Skip to content

Leave of Absence Procedure

Procedure 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 categories of leave and the associated entitlements and absence provisions available to Employees.

2 Scope

This Procedure applies to eligible Employees in accordance with the conditions and entitlements outlined in the relevant schedule.

3 Procedure Overview

This Procedure details the conditions and entitlements relating to leave of absence.

4 Procedures

4.1 Categories of leave

The following categories of leave are available at the University and are outlined in the relevant Schedule:

Category of Leave

Schedule

Annual

Annual Leave Schedule

Personal

Carer's

Personal and Carer's Leave Schedule

Parental

Parental Leave Schedule

Long Service Leave

Long Service Leave Schedule

Compassionate

Jury Service and Court Attendance

Major Sporting Competitions

Defence Reserve Forces

Trade Union Training Leave

Emergency Attendance

Election

Time Off In Lieu of Overtime

Leave without Pay

Worker's Compensation

Special

Cultural and Ceremonial Leave

Domestic and Family Violence Leave

Other Leave Schedule

4.2 End of year arrangements

During closure of the University between 25 December and 1 January in the following year inclusive, the University will not require an Employee to utilise annual leave entitlements during this closure period.

4.3 Gazetted show holidays

An Employee will not normally be scheduled to attend work on another campus on the gazetted show holiday for their base campus and suitable arrangements should be made as early as possible to permit this to occur.

However, in instances where this is unavoidably required due to the operational and service provision requirements of the particular work area, the following arrangements will apply:

  • For professional Employees, the Employee will be paid at 250% of the ordinary rate in accordance with Clause 42.1.2(e) of the Enterprise Agreement.
  • For academic Employees, the Supervisor and Employee must identify an alternative leave day at a mutually agreed time, normally within the following three month period. For example, if a University Springfield Employee is scheduled to work at the Toowoomba Campus on the Ipswich gazetted show holiday, the Employee and their Supervisor must mutually agree on a suitable substitute day of leave. Employees are not required to utilise annual leave entitlements for this substitute day.

4.4 How to apply for leave

An Employee request for a leave of absence must be approved by the Delegate to achieve minimum disruption to the operations of the University. Employees must apply for leave using HR Self Service for categories available online and the Absence Request Form for categories not available online.

All applications for leave require the approval of the Supervisor or other Delegate as outlined in the relevant schedule.

All completed paper-based Absence Request forms must be forwarded to the People Portfolio for processing.

4.5 Absence from duty

Where an Employee is absent without prior notice and approval from the University, the Employee must notify their Supervisor as soon as is practicable. The Employee will be required to advise the Supervisor of the nature and estimated length of the absence.

Where an Employee's absence extends past the length of absence advised to the University, the Employee will notify the Supervisor of any changes.

Failure by an Employee to advise the University of the reason for any absence of more than 10 sequential working days will be considered to be abandonment of employment, and the Employee will thereby be deemed to have terminated the Employee's employment. Refer to the Termination of Employment Procedure.

4.6 Leave records

Leave records will be maintained on the Human Resources Management System by the People Portfolio. Employee leave records will be retained in accordance with the General Retention and Disposal Schedule (GRDS) issued by Queensland State Archives.

5 Delegated Responsibilities

Approver

Level of Delegation

Supervisor

Approval of annual, personal, carer's, compassionate (including extended close relative definition), long service, jury service, major sporting competitions, defence, workplace relations, emergencies, election, TOIL, leave without pay less than four weeks.

Category 4 Delegate or above

Approval of parental (including special conditions relating to parental (Maternity) leave), leave without pay more than four weeks and up to six months, workers compensation.

Category 3 Delegate or above

Approval or otherwise of special leave.

Category 2 Delegate or above

Approval of leave without pay more than six months and up to two years.

6 References

Nil.

7 Schedules

This procedure must be read in conjunction with its subordinate schedules as provided in the table below.

8 Procedure Information

Accountable Officer

Chief People Officer

Responsible Officer

Chief People Officer

Policy Type

University Procedure

Policy Suite

Salaries, Classifications and Entitlements Policy

Subordinate Schedules

Annual Leave Schedule

Long Service Leave Schedule

Other Leave Types Schedule

Parental Leave Schedule

Personal and Carer's Leave Schedule

Approved Date

17/4/2019

Effective Date

17/4/2019

Review Date

3/4/2024

Relevant Legislation

Fair Work Act 2009

Enterprise Agreement

Workers Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003

Policy Exceptions

Policy Exceptions Register

Related Policies

Related Procedures

Recognition of Prior Service Procedure

Termination of Employment Procedure

Related forms, publications and websites

Absence Request Form

General Retention and Disposal Schedule (GRDS)

Definitions

Terms defined in the Definitions Dictionary

Delegate (noun)

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.

Domestic and Family Violence

Domestic and Family Violence behaviour includes, but is not limited to, physical or sexual violence, emotional or psychological abuse, financial abuse or any behaviour that is threatening or coercive or in any other way controls or dominates an individual which causes safety or well-being concerns for that individual....moreDomestic and Family Violence behaviour includes, but is not limited to, physical or sexual violence, emotional or psychological abuse, financial abuse or any behaviour that is threatening or coercive or in any other way controls or dominates an individual which causes safety or well-being concerns for that individual.

Employee

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.

Procedure

An operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy....moreAn operational instruction that sets out the process to operationalise a Policy.

University

The term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland....moreThe term 'University' or 'UniSQ' means the University of Southern Queensland.

Enterprise Agreement

University of Southern Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026....moreUniversity of Southern Queensland Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026.

Definitions that relate to this procedure 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, personal, sick, parental, carer's, compassionate, long service, leave, professional development, Employee exchange, jury service, major sporting competitions, defence forces, workplace relations, emergencies, election, leave without pay, worker's compensation, special, cultural and ceremonial, Domestic and Family Violence

Record No

13/356PL

Complying with the law and observing Policy and Procedure is a condition of working and/or studying at the University.

* This file is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) which requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy of Acrobat Reader may be obtained from Adobe. Users who are unable to access information in PDF should email policy@usq.edu.au to obtain this information in an alternative format.