• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Approval Authority
• Section 3 - Eligibility and Conditions
• Eligibility
• Conditions
• Granting of annual leave
• Maximum accrual of annual leave
• Direction to take annual leave
• Cashing out annual leave
• Accrual of annual leave while on other forms of leave
• Additional annual leave in lieu of leave loading
• Illness whilst on annual leave
• Payment of allowances during periods of annual leave
• Minimum periods of annual leave
• Payment in advance
• Payment in lieu of annual leave
• Public holiday s
• Employee records
• Section 4 - Application and Approval Process
• Cashing out annual leave
• Section 5 - Links and Forms

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) These procedures apply where employment is governed by the University's current Enterprise Agreement. The provisions under other industrial instruments may differ.

Section 2 - Approval Authority

(2) The Head of Work Unit has the authority to approve annual leave, subject to the availability of entitlement, within the provisions of the Enterprise Agreement or appropriate industrial instrument, University Policies and Procedures.

(3) The Head of Work Unit may transfer their approval authority for annual leave to a manager/supervisor (at HEW5 level and above) within their work unit using a Transfer of approval authority. The transfer will enable the manager/supervisor to approve annual leave within MyHR for employees reporting to them.

Section 3 - Eligibility and Conditions

Eligibility

(4) Employees are eligible for four weeks annual leave per annum, except for professional staff who are seven day continuous shift workers and are eligible for five weeks annual leave. Casual employees are not eligible for annual leave.

(5) Annual leave accrues progressively in each year of service, except for an employee who is on leave without pay or in receipt of a temporary incapacity benefit or total and permanent disablement benefit from the relevant superannuation fund.

(6) By agreement between the supervisor and the employee annual leave may be granted:

1. in broken periods; or
2. before or after the completion of each 12 months service; but

(7) Part-time professional employees required to work additional hours on an ad-hoc basis will be paid a loading of one twelfth in lieu of paid annual leave that would accrue for those additional hours.

Conditions

Granting of annual leave

(8) Annual leave must be applied for and approved prior to commencing a period of annual leave. Annual PRP discussions must include planning and discussion on an annual leave plan for the forthcoming 12 month period.

(9) Employees are normally entitled to take annual leave at a time of their choosing, subject to the operational needs of the work unit and the provisions of these procedures.

(10) It is recommended that employees take their four week annual leave entitlement each year. Supervisors will ensure that employees are able to take their annual leave, subject to clause 9.

(11) Fixed-term employees are normally required to take their annual leave entitlement prior to the conclusion of each contract. Where a fixed-term contract is for a period of less than six months, following discussions with the employee, the Head of Work Unit may provide written approval to waive this requirement.

Maximum accrual of annual leave

(12) If an employee has not used their full annual leave entitlement in a given year, the University may allow annual leave to accumulate up to a maximum of eight weeks, subject to clauses 14 - 23.

(13) Where an employee has an annual leave entitlement greater than four weeks, long service leave cannot be taken until this balance is reduced to four weeks or less.

Direction to take annual leave

(14) Where a full-time employee's annual leave accrual exceeds 40 days, (or pro rata for part-time employees), the University may direct the employee to take enough annual leave to reduce the balance of their annual leave accrual below 30 days. Such leave must be taken within four months from the date the notice is given.

(15) An employee may request that a direction to take leave under the above clause be extended to six months (a further two month period), provided:

1. the employee is able to demonstrate that there is a compelling reason for deferral; and
2. an appropriate leave application is submitted with the request.

(16) Employees directed to take annual leave must discuss their plans with their supervisor to ensure compliance with the direction. Employees will be entitled to take the leave at a time of their choosing, subject to the operational needs of the work unit.

Cashing out annual leave

(17) Where a full-time employee's annual leave entitlement exceeds 30 days, the employee may apply to the Director, Human Resources to cash out a minimum of 10 days of annual leave. A part-time employee may apply to cash out the equivalent pro-rata entitlement. Employees must retain a minimum balance of 20 days annual leave following the cashing out of the annual leave.

