• Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
• Section 2 - Approval Authority
• Section 3 - Definitions
• Section 4 - Eligibility and Conditions
• Eligibility
• Conditions
• Medical Certificates
• Carer's leave during other periods of leave
• Payments during periods of carer's leave
• Flexible working arrangements
• Section 5 - Process
• Section 6 - Section 6 - Links and Forms

Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) These procedures apply where employment is governed by the University's current Enterprise Agreement.

Section 2 - Approval Authority

(2) The Head of Work Unit has the authority to approve carer's leave 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 carer's 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 carer's leave within MyHR for employees reporting to them.

Section 3 - Definitions

(4) 'Family ' refers to:

1. spouse, de facto spouse or same sex partner;
2. child, including adopted, foster, ex-nuptial or step child;
3. parent, including foster parent or legal guardian;
4. grandparent, grandchild or sibling; or
5. another relative who is a member of the employee's household;
6. child, parent grandparent or sibling of the employee's spouse or de facto partner; and
7. for Indigenous Australian employees, family member also includes aunties, uncles, cousins and significant Indigenous community leaders.

Section 4 - Eligibility and Conditions

Eligibility

(5) Full-time employees are entitled to carer's leave of 10 days per annum. Part-time employees are entitled to carer's leave on a pro-rata basis.

(6) Untaken carer's leave does not accrue from year to year.

(7) An employee who has exhausted their annual carer's leave entitlement may access any available personal leave subject to the medical certificate provisions in clause 11.

(8) Casual employees are not eligible for paid carer's leave.

Conditions

(9) Carer's leave is available to an employee to care for or support a member of their family, or their household, in the event of personal illness, personal injury, or due to an unexpected emergency affecting a member of their family or household, including for personal illness, personal injury or an unexpected emergency arising from domestic violence.

(10) The employee must have responsibility for the care of the family member concerned.

Medical Certificates

(11) Carer's leave absences of three days or more must be supported by a medical certificate from a medical practitioner (medical doctor or medical specialist) specifying the employee is required to provide care and the duration of the illness/injury from which the employee's family or household member is suffering.

(12) The onus is on the employee to clearly establish the need for carer's leave and the relationship that exists between the employee and family member.

Carer's leave during other periods of leave

(13) Carer's leave will not be granted where an employee is absent on another period of approved leave.

Payments during periods of carer's leave

(14) Employees will be paid their ordinary rate of pay during a period of approved carer's leave.

(15) Relieving allowance and additional responsibilities allowance will continue to be paid during periods of carer's 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 carer's leave taken after an extension beyond six months has been approved and six months in the higher position has been served.

(16) First aid allowance will continue to be paid during periods of carer's leave.

Flexible working arrangements

(17) Where ongoing care requirements exist, an employee has the right to request flexible working arrangements in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) including, but not limited to, a temporary reduction in the number of hours worked per week, or job-sharing.

(18) Employees may also access their annual leave and long service leave entitlements to assist with their family caring responsibilities.

Section 5 - Process

(19) An employee intending to apply for carer's leave should notify their supervisor of the impending absence prior to the proposed commencement date. Where emergency circumstances contribute to the absence and prior notice cannot be given, the employee should, as far as practicable, advise their supervisor of their absence and the estimated duration within one hour of the commencement of the first working day of the absence. The employee must communicate directly with their supervisor or nominated officer, not by way of voice mail or email.

(20) The employee is required to complete a leave request in MyHR, prior to commencing the leave where possible, or as soon as they return to work.

(21) Where a medical certificate is required, employees are required to attach the medical certificate to the leave application in MyHR.

(22) When the leave has been approved, the employee will receive an automatically generated confirmation email.

(23) Professional employees are required to reflect the period of their leave on their attendance record.

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

Section 6 - Section 6 - Links and Forms