Children, Family and Work

Children, Family and Work

  • Flexible Work Arrangements

    The University of Adelaide aims to ensure that staff members are able to balance their work and other (including family) commitments by supporting  flexible work arrangements.

    To learn how some of our staff have benefited from flexible work arrangements, read their testimonials. The flexible arrangements we offer are listed below.

    What works for me? Looking beyond 9-5

    Nine to five doesn’t suit everyone.

    Negotiate with your Leader to form an agreement that’s right for you!

    Example

    If you are a professional staff member working full-time, you have an option to compress your working hours into a 9 day fortnight so you work longer days to gain one day off work each fortnight. Take a day a fortnight to connect with extended family or spend time developing a new skill or interest.

    Approach your line manager to discuss options that might work for you. Compressed weeks might be the solution.

     

    Want to reduce your hours to support your family or passion?

    If you want more time to study or follow a passion, reducing your employment fraction may be the answer. For parents contemplating extra caregiving at home, request a reduction to suit your family needs.

    Example

    One option when returning to work after parental leave could be to apply to reduce your employment fraction from full-time to part-time, for a specified period, to care for your children.

    If the request is approved, you will receive your salary, leave and other entitlements on a pro-rata basis reflecting your employment fraction.

    If your circumstances change and you would like to increase the fraction you are working and/or return to work full-time, you will need to provide notice to change or end the arrangement. You may negotiate to gradually increase your fraction before returning to a full-time workload. Ensure that you approach your line manager with plenty of time to discuss a change in hours, so that they have three months’ notice that you want to end one arrangement and put another one in its place.

    And remember, you accrue annual leave while on paid parental leave so expect to discuss your annual leave balance with your line manager as part of your plan to work part-time. You can use your leave to be paid full-time until you bring your balance down.

     

    Need extra leave to cover school holidays or pursue a special adventure?

    If school holidays stretch longer than your own, or you’re preparing for a big trip overseas, the University provides opportunities to purchase an additional 4-8 weeks annual leave in a given year. Leave without pay is another option for those looking to enjoy further time off.

    Example

    A full-time staff member accrues four weeks annual leave each year (this is pro-rated for part-time staff). But this is not enough time if you need to be home with school age children in the school holidays, so what options do you have?

    You could apply for leave without pay, but if you would prefer to maintain a predictable income all year, one option is to purchase leave.

    This means that you elect to accrue additional annual leave (for example a further four weeks each year in addition to the four weeks you are already accruing for a total of eight weeks annual leave) in exchange for reducing your fortnightly salary to cover the value of the additional leave.

    For example, four weeks purchased leave for a HEO6 staff results in a reduction of 7.69% of normal gross pay. Their fortnight gross pay would be $2,966.28 instead of $3,213.39.

    Emergencies happen, we can help

    You can access three special paid leave days each calendar year for absences caused by emergencies.

    For those experiencing family violence, five days are available to help ensure your family’s safety.

    If a loved one develops an illness or injury or there has been a death in the family, the University provides three days compassionate leave to support you through this time.

    Caring for your family

    We have many parental leave options available for new parents and for those who are seeking flexibility in their work to support caring for children. Even if you’ve just joined the University and haven’t yet completed 12 months service, you can access paid leave to care for your new family.

    There are many considerations when planning your return to work after time off for parental leave. Discuss with your supervisor what works best for your work area and for you.

    Why not consider working from home?

    Sometimes the most effective way to engage with your work or to balance competing priorities is to work from home. The University provides for this option in our working from home procedure.

    Example

    If you are doing work that could reasonably be done away from the office and you need some flexibility, speak to your supervisor about working from home.

    Are you working towards a deadline and want to clear your schedule to get to the finish line? Will a day working on your own at home give you the clear run you need to finish?

    We all know the frustration of being told that the plumber will call sometime this morning/afternoon, rather than taking a leave day just to let the plumber in, speak to your supervisor about working from home that day.

    If your working day is extended by long travel times, consider asking your supervisor to regularly work from home one day a week, so that you are free at the end of the day to give your children a shorter day in child care or out of school hours care.

     

    Apply for flexible working arrangements

    Please discuss your preferred flexible working options with your Supervisor who will consider what can reasonably be accommodated by your work area. Further detail on how to apply please refer to the Flexible Work arrangements page.

  • Family Friendly Leave

    The University has the following family-friendly leave options available.

    For details of leave conditions including eligibility refer to the University of Adelaide Enterprise Agreement 2017-2021 .

