Leave Entitlements
As an employee of The University of Adelaide you are entitled to apply for a range of leave.
Applications for most types of leave are submitted through Staff Services Online, but some leave types require different booking arrangements. See leave types below for further information and consult the Enterprise Agreement for eligibility and conditions.
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Annual Leave
A staff member is entitled to full pay at the rate of 20 working days per year. Part time employees will be prorated.
Annual leave will accrue progressively during a year of service and will accumulate from year to year. If a staff member is part-time the staff member will accrue annual leave on a pro-rata basis.
Clause 4.1.1 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
A staff member is in excess leave balances if they have a balance of 30 working days or 35 working days for shift workers (pro rata for part time staff)
Automatic scheduling of Academic leave applies as per clause 4.1.6 of The University of Adelaide Enterprise Agreement (as amended or replaced)Cashing out of Annual leave is not available
Book leave through
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Long Service Leave
Long Service Leave accrues at the rate of 6.5 working days for each year of service and pro-rata for a part of a year of service with the University from the first day of January 1966;
Long service leave can be taken at 7 years' entitlement and paid at half pay or as single days.
Staff may be eligible to apply for recognition of prior service if previously employed by higher education or government institutions.
Clause 4.11.1 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Please refer to clause 4.11.6 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025 for Prior Service eligibility.
A staff member is in excess leave balances if they have a balance of 80 working days - this must be reduced to 30 working days over a 2 year period (pro rata for part time staff)
One full-time day is equal to 7.35 hoursIf the staff member has an entitlement to at least 65 days long service leave the staff member may apply to receive a payment in lieu of their long service leave entitlement (i.e. cashing out).
Please complete the Cashing out of Long Service Leave form
Book leave through
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Personal Leave/Compassionate Leave
Personal Leave
A staff member is entitled to leave of absence with full pay at the rate of 15 working days per year and this leave shall be cumulative without limit. Part-time staff members shall be entitled to 15 working days per year paid on a pro rata basis.
Clause 4.2 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Staff members are entitled to personal leave:
(a) if they are unfit for work because of a personal illness, or personal injury that affects them; or
(b) to provide care or support to a member of a staff member’s family, or a member of their household, who requires care or support because of: i. a personal illness, or personal injury; or an unexpected emergency.
Compassionate Leave
Staff members are entitled to a maximum of three (3) paid days of compassionate leave for each occasion when a member of their family, or a member of their household:
(a) contracts or develops a personal illness that poses a serious threat to his or her life; or
(b) sustains a personal injury that poses a serious threat to his or her life; or
(c) dies.
A maximum of three (3) paid days of compassionate leave is also available on each occasion a staff member, or their spouse or defacto partner, has a miscarriage or where a child is stillborn where the child would have been a family member of the staff member, or member of their household if the child had been born alive.
Clause 4.3 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave through
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Special Studies Program Leave
All academic staff members (except casuals) are eligible to participate in the University’s Special Studies Program (SSP) provided their contract of employment extends beyond the period of special studies for at least an equal period.
clause 5.7 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
The accrual of SSP days is not an entitlement to take SSP, which will be subject to consideration and approval process as outlined in this procedure. SSP is accrued in calendar days, not hours.
To apply for SSP please visit the Special Studies leave webpage
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Leave without Pay
Staff members may apply for a period of leave without pay. Approval will be at the discretion of the Area Manager who will determine the conditions under which it will be taken.
Leave without pay will not normally be granted for a period exceeding two (2) years.
Clause 4.10 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave through
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Paid Parental Leave
A staff member is eligible to apply for paid parental leave may apply for the relevant type of leave specified in the table below, subject to the specific eligibility rules and requirements specified in the table for the type of paid parental leave.
Clause Type of leave Entitlement Eligibility and requirements 4.5.2.1 Paid Maternity Leave Up to 26 weeks Available to mother of the Child
Eligibility
Available to the birth mother of the child.
