Schedule overview
1 Purpose
PLEASE NOTE: All human resource management policy instruments are currently under review to ensure alignment with the new Enterprise Agreement. Contact the People Portfolio for more information.
To outline the annual leave entitlements available to Employees.
2 Scope
This schedule must be read in conjunction with the Leave of Absence Procedure and is subordinate to it.
This schedule applies to all Employees excluding casual Employees.
3 Schedule
Eligible Employees will be provided with a clear understanding of annual leave entitlements.
3.1 Annual leave
| Entitlement | Conditions | Minimum Notice | Application Process |
| Full-time Employees: Four weeks (20 days per year), to a maximum of 40 days. Fractional professional Employees: a proportion of 20 days or 144 hours, based on hours worked. (eg 144 hrs x .5 fraction = 72 hours annual leave per year) Fractional academic Employees: a proportion of 20 days or 150 hours, based on hours worked. (eg 150 hrs x .5 fraction = 75 hours annual leave per year) Academic and professional Employees: an annual leave loading of 17.5% of salary for the period of leave accrued during the year. | Employees must apply for annual leave utilising the appropriate system. Annual leave excludes any public holiday occurring during the period of leave. Annual leave loading will be paid once in December each year. Annualised hours professional Employees are not required to submit applications for annual leave because they are paid their leave entitlement in each fortnightly salary. Fixed-term Employees will take all annual leave during the term of the appointment. If a fixed-term Employee has been unable to take all annual leave accrued during an appointment, the University will pay the cash equivalent of the pro-rata leave due upon expiry of the contract. Employees receiving a higher duties allowance will be entitled to annual leave paid at the higher level at the time of taking the leave. An Employee who becomes ill during a period of annual leave may claim personal leave instead of annual leave for the period of the illness that is more than three days. An Employee may claim personal leave to the extent of personal leave accrued, and in order to substitute personal leave for annual leave must provide a certificate from a qualified medical practitioner for the period of the illness if that period is for more than three days. Annual leave may either then be re-credited by the same period (less the three days) or extended by the same period by mutual agreement with the Supervisor. For example, an Employee on annual leave becomes ill for a period of 10 working days during the period of annual leave. Upon presentation of a medical certificate, the Employee will be either re-credited for a period of seven working days (ie the 10 days of illness less the initial three day period), or have their annual leave extended by a period of seven working days by mutual agreement with the Supervisor. An Employee must not accumulate more than 40 days annual leave. Where an Employee has accumulated an entitlement of more than 30 days (pro rata) annual leave, the University will advise the Employee and the Supervisor to initiate discussions regarding the leave accumulation and their intention to take a period of leave. Where an Employee has accumulated 40 days (pro rata) annual leave, the University may direct the Employee in writing to take up to 20 days (pro rata) accumulated annual leave; or the Employee may, with the University's agreement, elect to take a money equivalent of the annual leave accumulated over 20 days (pro rata) or take a combination of both leave and money equivalent. Where an Employee elects to take a money equivalent, the Employee must also submit a supporting absence request to take a period of annual leave in addition to the money equivalent of at least 10 days (pro rata). This arrangement will be subject to mutual signed agreement. Supervisors have an obligation to ensure Employees have the capacity to take at least 10 days annual leave each year. Employees may be paid annual leave in advance in exceptional circumstances including, but not limited to, travel to international or remote locations or economic hardship. These requests must be in writing to the Supervisor. Academic Employees Academic Employees are required to discuss with their Supervisor or nominee through the performance management process, an annual leave plan for the following year unless the Employee has advised their Supervisor of an intention to take a period of extended leave in a subsequent year. Supervisors or nominees must ensure that an annual leave plan is discussed and that an absence request is submitted by the Employee by no later than the last week in April, unless the Supervisor is notified of the Employee's intention to take a period of extended leave in a subsequent year. Where an academic Employee has not advised their Supervisor or nominee of an intention to take an extended period of leave in a subsequent year, or has not discussed either the annual leave plan through the performance management process or submitted their leave plan or request, the Employee will be notified that unless an absence request is submitted within five days, a default annual leave plan will be entered into the system. The University, in entering the absence request into the system, will take into consideration the academic employee's circumstances which may include their work allocation, their existing annual leave entitlements and the operational needs of the work area. The Employee will be advised of the absence request and will be required to seek approval for their absence from their Supervisor. All annual leave must be taken in accordance with the approved leave plan and absence request, however the Employee may seek approval from their Supervisor to vary the annual leave plan and absence request, and approval to vary the plan will not be unreasonably withheld. | Notice by mutual agreement with the Supervisor prior to taking leave. | Absence Requests: Online utilising HR Self Service Academic Employees Annual Leave Plan: Paper-based |
4 Delegated Responsibilities
| Approver | Level of Delegation |
| Supervisor | Approval of annual leave |
5 References
Nil.
6 Schedule Information
| Accountable Officer | Chief People Officer |
| Responsible Officer | Chief People Officer |
| Policy Type | University Procedure |
| Policy Suite | |
| Approved Date | 12/12/2018 |
| Effective Date | 3/4/2019 |
| Review Date | 3/4/2024 |
| Relevant Legislation | |
| Policy Exceptions | |
| Related Policies | |
| Related Procedures | |
| Related forms, publications and websites | |
| Definitions | Terms defined in the Definitions Dictionary |
| Delegate (noun) means the officer, Employee or committee of the University to whom, or to which, a delegation of authority has been made under this Policy....moreDelegate (noun) means the officer, Employee or committee of the University to whom, or to which, a delegation of authority has been made under this Policy. A person employed by the University and whose conditions of employment are covered by the Enterprise Agreement and includes persons employed on a continuing, fixed term or casual basis. Employees also include senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University....moreA person employed by the University and whose conditions of employment are covered by the Enterprise Agreement and includes persons employed on a continuing, fixed term or casual basis. Employees also include senior Employees whose conditions of employment are covered by a written agreement or contract with the University. An operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy....moreAn operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy. The term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland....moreThe term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland. University of Southern Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026....moreUniversity of Southern Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026. | |
| Definitions that relate to this schedule only | |
| Supervisor Any person responsible for leading the activities of others. In the context of this Procedure, a Supervisor includes Employees at any classification level or title who have responsibilities for leading, managing or supervising work teams and/or individual Employees. | |
| Keywords | Annual leave, leave |
| Record No | 15/2934PL |