(18) It is not intended that employees apply to cash out annual leave each year. The Director, Human Resources will not approve an application under this clause unless:

1. the employee has taken the equivalent number of days they are seeking to cash out as annual leave in the preceding 12 months; and
2. satisfied that the employee is not regularly applying to cash out annual leave.

(19) Payment will be made at the employee's ordinary rate of pay applicable at the time of application on the next available pay day after approval.

(20) Employees who apply to cash out annual leave will be advised to seek independent financial advice.

Accrual of annual leave while on other forms of leave

(21) Leave without pay (LWOP) does not count as service for the purpose of accruing annual leave.

(22) Parental leave and long service leave on full pay counts as 100% service and leave on half pay counts as 50% service for the accrual of annual leave.

Additional annual leave in lieu of leave loading

(23) As an alternative to receiving payment of leave loading, and where their annual leave accrual does not exceed the maximum accrual of eight weeks at the time of application, employees may elect to receive additional annual leave. Further information on this option is available from the Leave Loading webpage.

Illness whilst on annual leave

(24) Where an employee, who is eligible for personal leave, produces a satisfactory medical certificate confirming that they were incapacitated for a period of one working week or more whilst on annual leave, the University will re-credit the employee with an equivalent period of annual leave providing:

(25) The period of annual leave to be re-credited is at least one working week; and

(26) The employee applies for personal leave within one week of returning from approved leave.

(27) No such re-credit will be granted to an employee on annual leave immediately prior to retirement, resignation or termination of service.

Payment of allowances during periods of annual leave

(28) Relieving allowance and additional responsibilities allowance will continue to be paid during periods of annual leave if the employee is in the higher position for a total continuous period of six months or more. Relieving allowance will not be paid when the total continuous period in the higher position is less than six months. In such cases, should the period in the higher position subsequently be extended beyond six months, the allowance will only be paid during periods of annual leave taken after an extension beyond six months has been approved and six months in the higher position has been served.

(29) First Aid Allowance will continue to be paid during periods of annual leave.

Minimum periods of annual leave

(30) The minimum period of annual leave is one hour and periods of leave in excess of one hour should be taken in blocks of at least 15 minutes.

Payment in advance

(31) Payment in advance can be arranged for pay periods that fall due during a period of annual leave and will normally be paid on the payday prior to the leave commencing.

(32) Employees must indicate they require pay in advance when applying for leave in MyHR.

Payment in lieu of annual leave

(33) Employees are entitled to receive payment in lieu of accrued annual leave on resignation, retirement or termination up to the maximum entitlement of eight weeks.

(34) In the event of the death of an employee, payment in lieu of annual leave will normally be made to the employee's dependent (as defined by the Australian Taxation Office) or the employee's legal representative.

Public holiday s

(35) Annual leave is not deducted for public holidays that fall during a period of annual leave.

Employee records

(36) Employees may access their annual leave entitlements using MyHR.

Section 4 - Application and Approval Process

(37) Employees should discuss their annual leave requests with their supervisor as part of their annual PRP discussions and an agreed annual leave plan created for the forthcoming 12 month period.

(38) Before the employee makes arrangements concerning the leave, a leave application is to be completed and approved in MyHR. If payment-in-advance is required, the employee must elect this when completing their MyHR application.

(39) The leave application will be referred to the approving officer electronically for consideration.

(40) When the leave is approved, the employee will receive an automatically generated confirmation email.

(41) If annual leave has not been approved, the employee's supervisor will advise them accordingly. Professional employees are required to reflect the period of their leave on their fortnightly attendance record in MyHR.

(42) Where applicable, payment of allowances will cease during the period of leave.

Cashing out annual leave

(43) A Cash payment of annual leave application should be completed by the employee and forwarded HR Services for consideration.

(44) If the employee meets provisions of clauses 16-18 and the application is approved by the Director, Human Resources, payment will be arranged on the next available payday after the approval has been given.

(45) The employee will be advised if the application has not been approved.

Section 5 - Links and Forms