• Section 1 - Purpose and Objectives
• Section 2 - Definitions, Terms, Acronyms
• Section 3 - Procedure Scope/Coverage
• Section 4 - Procedure Statement
• Section 5 - Annual Leave
• Determining the Annual Leave Balance
• Transfer of University Position
• Section 6 - Annual Leave Loading
• Academic Employees and Senior Professional Employees
• Professional Employees
• Section 7 - Interaction with Other Absence Types
• Public Holidays and Scheduled Absences
• Personal Leave
• Section 8 - Payment in Lieu of Annual Leave
• Termination
• Research Employees
• Section 9 - Management of Excess Annual Leave Accrual
• Section 10 - Applying for Annual Leave
• Employee Responsibilities
• Authorised Officer Responsibilities
• Section 11 - Individual Flexibility Agreement (IFA)
• Eligibility
• Conditions
• Section 12 - Applying for an IFA
• Employee Responsibilities
• Authorised Officer Responsibilities

Section 1 - Purpose and Objectives

(1) These Procedures outline the conditions and process for applying for Recreation Leave. Leave entitlements are provided through the Enterprise Agreement, the Leave Entitlements Policy, and the relevant legislation.

Section 2 - Definitions, Terms, Acronyms

Section 3 - Procedure Scope/Coverage

(2) This Procedure applies to continuing, research (contingent funded) and fixed-term employees covered by the Enterprise Agreement.

(3) This Procedure does not apply to casual employees or those engaged to perform unpaid duties at the University.

Section 4 - Procedure Statement

(4) An employee may access Annual Leave entitlements subject to approval in accordance with this Procedure.

(5) An employee may elect to convert their Annual Leave Loading to AAL, subject to approval in accordance with this Procedure.

Section 5 - Annual Leave

Determining the Annual Leave Balance

(6) An employee can access their Annual Leave balance through Workday. Where an employee does not have access to Workday the staff member should contact AskHR (askhr@uq.edu.au) to find out their Annual Leave balance.

(7) An employee cannot access a period of Annual Leave in advance of accrual.

Transfer of University Position

(8) An employee who is to transfer from one University position to another should, before the transfer is affected, take all their accrued Annual Leave entitlement. Where this is not possible the Annual Leave due to the employee at the date of transfer will be carried forward to their new position provided there is no break in service.

Section 6 - Annual Leave Loading

Academic Employees and Senior Professional Employees

(9) Annual Leave Loading will be paid to all academic employees and senior professional employees (HEW Level 10 and above) in the first pay of December each year.

Professional Employees

(10) Annual Leave Loading is paid on the ordinary salary of professional employees (HEW Levels 1 - 9) when a period of Annual Leave is taken.

Section 7 - Interaction with Other Absence Types

Public Holidays and Scheduled Absences

(11) Annual Leave is exclusive of public holidays, any discretionary End of Year University Leave provided, rostered days off and non-working days for employees with a flexible work arrangement.

Personal Leave

(12) An employee who becomes ill unexpectedly during a period of Annual Leave may request to access Personal Leave for the period of the illness. A medical certificate must be submitted covering the period of illness for consideration by the Authorised Officer.

Section 8 - Payment in Lieu of Annual Leave

Termination

(13) The balance of an employee’s entitlement to Annual Leave will be paid in lieu on termination.

(14) On the death of an employee any balance of leave is paid to the legal beneficiaries through the designated representative of the estate of the deceased.

Research Employees

(15) A research employee must take accrued Annual Leave prior to the end of their contract.

(16) Where a research employee has not taken their accrued Annual Leave before the conclusion of their contract, the amount of the salary paid in lieu and the associated charges will be charged against the grant from which the appointment was paid. Where the charges exceed the grant funds available, the outstanding amount will be charged to a local account specified by the Head of the relevant organisational unit.

Section 9 - Management of Excess Annual Leave Accrual

(17) An employee who accrues in excess of 8 weeks (290 hours) Annual Leave, or a shift worker who accrues in excess of 10 weeks (362.5 hours) Annual Leave can be directed to take leave in accordance with the provisions of the Enterprise Agreement. This amount is pro-rata for part-time employees.

