Annual Leave

Permanent employees are legally entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave. Some Enterprise Agreements or Awards provide more generous entitlements.

Annual leave becomes due after 12 months of service but, by agreement, may be taken in advance. Clauses relating to annual leave usually cover:

• The method of accrual and calculation of annual leave
• How loadings and penalties are treated during annual leave
• How annual leave may be taken – in single days and/or weekly blocks
• The payment of annual leave loading (usually 17.5% paid on top of the ordinary rate of pay)
• When payment becomes due (ordinarily prior to taking leave)
• What happens when public holidays fall during a period of annual leave.

Family/Carer’s/Personal Leave

This leave is paid leave to attend to unforseen family or personal matters, including illness of a close family member. Most Agreements negotiated by the SDA provide for a non-cumulative entitlement of three days per year of service.

Bereavement/Compassionate Leave

This leave is paid leave, usually between three and five days, upon the death of a close relative. It is important to check your Agreement or Award for details of those family members covered by this entitlement.

Check your Enterprise Agreement or Award

Other forms of leave include jury service leave, blood donor leave, parental leave and emergency services leave.

Casual employees with the appropriate periods of continuous service are also entitled to both long service and parental leave.

Your exact entitlements are set out in your Enterprise Agreement or Award. If you are unsure and want to know more, talk to your workplace Delegate, Organiser or contact the SDA.