Employee Leave Policy
Next Challenges employees leave entitlements align with the National Employment Standards. Employees are asked to give as much notice as is practical for any occasions of leave including, sick, bereavement, holiday, jury duty (4 weeks notice required), maternity, paternity etc. This allows the service to meet the requirements of both the clients and the Employee. The Managing Director – or Director of Finances - if that person is not contactable, must be informed of unavailability and confirm suitable arrangements have been put in place to support continuity of care for families. Where possible the Employee is encouraged to plan leave with the Managing Director and their clients to allow appropriate cover or alternative arrangement to be made.
Annual leave
All employees (except for casual employees) are entitled to 4 weeks paid annual leave based on their ordinary hours of work.
Personal leave
All employees (except casual employees) are entitled to paid personal leave for sick leave for personal or a family member. Where personal leave is longer than 2 days a medical certificate is required. The yearly entitlement of sick and carers leave is 10 days for full-time employees and for part-time employees, it is calculated as 1/26 of employees ordinary hours of work in a year.
All employees including casual employees are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carers leave per annum. Full-time and part-time employees are only able to use unpaid carers leave if they have no paid sick/ carers leave remaining.
Compassionate/ bereavement leave
All employees (including causal employees) are entitled to compassionate leave. Full time and part time employees may receive 2 days paid compassionate leave and casual employees receive 2 days unpaid compassionate leave. The 2 days compassionate leave can be taken per family member who contracts or develops an illness or injury and/or dies, it is not accumulated. Depending on the circumstances Next Challenge may request evidence about the reason for compassionate leave.
Family / domestic violence leave
All employees are entitled to 5 days family / domestic violence unpaid leave per year.
Public holidays
Employees are not expected to work on public holidays.
Parental Leave
Employees at Next Challenge who have worked continuously for 12 months become eligible for paid parental leave under the Commonwealth government's funded scheme.
Community service leave
Employees are entitled to take community service leave for voluntary emergency management and/or jury duty, there is no limit to the amount of time an employee can take this form of leave. Community service leave is unpaid unless it is for jury duty. Next Challenge may request evidence that the employee is entitled to community service leave.
Where the Employee has taken what is considered to be excessive leave the managing Director may raise this concern with the Employee. Excessive amounts of leave without due notice or impacting on service provision may result in disciplinary action. Next Challenge does offer clients an option of an alternative therapist taking a session rather than cancellation if this arrangement can be made.
If an Employee becomes unavailable to fill the length of contract agreed, 2 weeks notice will be required prior to the conclusion of the contract. If the Employee wishes they can request temporary termination of a contract and register their interest in working for Next Challenge at an alternative date in the future. Next Challenge will then maintain an awareness of the Employees future availability and consider this in relation to strategic and human resource plans. However, Next Challenge is not bound to provide a contract to that in the future if suitable clients or services are not available (or where the Employees performance has not met the standard required by Next Challenge).
For further information on leave entitlements please view:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave
https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/labour-relations/long-service-leave-0
Date of Policy: October 2003
Date Review Completed: April 2021
Due for Review: April 2022
Annual leave
All employees (except for casual employees) are entitled to 4 weeks paid annual leave based on their ordinary hours of work.
Personal leave
All employees (except casual employees) are entitled to paid personal leave for sick leave for personal or a family member. Where personal leave is longer than 2 days a medical certificate is required. The yearly entitlement of sick and carers leave is 10 days for full-time employees and for part-time employees, it is calculated as 1/26 of employees ordinary hours of work in a year.
All employees including casual employees are entitled to 2 days of unpaid carers leave per annum. Full-time and part-time employees are only able to use unpaid carers leave if they have no paid sick/ carers leave remaining.
Compassionate/ bereavement leave
All employees (including causal employees) are entitled to compassionate leave. Full time and part time employees may receive 2 days paid compassionate leave and casual employees receive 2 days unpaid compassionate leave. The 2 days compassionate leave can be taken per family member who contracts or develops an illness or injury and/or dies, it is not accumulated. Depending on the circumstances Next Challenge may request evidence about the reason for compassionate leave.
Family / domestic violence leave
All employees are entitled to 5 days family / domestic violence unpaid leave per year.
Public holidays
Employees are not expected to work on public holidays.
Parental Leave
Employees at Next Challenge who have worked continuously for 12 months become eligible for paid parental leave under the Commonwealth government's funded scheme.
- Employees must apply for this paid parental leave directly.
- Employees are welcome to nominate for Next Challenge to administer payment of the parental leave using our normal payroll schedule and procedure.
- Employees are asked to indicate prior to taking parental leave that they inform Next Challenge if they have applied and nominated Next Challenge to make payments on the government's behalf.
Community service leave
Employees are entitled to take community service leave for voluntary emergency management and/or jury duty, there is no limit to the amount of time an employee can take this form of leave. Community service leave is unpaid unless it is for jury duty. Next Challenge may request evidence that the employee is entitled to community service leave.
Where the Employee has taken what is considered to be excessive leave the managing Director may raise this concern with the Employee. Excessive amounts of leave without due notice or impacting on service provision may result in disciplinary action. Next Challenge does offer clients an option of an alternative therapist taking a session rather than cancellation if this arrangement can be made.
If an Employee becomes unavailable to fill the length of contract agreed, 2 weeks notice will be required prior to the conclusion of the contract. If the Employee wishes they can request temporary termination of a contract and register their interest in working for Next Challenge at an alternative date in the future. Next Challenge will then maintain an awareness of the Employees future availability and consider this in relation to strategic and human resource plans. However, Next Challenge is not bound to provide a contract to that in the future if suitable clients or services are not available (or where the Employees performance has not met the standard required by Next Challenge).
For further information on leave entitlements please view:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/leave
https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/labour-relations/long-service-leave-0
Date of Policy: October 2003
Date Review Completed: April 2021
Due for Review: April 2022