    For entitlements and related policies refer to the leave and entitlements procedure.

    Carer's leave As part of their personal leave entitlement, staff other than casuals, are entitled to carer’s leave to provide care or support to a member of their family or household who is ill, injured or involved in an unexpected emergency.
    Parental leave

    Eligible University of Adelaide staff may make a request for parental leave. Types of parental leave include:

    • Paid maternity leave
    • Paid adoption leave
    • Special paid parental leave
    • Shared paid parental leave
    • Concurrent partner leave
    • Unpaid parental leave.
    Family Violence leave

    The University recognises that some of its staff members may experience situations of violence and abuse in their domestic life which may impact on their attendance or performance at work.

    Staff experiencing this may apply for special paid leave of up to three days per calendar year for absences caused by emergency circumstances (as per clause 4.8 of the Enterprise Agreement).

    Staff may also apply for additional paid leave of up to two days per calendar year for the purposes of attending medical appointments, legal proceedings, seeking safe housing, or other activities related to dealing with family violence.

    For additional leave entitlements please refer to section 4 of the Enterprise Agreement.

  • Childcare Services

    Child care services are offered at the University's North Terrace and Waite campuses.

    The Adelaide Campus Children's Centre and Waite Campus Children's Centre are operated by an independent, not-for-profit association, Adelaide University Childcare Services Inc., in premises provided by the University.

    • The centres are available for use by staff, students and the general community.
    • Full-time and part-time care is provided.
    • The centres are open Monday to Friday, but closed on all public holidays and for several weeks during Christmas and New Year.

    Childcare services

  • Parenting Rooms

    Parenting rooms are located in the following areas:

    Building Campus Map reference
    Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences, level 10 North Terrace N/A
    Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences, level 2 North Terrace N/A
    Ingkarni Wardli, ground level North Terrace F12
    Hughes, level 8 North Terrace K10
    Napier, ground level North Terrace L14
    Nexus 10 Tower, level 2 North Terrace R14
    Rundle Mall Plaza, level 3 North Terrace S2
    Waite building, ground level Waite campus D2

    CAMPUS & MAPS North Terrace campus map Waite campus map

     

    Parenting room details

    Location Access Contents
    Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences (AHMS) 10th Floor, Room 10066a Lift access to floor
    • Power point
    • Room locks from inside
    • Comfortable chair
    • Table or flat surface to hold breast pump
    • Sink with boiling & chilled water
    • Bench provided but not telephone
    • Change table – in unisex toilets on same floor
    • Refrigerator
    • Microwave
    • Paper towel
    • Nappy bin
    • Privacy curtain
    • Antibacterial soap dispenser
    Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences (AHMS) 2nd Floor Room 2067 Lift access to floor
    • Power points
    • Room locks from inside
    • Room in use sign
    • Recliner & comfortable chair
    • Small table
    • Sink with hot & cold water
    • Telephone & bench provided
    • Desk & chair
    • Change table 
    • Refrigerator
    • Microwave
    • Paper towel
    • Nappy bin
    • Privacy curtain
    • Antibacterial soap dispenser 
    Women’s Room (Anna Menz Lounge), Hughes Building, L8 No swipe card required, door always open
    • Lounges, tables and chairs
    • Lockers
    • Change table
    • Kitchen area with sink, fridge and microwave
    • Air-conditioned
    Ingkarni Wardli, Ground Floor, Room G23 Swipe card. For access, visit AskECMS, Ingkarni Wardli, Level 1 (level above)
    • Large bench, incorporating a basin & change table
    • Direct access to separate toilet room with basin
    • Separate portion of the room with 2 lounge chairs with privacy curtain entry
    • Air conditioned
    • Mini Fridge
    • Bins, soap, paper towel, hand dryer
    Napier Ground Floor, Room G31

    Swipe card access to the area, code on the door. For access, contact Sarah Hoggard.

