B/6.3 Personal Leave, Sick/Carer's Leave, and Compassionate Leave

[Print-friendly version]

6.3.1 Application
6.3.2 Definitions
6.3.3 Personal leave
6.3.4 Sick/Carer's leave
6.3.5 Compassionate leave
Related Documents
Modification History

6.3.1 Application

This policy applies to all academic and professional staff (excluding casual professional and sessional academic staff unless otherwise stated).

Provisions relating to leave for senior staff are detailed in the QUT Employee Collective Agreement (Senior Staff) 2009-2012 .

Top

6.3.2 Definitions

For the purposes of this policy the following definitions apply

'Family' includes

• spouse (including a former spouse, de facto spouse, former de facto spouse, same sex partner and former same sex partner) of the staff member
• a child (including an adult child, adopted child, step child and ex nuptial child), parent or step parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of either the staff member or their spouse.

'Household member' is someone with whom the staff member lives and for whom the staff member has responsibility.

Top

6.3.3 Personal leave

1. Entitlement

Academic or professional staff members (excluding casual / sessional staff) may be granted up to seven days non-cumulative personal leave on full pay in a 12 month period commencing from their date of appointment.  Personal leave may be granted under circumstances including but not limited to

1. leave to provide care and support to members of their family or household who are ill or injured
2. leave to adhere to and celebrate cultural or religious days of observance
3. leave to participate in major competitions (for example sporting or music)
4. medical checkups or illness directly related to pregnancy
5. other special circumstances as approved by the authorising officer.

Part-time staff are granted personal leave on a proportional basis.

If the intention to use personal leave is to provide care and support to members of family or household who are ill in accordance with these provisions, the staff member must submit a medical certificate or other evidence of the family or household member’s illness, if claiming in excess of three consecutive days of personal leave.

2. Application and approval for personal leave
   
   
   1. A staff member should endeavour to provide as much notice as possible of the requested leave. If it is not possible for the staff member to give prior notice, the staff member will notify the supervisor of such absence at the earliest opportunity.
   2. An application for personal leave will be submitted to the supervisor / head of school for approval prior to the leave being taken or, where this is not possible, upon return to work.
   3. An application for personal leave must outline the reason for the requested leave and the estimated length of the absence.
   4. The supervisor may require reasonable evidence in support of an application for personal leave.
   5. Applications for paid personal leave for periods in addition to seven days within a 12 month period will be considered by the supervisor.
   6. Subject to approval from the authorising officer, a staff member may take recreation leave, unpaid personal leave and accrued sick/carer’s leave for personal purposes.

Top

6.3.4 Sick/Carer's leave

1. Entitlement

Academic and professional staff (excluding casual / sessional staff) are entitled to 10 cumulative days sick/carer’s leave per annum, in the event of personal illness or injury, or to provide care and support to an immediate family or household member who is ill or injured.

Part-time staff members accrue sick/carer’s leave on a proportional basis.

For staff appointed for at least 12 months, sick/carer’s leave is available in advance for the first year of employment.

If a fixed-term staff member is appointed to an ongoing position or is appointed to a further fixed-term position, sick/carer’s leave from the preceding appointment transfers to the new appointment providing the break in employment does not exceed three months.

Where a staff member has exhausted all sick/carer’s leave accrued, they may be granted additional paid sick/carer’s leave in advance of an entitlement, or they may access other paid leave entitlements, including recreational leave and personal leave.

A staff member who is absent for more than three consecutive working days must provide a medical certificate specifying the period or approximate period of absence.

2. Application for sick/carer’s leave

A staff member absent from work will advise the supervisor as soon as practicable on the day of absence or prior if possible, specifying the anticipated period of absence. The staff member will submit an application for sick/carer’s leave either in writing or online to the supervisor.

3. Sick leave without pay

Staff who have used their full entitlement to sick/carer’s leave and other relevant paid leave may be granted sick/carer’s leave without pay by the authorising officer.

The first three months of sick/carer’s leave without pay are recognised as service in terms of accumulating long service, recreation and sick/carer’s leave. The staff member's increment date does not change. For leave without pay in excess of three months, the staff member's increment date is adjusted by a period equal to the period of leave in excess of three months and long service, recreation and sick/carer’s leave cease accumulating.

Public holidays are counted as leave without pay if staff are on sick/carer’s leave without pay on both days either side of the holiday.

4. Carer’s leave without pay

Staff who have used their full entitlement to sick/carer’s leave, and casual professional and sessional academic staff, may be granted two days carer’s leave without pay, per occasion, by the authorising officer.

There is no restriction on the number of occasions a staff member may  access this entitlement.


5. Recurring absences

Where a staff member has had a pattern of recurring absences on sick/carer’s leave, the authorising officer will have the right to discuss the matter with the staff member and advise the staff member that, for any absences on sick/carer’s leave for the following six months, the staff member may be required to provide a medical certificate.

6. Transfer of sick leave credits for academic staff on appointment

Up to 50 days sick leave credits may be transferred for ongoing and fixed-term academic staff (full-time and part-time) transferring to QUT from related employment within Australia.

Top

6.3.5 Compassionate leave

Staff (excluding casual / sessional staff) are entitled to two days paid compassionate leave per occasion. 

Compassionate leave means leave taken by a staff member

• because an immediate family or household member contracts or develops a personal illness that poses a serious threat to his/her life
• because an immediate family or household member sustains a personal injury that poses a serious threat to his/her life
• for bereavement of an immediate family or household member.

Casual professional and sessional academic staff are entitlement to two days unpaid compassionate leave per occasion.

There is no restriction on the number of occasions for which this entitlement may be accessed.

Top

Related Documents

MOPP B/6.1 Staff leave

MOPP Appendix 3 – Schedule of Authorities and Delegations

QUT Enterprise Agreement (Academic Staff)

QUT Enterprise Agreement (Professional Staff)

QUT Employee Collective Agreement (Senior Staff) 2009-2012

Top

Modification History

Top