Section 10 - Applying for Annual Leave

Employee Responsibilities

Annual Leave

(18) An employee is expected to discuss requests for Annual Leave with their supervisor and/or Authorised Officer as soon as practicable.

(19) An employee may apply for a period of Annual Leave.

(20) It is expected that a request for Annual Leave will be submitted at least one month before the leave is to be taken, unless otherwise agreed by the Authorised Officer.

Academic Employees Applying for Leave During the Semester

(21) An academic employee who requests to take Annual Leave during the semester may be required to seek additional approval from the officer authorised to approve academic leave during the semester.

(22) An academic employee must provide with their Leave Application:

1. Details of how the leave activity is relevant to their position and the University; and
2. Details of the proposed arrangements to cover their existing teaching responsibilities and other responsibilities of their position.

Authorised Officer Responsibilities

Authorised Officer

(23) When considering applications for Annual Leave, consideration should be given to:

1. Eligibility requirements for the leave applied for;
2. The personal circumstances of the employee; and
3. Operational requirements.

(24) When considering applications for Annual Leave for academic employees during the semester, consideration should be given to:

1. Eligibility requirements for the leave applied for;
2. The relevance of the leave activity in relation to the employee’s University responsibilities;
3. The proposed arrangement to cover the absentee’s teaching responsibilities, including availability of advice to students where applicable; and
4. Operational requirements where relevant.

Section 11 - Individual Flexibility Agreement (IFA)

(25) The Enterprise Agreement provides for the University and an eligible employee to enter into an IFA to permit an employee to convert their entitlement to Annual Leave Loading to a maximum of three days Additional Annual Leave (AAL) per annum.

Eligibility

(26) An employee who has accrued in excess of six (6) weeks Annual Leave will not be eligible to enter into an IFA to convert their Annual Leave Loading to AAL.

(27) A professional employee (HEW Levels 1 - 7) who has accrued Flexi-time or VBT in excess of the maximum in accordance with the Attendance, Hours of Work and Overtime (Professional Employee) Procedure will not be eligible to enter into an IFA to convert their Annual Leave Loading to AAL.

Conditions

(28) Applications to enter into an IFA can be made in the period from 1 October to 31 October each year. An employee may elect for the IFA to apply for 12 months or for the life of the Enterprise Agreement.

(29) An employee who enters into an IFA will accrue 23 days Annual Leave (pro-rata for part-time employees) per annum, after the IFA is made. Where an employee is on a fixed-term contract for a period that is less than the accrual period, the AAL will be pro-rated.

(30) Once the IFA is made, the employee will not receive Annual Leave Loading on Annual Leave accrued during this period.

(31) A professional employee (HEW Levels 1 - 9) who enters into an IFA to convert their Annual Leave Loading to AAL will forfeit their entitlement to Annual Leave Loading for the period of the IFA.

(32) An academic employee who enters into an IFA will not receive their Annual Leave Loading payment for the accrual period (1 December - 30 November), which would usually be paid in early December.

(33) The first three days of Annual Leave taken by an employee per annum is deemed to be AAL.

(34) An employee who enters into an IFA must take a minimum of three days Annual Leave per year.

(35) Where an employee’s employment with the University ceases and the employee has not accessed their AAL, the University will pay to the employee the balance of the AAL accrued during the accrual period.

(36) An employee or the University may terminate the IFA in accordance with the Enterprise Agreement.

(37) Where an IFA is terminated part way through the accrual period, the employee will cease to accrue AAL from the date the termination is effected and any existing Annual Leave accrued during the accrual period will be retained by the employee.

(38) Where an employee’s IFA is terminated in accordance with the Enterprise Agreement, the employee will begin to accrue Annual Leave Loading from the date the IFA is terminated.

Section 12 - Applying for an IFA

Employee Responsibilities

(39) An employee may make a request to the Authorised Officer to enter into an IFA using the IFA form in Workday. Where an employee is under the age of 18 years, the form must be signed by a parent or guardian of the employee.

Authorised Officer Responsibilities

(40) When considering applications for an IFA, consideration should be given to:

1. Eligibility requirements for the IFA applied for; and
2. Operational requirements.