Leave Procedure

Intent

To outline the procedures for applying for the various leave types available to staff under the James Cook University Enterprise Agreement 2013-2016.

Scope

This Procedure applies to all staff who are employed under the James Cook University Enterprise Agreement 2013-2016.

Exclusions

This procedure does not apply to JCU Halls of Residence, Catering Staff.

Casual staff are also excluded from some leave types.

Definitions

• Annual Leave – 25 (30 days for shift workers) paid leave per annum for full-time employees, pro rata for part time employees, for recreational purposes.

• Personal/Carers Leave – 15 days paid leave per annum for full-time staff members, pro rata for part time employees, to be used when the staff member is unable to attend work due to illness or injury or to care for a member of the staff member’s immediate family or household.

• Compassionate Leave – Up to 3 days paid leave on each occasion for instances of illness or injury which poses a serious threat to life, or, death of the staff member’s immediate family or household.  Casual employees are entitled to two days unpaid leave.

• Long Service Leave – Full-time staff members are entitled to 1.3. weeks leave, pro rata for part time employees, for each completed year of service which is able to be taken after 7 continuous service years.  Casual employees accrue long service leave based on actual hours worked.  Staff may have their commencement date from another university recognised for the purpose of long service leave

• Parental Leave – Paid and unpaid leave associated with the birth of a child or adoption of a child 16 years of age or under and includes maternity and paternity leave.  The total period of leave, paid and unpaid, a staff member may have following the birth or adoption of a child is 2 years.

• Leave Without Pay – unpaid leave which a staff member who does not have an entitlement to paid leave, or have exhausted their paid leave can apply for.  Leave without pay is not an entitlement.

• Jury Service Leave – Paid leave available for staff members (other than casual) who are required to attend for jury service or to attend court as a witness during their ordinary hour of work, upon production of a certificate from the Sheriff’s office.

• Cultural Leave – Up to 5 days paid leave to allow a staff member other than a casual staff member to participate in observance of holy days or attending to religious or cultural duties.

• Defence Force Reservist Leave – Up to 4 weeks paid leave for staff members other than casual staff members who are members of the Australian Defence Force who serve and are required to attend training

• State Emergency Services Leave – Up to 5 days paid leave per calendar year for staff other than casual staff who are members of the SES and are required to assist in an emergency situation.

• Natural Disaster Leave – Paid leave available to staff who are unable to attend for work as a result of natural disasters including floods, cyclones, bushfires or earthquakes.

• Trade Union Training Leave – Up to 5 days paid leave available to staff, other than casuals, to attend Trade Union training courses, conferences or seminars.

• Special Sporting Leave – Up to 5 days paid leave available to staff members when they are selected as a competitor, coach, official, umpire/referee, to participate in state, national or international sporting events or competitions.   Sports of national significance are those sports undertaken as part of the Commonwealth or Olympic games.

• Domestic Violence Leave – Up to 5 days leave deducted from personal/carers leave available to staff to attend to issues that occur as a consequence of domestic violence.

• Volunteering Leave – Up to 2 days per year deducted from personal/carers leave, available to staff who volunteer for not for profit organisations.

Procedure for the following leave types:

• Annual Leave

• Long Service Leave

• Leave Without Pay

• Trade Union Training Leave

• Special Sporting Leave

• Volunteering Leave

• Cultural Leave

Procedure for the following leave types:

It is recognised that some leave types may not be able to be agreed to prior to taking the leave.

The procedure below is for the following leave types:

• Personal/Carers Leave

• Compassionate Leave

• State Emergency Service Leave

• Domestic Violence

• Natural Disaster Leave

Procedure for Jury Service:

A staff member, other than a casual staff member, who is summoned to perform jury service or to attend any court of law as a witness, shall be granted leave with pay, conditional upon:

• Production of a letter from the Sheriff's office indicating attendance is required; and

• Forwarding the payment received for jury service to Remuneration Services. Note, any additional paid jury service expenses, such as travel and lunch allowances, do not need to be forwarded to the University.

Procedure for Defence Force Reservist Leave:

A staff member, other than a casual staff member who is a member of the Defence Force Reserves will be granted:

Up to a maximum of 4 weeks paid leave each calendar year for Defence Reservists undertaking service;

2 weeks paid leave to allow for Defence Reservists to attend compulsory recruitment or initial training.

Procedure for Purchased Leave:

Subject to operational requirements continuing staff and staff on fixed term contracts for a minimum of 2yrs duration are eligible to apply to purchase additional leave of up to 5 weeks per year.

Purchased leave is only available to employees who at the time of applying have an annual leave balance and/or a long service leave entitlement of less than 10 weeks.

The purchased leave will be paid for by a pro-rata reduction in salary averaged over a 12 month period.

Procedure for Taking Annual Leave at Half Pay.

Subject to agreement with their line manager staff may elect to take annual leave at half pay.

Annual leave taken at half pay will only be available for a minimum of 1 weeks duration per request.

Annual leave at half pay is only available to staff who at the time of applying have an annual leave balance of less than 50 days.

Procedure for Cashing out Annual Leave:

Staff may apply to cash out up to 4 weeks of annual leave per calendar year for a lump sum payment provided they:

• Have taken at least 15 days annual leave in the previous calendar year; and

• Retain a balance of not less than 20 days; and

• Apply in writing and have a written agreement between the staff member and the line manager for each occasion.

Procedure for Cashing out Long Service Leave:

Any staff member whose accrued long service leave entitlement equals or exceeds 18 weeks may be directed in writing to take a minimum of 6 weeks of their accrued long service leave entitlement, within the following 12 month period.

Staff members whose accrued entitlement equal or exceeds 18 weeks may elect to receive payment for any long service leave accrued in excess of 12 weeks.

Procedure for Parental Leave:

Procedure for Keeping in Touch days

Check that you meet the eligibility for the work that you undertake to count as Keeping in Touch days.  These criteria are available via the Department of Human Services.

Related documents and legislation

James Cook University Enterprise Agreement 2013-2016

Academic Staff Annual Leave Guideline for Staff and Supervisors

Administration

NOTE: Printed copies of this procedure are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History

NOTE: A minor amendment will not result in a change of the next major review date.

Approval date - the date the approval authority approved the establishment, minor or major amendment or disestablishment

Implementation Date - the date the procedure was published in the Policy Library and is the date the procedure takes effect