    8313 3737 or sarah.hoggard@adelaide.edu.au
    • One & two seater lounge with coffee table
    • Power supply
    • Air conditioning
    • No change facilities or amenities. The closest of these is available on the same floor Room G62, All Gender/Accessible Toilet with fold down baby change table. This toilet is open to all.
    Nexus 10 Tower, Level 2, Room 218 Swipe card access, or report to Professions Information Desk (Ground Floor, Nexus10 Tower) to be given access
    • Change table which folds out from wall
    • 1 x microwave, 1 x fridge, 1x chair, sink
    • Air-conditioned
    Rundle Mall Plaza, Level 3 Private Room, always open unless in use
    • Privacy screening
    • Occupancy signage
    • Internal door lock
    • Comfortable seating
    • A small refrigerator for milk or medications. *Please ensure that all personal items are clearly labelled
    • Amenities such as tissues, baby wipes and disinfectant wipes
    • Telephone
    • Nappy waste disposal is in the unisex toilets on the same floor for hygiene reasons.
    Roseworthy - PROPOSED PROVISION Student Union Building, Ground Floor, Room G15 TBA TBA
    Waite -Waite Building, Ground Floor, Room G30 2A Through ladies' toilets airlock
    • Bowl and vanity area with mirror
    • Change table
    • 2 seater lounge
    • Mini refrigerator
    • Soap dispenser, paper towel, hand dryer
    • Nil airconditioning

     

  • Dependant Travel Scheme

    The University of Adelaide has established a Dependant Travel Scheme (up to $2,500 per instance) to support staff who have caring responsibilities to participate in a conference held overseas or within Australia.

    Funding support may be made available to eligible staff as a contribution to the travel costs of the dependant relative or a carer, or to employ a carer at the conference location.

    Support from the Dependant Travel Scheme may be available to applicants who have primary caring responsibility for a young child/ren, or a dependant relative with special needs. Academic staff in a continuing position, or in a fixed-term position with at least 12 months tenure remaining, are eligible to apply for funding under the Scheme, provided they are not full-time postgraduate students. Additionally, for fixed-term staff, the travel must occur within the contractual period.

    Executive Deans consider requests for the funding once the travel is approved in-principle. The number of awards available will be up to each Executive Dean to determine from their own budgets, noting that the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) liability must also be met by the Faculty. As a guide, this means up to $1,250 can be spent on dependant travel expenses where the associated FBT is approximately equal to the value of the dependant travel benefits (e.g. travel costs of $1,250 will have an associated FBT expense of roughly $1,250 - the combined total meets the $2,500 cap).

    Any additional expenses incurred as a result of the dependant/s or carer travelling must be borne by the staff member privately.  Where split charging is not available the staff member must pay in full with private funds and seek reimbursement of the business related portion. The corporate credit card must not be used.

    Use of consulting funds under the Dependant Travel Scheme

    Academic staff with a consulting fund balance may be approved to utilise those funds for the purpose of dependant travel.

    Refer Table 3 of the University's Research Grants, Contracts and Consultancies Policy which enables academic staff with funds available in their consulting account to utilise those funds to pay for dependant travel (as per above criteria).

    Application process for the Dependant Travel Scheme

    Please note, there is currently a review of the Dependant Travel Scheme process occurring. In the meantime there are different approaches in administering the process between faculties. We thank you for your understanding as we review this process and update its design.

    Dependant travel scheme applications (regardless of the source of funding) must be emailed to the Associate Dean GEDI in your faculty.

    • Associate Professor Michelle McArthur, Deputy Dean People & Culture, SET
    • Dr Tina Bianco-Miotto, Associate Dean, GEDI, SET
    • Dr Shona Crabb, Deputy Dean People & Culture, HMS
    • Professor Joanne Bowen, Associate Dean, GEDI, HMS
    • Professor Andrew Van Der Vlies, Deputy Dean, People & Culture, ABLE
    • Associate Professor Anne Hewitt, Associate Dean GEDI, ABLE

    Once approved by the Executive Dean and Associate Dean GEDI, completed dependant travel forms must be emailed to taxhelpdesk@adelaide.edu.au.

    If travelling internationally the approved application form must be attached to the international travel request in Pre-Trip Approve. 

    Dependant travel scheme application

    Please note, all ABLE Faculty applications must use this link.

    Questions

    Any questions regarding the Dependant Travel Scheme should be directed to your Associate Dean GEDI in the first instance.  Queries relating to the FBT calculation can be directed to the taxhelpdesk@adelaide.edu.au.

  • Research Equity Initiatives

    Barbara Kidman Fellowship Scheme

    The University of Adelaide Barbara Kidman Women's Fellowship Scheme is designed to support female academics to enhance and promote their career.

    The Scheme offers opportunities to enhance, maintain, or re-invigorate research momentum, and assist the Fellowship recipients in applying for, and assuming, enhanced roles in the near future. Preference will be given to those staff whose research momentum has been affected by caring responsibilities, resulting in career-disruption or reduced working hours.

     

    For more information please refer to the Barbara Kidman Fellowship Scheme webpage