3.10 Personal Leave

3.10.1 Purpose

Personal leave acknowledges in line with the University Mission that staff of the University are also members of families and communities and have commitments not related to work. The management of personal leave will be in accordance with University policy and procedures for personal leave.

3.10.2 Entitlement

3.10.2.1 For continuing and fixed-term staff members, personal leave is granted at the rate of twenty (20) working days per annum on commencement and for each completed year of paid service. Fifteen (15) days of this leave will be cumulative based on leave utilised in the previous year.

3.10.2.2 A staff member is entitled to utilise personal leave for purposes including but not limited to:

1. the staff member is not fit for work because of a personal illness, or personal injury, affecting them;
2. the staff member is not fit for work because they have been diagnosed by a medical practitioner with an infectious disease that is notifiable to the relevant state public health authorities, or because they have side effects from a vaccination that has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation;
3. to provide care or support to a member of the staff member's immediate family, or a member of the staff member's household, who requires care or support because of a personal illness, or personal injury, or an unexpected emergency affecting the immediate family member or household member;
4. short term care of an elder;
5. a staff member (or staff member's spouse or de facto partner, or second parent) has a miscarriage;
6. the staff member is going through gender affirmation;
7. significant personal or community emergencies;
8. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ceremonial leave;
9. observance of religious/culturally significant days; or
10. moving house.

3.10.2.3 A staff member who becomes a grandparent is entitled to take up to ten (10) days personal leave for the purpose of caring for their child or grandchild during the six (6) month period commencing from the date of birth or adoption of the grandchild. For the avoidance of doubt, a staff member who is a grandparent is entitled to use accrued personal leave for the purpose of taking care of a grandchild who requires care because of an illness, injury, or unexpected emergency affecting that grandchild (see clause 3.10.2.1).

3.10.2.4 Subject to notice and evidence requirements, up to an additional ten (10) days of paid Personal Leave will be granted within any 12-month period in respect of each of the circumstances below:

1. the staff member (or staff member's spouse or de facto partner, or second parent) has a miscarriage;¹
2. the staff member is going through gender affirmation and in order to attend to matters incidental to that process; or
3. for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to attend to cultural and ceremonial matters.

The leave in clause 3.10.2.4 does not accrue from year to year if untaken.

3.10.3 Sick Leave

3.10.3.1 A staff member who is absent on a period of personal leave for personal sickness purposes for more than three (3) consecutive working days is required to provide such evidence as would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave is being used for a purpose outlined in clause 3.10.2 (for example, a medical certificate).

3.10.3.2 A staff member may be required to provide proof of illness for absences of three (3) or less consecutive working days in circumstances where the supervisor has a reasonable concern about the staff member's use of sick leave including where:

1. the staff member has a pattern of recurring absences on sick leave; and/or
2. there is evidence that the staff member is not using sick leave for its proper purpose and notification has been provided. Such notification will be reviewed after six (6) months.

3.10.4 Notice and Evidence Requirements

3.10.4.1 A staff member is required to provide to the University notice of taking leave as soon as practicable, with such evidence as would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave is being used for a purpose outlined in clause 3.10.3.1 (for example, a medical certificate for themselves or their family member requiring care). In the absence of such proof, the period of absence from duty will be without pay or, at the request of the staff member, will be deducted from their annual leave credits.

3.10.4.2 A staff member must not return to work if they have a medical certificate declaring that they are unfit for work during that period. A clearance certificate should be obtained if recovery is earlier than expected.

3.10.4.3 Subject to the same evidentiary requirements specified in sub-clause 3.10.4, casual and sessional staff are entitled to up to two (2) days of unpaid personal leave for each occasion when a member of the staff member's immediate family or household requires care or support because of:

1. A personal illness, or personal injury, affecting the member; or
2. An unexpected emergency affecting the member.

¹ Where the pregnancy of a staff member (or the staff member's spouse, de facto partner, or second parent) results in a still-birth and the staff member has not commenced their parental leave (see clause 3.9.7 - Unplanned Cessation of Parental Leave), they will be eligible for miscarriage leave under clause 3.10.2.4(a).