Skip to Content

Home : HR Services

Carers Leave

Date last modified: 22/08/12
Related links and forms:


Introduction

1. These provisions apply where employment is governed by the University's current Enterprise Agreement. Carer's leave provisions under other industrial instruments may differ.

Eligibility

2. An employee may be granted up to a maximum of two weeks per calendar year to care for or support a family member who is ill or injured.

3. Employees who are part-time or have appointments of less than 12 months are eligible for carer's leave on a pro-rata basis.

4. Casual employees are not eligible for carer's leave.

Conditions

5. Carer's leave is subject to the following conditions:

  • The employee must have responsibility for the care of the family member concerned;
  • Absences of up to and including two working days must be supported by a statutory declaration; and
  • Absences of three days or more must be supported by a medical certificate declaring the illness and stating its duration.

6. 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.

Definitions

7. 'Family member' refers to:

  • Spouse, de facto spouse or same sex partner;
  • Child, including adopted, foster, ex-nuptial or step child;
  • Parent, including foster parent or legal guardian;
  • Grandparent, grandchild or sibling; or
  • Another relative who is a member of the employee's household; and
  • For Indigenous Australian employees, family member also includes aunties, uncles, cousins and significant Indigenous community leaders.

Delegations

8. Refer to HR Delegations for the delegations relating to carer's leave.

Carer's Leave During Other Periods of Leave

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

Ongoing Caring Responsibilities

10. Employees with ongoing caring responsibilities may request flexible working arrangements in accordance with the Enterprise Agreement including, but not limited to:

  • A temporary reduction in the number of hours worked per week;
  • Variable hours arrangements; or
  • Job-sharing.

11. Employees are also entitled to access their annual leave and long service leave entitlements to assist with their family caring responsibilities.

Payment of Allowances During Periods of Carer's Leave

12. 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.

13. First Aid Allowance will continue to be paid during periods of carer's leave.

Procedures

14. 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.

15. The employee is required to complete a leave application in MyHR, prior to commencing the leave where possible, or as soon as they return to work. The leave application must specify the employee's relationship to the family member. Where necessary, a supporting medical certificate or statutory declaration must be provided to the employee's supervisor before the leave can be approved.

16. When the leave has been approved, the employee will receive an automatically generated confirmation email and the authorising officer will forward any supporting documentation to HR Services.

17. Professional employees are required to reflect the period of their leave on their attendance record.

18. Where applicable, payment of allowances will cease during the period of leave.

Updated: 01 November 2012