email address a separate email will automatically generate to the approver informing the Data Approver that the Data Entry Person in the school has received a change of password.
If this is in order no further action is required on behalf of the Data Approver. If this is not in order the Data Approver should contact the Department at the email address onlineclaims@education.gov.ie
The OLCS has the facility to generate a number of reports which are useful to both the OLCS User and the school staff member. Further information on these reports can be obtained from the OLCS Quick Reference Manual on page 21 and 22.