Requirements
The staff member must commence maternity
leave within six (6) weeks leading up to the
expected birth date.
A medical certificate of fitness for work is
required if the staff member wishes to remain at
work within the two (2) weeks leading up to the
expected birth date or return to duties within the
first eight (8) weeks after birth.
A minimum of 14 weeks paid leave must be
taken.4.5.2.3 Paid Adoption Leave Up to 26 weeks Eligibility
Available to a staff member who will be the
primary carer of a child aged five (5) years or less
placed for adoption with the staff member.
Requirements
Adoption leave must start on the day of the
placement of the child.
A minimum of 14 weeks paid leave must be
taken.4.5.2.4 Special Paid Parental Leave Up to 26 weeks.
Note: Approval is at the
discretion of the UniversityEligibility
available to a staff member:
• not otherwise eligible for paid maternity
leave or paid adoption leave; and
• who becomes the primary carer of a
child less than one (1) year of age.Requirements
Leave must not start prior to the date on which
the staff member becomes the primary carer of
the child, unless approved otherwise.
A staff member must apply to their Head of
School (or functional equivalent).
A staff member's application must state their
case in order for the Head of School (or
functional equivalent) to fully understand the
circumstance which gives rise to the staff
member being the primary carer of the child. The
staff member may be required to provide
evidence to the satisfaction of the University that
they are the primary carer of the child at the time
of their leave.
Approval is at the discretion of the University.4.5.2.5 Shared Paid Parental Leave A combined total of 26
weeksNote 1:
14 of these 26 weeks must
be taken by the staff
member eligible for paid
maternity or paid adoption
leave;
Note 2:
Concurrent Partner Leave
(see clause 4.5.2.6) may be
taken at the same time as
the first 14 weeks of leave.Eligibility
Available only to employee couples. An
employee couple is defined as two (2) staff
members who are either the spouse or de facto
partner of the other.
At least one staff member of the employee
couple must be eligible for paid maternity leave
or paid adoption leave
Both staff members must be fixed-term or
continuing staff members with at least 12 months
continuous service immediately prior to the
expected birth date or expected date of
placement of the child.
Requirements
The first 14 weeks of leave must be taken by the
staff member eligible for paid maternity leave or
paid adoption leave.
The other staff member’s leave must commence
immediately after the end of the first staff
member's period of leave.
Clause 4.5.1 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
FAQ's
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Unpaid Parental Leave
A staff member eligible to apply for unpaid parental leave may apply for the relevant type of leave specified in the table below, subject to the specific eligibility rules and requirements specified in the table for the type of unpaid parental leave.
Clause Type of leave Entitlement Eligibility and requirements 4.5.8.1 Unpaid Parental Leave Up to 52 weeks unpaid leave, which may be extended once by up to 52 weeks.
Note 1: A staff member’s request for an extension must only be refused on reasonable business grounds.
Note 2: If both paid and unpaid parental leave is taken, the total aggregate of leave must not exceed 104 weeks.
Note 3: A staff member may take 30 days of unpaid parental leave flexibly in accordance with the NES within two years of the birth of the child.Eligibility
Available to a staff member if the leave is associated with:- the birth of a child of the staff member or the staff member’s spouse or de facto partner; or
- the placement of a child with the staff member for adoption;
- and the staff member has or will have primary responsibility for the care of the child.
Unpaid Parental Leave is also available to a staff member if the leave is associated with:- a stillbirth; or
- death of a child within 24 months of its birth.
Requirements
The staff member must provide at least 10 weeks written notice of their intention to take unpaid parental leave, including the intended start and end dates. If that is not practicable the staff member must give such notice as soon as practicable.
Requests for an extension must be made to the staff member's supervisor at least four (4) weeks before the end of the initial unpaid leave period.
The staff member must provide evidence of their eligibility if requested.
Any extension must commence immediately following the end of the initial period of unpaid parental leave.
