Leave Policy

LEAVE Policy 

 

General Policy Statement

Staff members are provided with a variety of leave arrangements (paid and unpaid) that enable them to balance work with rest and recreation, family responsibilities and other specific purposes.

A safe and healthy workplace enables and encourages staff members to take breaks from their employment and provides them with an opportunity to refresh themselves away from the work environment. It is in the best interests of staff members of Gosnells Bowling Club (GBC) that annual leave entitlements are taken each year.

All employees are entitled to accrue and take leave in accordance with the relevant legislation in their state/territory, including relevant awards (if applicable). This policy seeks to clarify the employee’s entitlements and obligations in relation to leave as well as defining policy positions for those matters that are not governed by legislation.

In general, planned leave has to be mutually agreed, taking into account GBC workloads and employee’s needs. Except in cases where the employee could not anticipate the absence, leave must be approved in advance on the relevant paperwork. All documentation regarding leave entitlements and utilisation will be kept on the employees personnel file.

Unless specified otherwise, employees referred to in this policy are considered to be permanent full-time or part-time employees. Part-time employees who are employed on a fractional basis will accrue leave entitlements on a pro-rata basis unless classified as Casuals.

 

Types of Leave

Gosnells Bowling Club (GBC) recognises the following types of leave entitlements:

  • Annual Leave
  • Time in Lieu
  • Long Service Leave
  • Personal Leave (Including Sick Leave & Carers Leave)
  • Maternity & Parental Leave
  • Compassionate Leave
  • Jury Duty
  • Leave Without Pay

GBC does not formally recognise, accrue or provide for “Time in Lieu” of overtime worked.

 

POLICY POSITIONS

Annual Leave.

Each Permanent Full-time employee is entitled to a minimum of 20 days of paid annual leave per annum. Leave entitlements are calculated from an employee’s first day of work with GBC and accrue in accordance with the rules defined by Fair Work Australia under the National Employment Standards.

In consultation with their direct manager/supervisor, staff are expected to monitor and manage their annual leave provision. GBC will assist in this process by including annual leave GBC balances on employee’s payslips and by reporting annual leave GBC balances to each senior manager for review on a monthly basis.

Unless a prior arrangement has been made to build-up annual leave with a view to taking a substantial break, employees with an annual leave GBC balance of 30 days or more may be directed to take annual leave within the next three months.

Except in the situation where an employee is finishing up their employment, GBC does not permit the ‘cashing out’ of annual leave.

In some circumstances, employees may be permitted to take more annual leave than they have accrued, conditional on the employee agreeing to the Club deducting any remaining advance balance upon termination. Leave in advance must be negotiated with the employee’s direct supervisor and approved by the Treasurer or Management.

 

Time in Lieu (of Overtime)

GBC is a sporting organisation and as such, much of the core work occurs outside of traditional Club hours. It is expected that most roles will require some weekend or evening work, particularly around pennants, major events and competitions.

In general, GBC encourages an informal “give and take” arrangement between staff and management that GBC balances the needs of the Club with the health and wellbeing of staff members.

GBC does not support the formal recording and taking of time in lieu of overtime and cannot compensate employees on an hour-for-hour (or similar) basis for excessive work hours. In situations where the demands of the role are extreme, GBC encourages staff to schedule a small break (1-2 days) immediately after any such period. These breaks will be paid as normal and will not be considered annual leave but need to be taken within a fortnight of the event. This entitlement lapses after this two week window.

 

Long Service Leave

Employees are entitled to long service leave (LSL) in accordance with the state/territory LSL laws or provisions (or applicable Award or Agreement).

Staff members will be eligible to take all or a portion of their long service leave at a mutually agreeable time, having regard to the operational requirements of GBC. Employees intending to take their LSL must submit their request at least six months in advance of the leave period, noting that a request for LSL will not be unreasonably refused.

All requests for LSL must be reviewed and approved by the Management.

 

Personal Leave (Including Sick Leave & Carers Leave)

Each employee is entitled to a minimum of 10 days of paid personal leave per annum. Personal leave enables staff to take time off when personally ill, injured or otherwise incapacitated, to attend necessary medical appointments or to care for or support a family or household member in similar circumstances.

An employee should notify his/her direct supervisor as soon as possible if they’re unable to attend work due to an illness or injury and should, if possible, provide an estimate of the duration of the leave.

At its reasonable discretion, Management may request evidence of the personal leave in the form of a certificate from a registered medical practitioner stating that the staff member is/was unable to attend duties on the days of absence due to illness or injury. If such evidence cannot be provided, then such leave may be treated as annual leave or as unpaid sick leave.

In situations of extended inability to attend work, staff will be entitled to convert personal leave on full pay to personal leave on half pay. In such cases, the employee’s leave entitlement will diminish at the corresponding rate. Similarly, if an employee’s provision for personal leave is completely exhausted, GBC will allow the employee to utilise any unused annual leave balance or to utilise leave without pay, noting that an employee cannot take leave without pay whilst any applicable accrued leave balances are available.

 

Maternity & Parental Leave

Maternity & parental leave is granted on the basis that an individual’s career will not be disadvantaged by having a child.

Employees (including de-facto partners, same-sex couples and single parents) with at least 12 months of continuous service (or ‘regular and systemic service’ in the case of casual employees) are entitled to 52 weeks of unpaid maternity and parental leave, which must be associated with:

  • the birth of a child to the employee or the employee’s spouse or partner, or
  • the placement of a child under 16 with the employee for adoption, or
  • a situation where a permanent care order is made by the Children’s Court, granting custody and guardianship to the employee, their spouse or partner for a child under 16.

Maternity & parental leave is governed by Fair Work Australia and will be implemented accordingly by GBC.

 

Compassionate Leave

Compassionate leave is paid leave taken by an employee to spend time with an immediately family member (or household member) who has a personal illness or injury that poses a serious threat to his/her life, and/or after the death of an immediate family or household member.

Each employee is entitled to a period of up to three days of compassionate leave on each occasion where a family or household member has died or the employee needs to spend time with a seriously ill family or household member. In such circumstances, additional unpaid leave may be granted at the discretion of Management.

Casual employees are entitled to two days of unpaid compassionate leave in each circumstance. 

 

Jury Duty

Employee leave for jury service is required under federal and state/territory legislation. GBC will not deduct any fees paid to the staff member for jury duty during their first 10 days of service. If required for more than 10 days, the employee will be deemed to be on unpaid leave.

 

Leave Without Pay

In special circumstances, GBC’s Management has the discretion to approve leave without pay that an employee is not specifically otherwise entitled to. In general, leave without pay will not be granted in a situation where an employee has an applicable entitlement for paid leave (eg. annual leave, personal leave, long service leave). 

 

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains relevant to Club operations and reflects both community expectations and legal requirements.

 

Signature

Signed: ____________________________ Signed: ____________________________
  Club President   Club Secretary
Date: 8th April 2022 Date: 8th April 2022

 

Next policy review date is 8th April 2023