Unpaid parental leave may be taken concurrently with paid parental leave.4.5.8.2 Unpaid Pre-Adoption Leave Up to two (2) days unpaid leave as agreed with the staff member’s supervisor. Eligibility
Available to staff members where no other leave is available at the time.
May be used for the purposes of attending interviews or examinations required in order to obtain approval for adoption of the child.
Requirements
The staff member must provide evidence of their eligibility to take the leave if requested by their supervisor.
Notice of intention to take the leave must be provided as soon as practicable.4.5.8.3 Unpaid Special Maternity Leave The extent of this entitlement is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Available to a female staff member if she is unfit for work during the period of leave because:
1. of a pregnancy-related illness; or
2. a pregnancy ends within 28 weeks of the expected date of birth of the child otherwise than by the birth of the child. -
Family and Domestic Violence Leave
All staff members (including casuals) are entitled to ten (10) days of paid family and domestic violence leave in a 12-month period. This leave is available in full at the beginning of each 12-month period of the staff member’s employment and does not accumulate each year.
Clause 4.4 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025Information regarding the leave entitlement, support and how to submit a leave request is available on our Family and Domestic Violence webpage.
Book leave under 'Special Leave - Other' in SSO or through a timesheet for casual staff.
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Community Service Leave
Jury Service Leave
If a staff member is required to attend for jury service, they will be granted leave at ordinary pay for the purpose of doing so but will forfeit to the University any jury fee received other than daily incidentals. This leave includes necessary travelling.
Witness Leave
If a staff member is required to appear as a witness in any case they will be granted leave at ordinary pay for the purpose of doing so, but will forfeit to the University any witness fee received other than daily incidentals. This leave includes necessary travelling.
Voluntary Emergency Management Leave
Staff members are entitled in any one (1) year period to take up to five (5) days paid leave for the purpose of undertaking voluntary emergency management activities, such as emergency or natural disaster.
Clause 4.6 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave under 'Community Service Leave - Jury Service' or 'Witness Services' or 'Emergency Management' through
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Defence Leave
Staff members will be entitled to an annual maximum paid period of leave of 20 working days to enable them to engage in training as a member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Reserve and it is recognised that additional leave may be required for special instruction.
Clause 4.12 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave under 'Community Service Leave - Defence Force Service' through
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Cultural Obligation Leave
Staff members are entitled in any one (1) year period to take up to a total of three (3) working days paid leave for absences for the purpose of fulfilling cultural requirements and obligations that are a recognised part of their identified or adopted culture or one with which the staff member’s partner, family and/or community group identifies.
Clause 4.7 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave under 'Special Leave - Cultural Obligation' through
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Trade Union Training Leave
A staff member may take up to ten (10) working days leave over any two-year working period:
a) to attend short trade union training courses or seminars
b) to allow an elected work site union representative to conduct official union business that requires their personal attendance.
Clause 4.9 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave under 'Special Leave - Trade Union Training' through
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Moving House Day
Staff members are entitled in any one (1) year period to take one (1) working day paid leave for the purpose of moving from their primary residence.
Clause 4.8 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave under 'Special Leave - Moving House Day' through
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Special Leave
Staff members may be entitled to take up to a total of three (3) working days as special paid leave in each calendar year for absences caused by emergency circumstances.
Clause 4.8 within the Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025
Book leave under 'Special Leave - Other' through
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Gender Affirmation Leave
Gender diverse staff members are eligible to apply for gender affirmation leave to support them to affirm their gender in a safe, positive and inclusive manner. Leave is subject to the specific eligibility rules and requirements specified in the table below:
Clause Type of Leave Entitlement Eligibility and Requirements 4.8.2 Gender Affirmation Leave 40 days over life of employment Leave may be taken for legal and/or medical purposes related to the affirmation process
Requirements
A staff member must have at least 12 months continuous service immediately prior to taking the leave