Your leave

Most forms of leave should be booked using Staff OnLine (opens in a new window).

For a full list of the leave types, and the methods by which they should be booked, visit the Booking leave online page. For assistance on using Staff Online, refer to the Staff Online - FAQs page.

Any other queries about booking leave online or the types of leave that can be booked online should be made to your HR Partner or through the HR Help Line on ext 7575.

How much Annual Leave do I have? Your annual leave balance is available via Staff Online. If you have an enquiry concerning your balance, you should contact your HR Advisor.

How much annual leave can I accrue? During each calendar year, you must take annual leave of at least three weeks in any approved pattern unless you have insufficient paid leave available.

Only in special circumstances, and with the written approval of the University, can you accrue more than 6 week's annual leave.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for full details.

What happens to my annual leave on resignation? If you resign, you are entitled to be paid out the value of your unused annual leave as at your last day of duty.

When do I get paid my annual leave loading? You will receive your annual leave loading in the first pay period in December.

What am I entitled to? An employee will accrue paid sick leave on a daily basis at the rate of 15 days a year. Untaken paid sick leave will accumulate from year to year. An employee engaged part time will receive sick leave entitlements on a pro-rata basis.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for full details.

If you are a casual employee, you are paid a loading in lieu of sick leave entitlements and are therefore not entitled to paid sick leave.

When do I need to provide a medical certificate? A medical certificate must be provided if:

• you are absent in your first three months of service with Western Sydney University, or
• you have been absent for more than three consecutive working days.

Please refer to the Enterprise Agreements for full details.

You are required to use Staff Online for any sick leave absences. If you have a medical certificate you must scan the certificate and upload it onto Staff Online for your Supervisor's approval.

What is Personal Leave?
Personal leave is available:

• to meet family, cultural, religious or special needs;
• to care for a dependant or a member of your immediate family;
• on account of the death of a member of your immediate family.

You are entitled, as an ongoing or fixed term employee, to take up to six days paid leave in any 12 month period and you may also use your accrued sick leave entitlement as Personal leave.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for full details.

For information on Cultural and Festival days, as well as guidelines for addressing Cultural issues and events, visit the Equity and Diversity website.

What flexibility is available on return to work after Maternity leave? If you are entitled to paid maternity leave, and you return to work full-time or on the same part-time arrangement as you were working prior to taking leave within 12 months of commencing the maternity leave, you will be entitled to a phased return to work.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for full details.

As a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace, the University supports new mothers breastfeeding wherever they are comfortable. There are also 17 private breastfeeding rooms across campus available for use if preferred. Please read the Breastfeeding on University Premises policyto find out more.

Refer to the Managing Family Responsibilities (opens in a new window) page for more details on the types of Parental Leave available or access the Supporting Parents Toolkit (PDF, 404.42 KB) (opens in a new window).

Federal Government's Paid Parental Leave Scheme (PPLS)  The Federal Government's Paid Parental Leave Scheme (PPLS) was implemented on 1 January, 2011. Employees are now able to lodge PPLS claims with the Family Assistance Office (FAO).

Further information regarding the PPL scheme and applications must be made directly to the Family Assistance Office (opens in a new window). Western Sydney University is unable to provide specific advice of a financial or determinative nature in relation to the PPL scheme.

What is Partner Leave?  Partner Leave may be available to you, dependent on eligibility.  Further information is available in both the University's Enterprise Agreement (opens in a new window) or for more options available to partners, view our Managing Family Responsibilities for Partners (PDF, 549.89 KB) (opens in a new window) resource.

What is Primary Carers Leave?  Primary Carers Leave is an initiative made possible following changes to the University's Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan which offers Primary Carers the opportunity to apply for six weeks of paid Primary Carers Leave in addition to the two weeks of Partner Leave that are currently provided for in the University's Enterprise Agreement.

How do I apply for Primary Carers Leave? Applications must be made using the Leave Application form, detailing the duration of the absence.  Submit the form to your Supervisor for approval.

Guidelines for taking carer leave (PDF, 80.24 KB) (opens in a new window)

Under what circumstances could I take Leave Without Pay? Leave without pay, on a full-time or part-time basis, may be approved by the University for a period of up to one year. Appropriate reasons for taking leave without pay are detailed within the relevant Enterprise Agreement.

It should be noted that other forms of leave (such as annual leave, sick, long service) might not accrue during a grant of leave without pay. Leave without pay may also affect increment dates and superannuation entitlements.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for further details.

How do I apply for leave without pay?  Applications must be made using the Leave Application form, detailing the duration of the absence and the reason for the request. Submit the form to your supervisor for approval.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for further details.

What am I entitled to?  After 10 years continuous service, you are entitled to three months long service leave at your base rate of pay or six months leave at half your base rate of pay.

After 15 years of continuous service, you are entitled to 4.5 months leave at your base rate of pay.

Recognition of prior service  Service with Western Sydney University as an ongoing or fixed-term employee, may be recognised as prior service.

Part-time and full-time service at other Australian higher education institutions may also be recognised as prior service. For full details refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement.

How do I apply for Long Service Leave?  You must complete an online leave application using Staff Online. Leave may be taken at your choosing, provided that a minimum of six months' written notice is given.

Am I entitled to Emergency Services Call-out leave?  If you are a member of a voluntary Emergency Services organisation which is an accredited organisation defined within the State Emergency and Management Act 1989, you may be granted paid leave during an emergency declared by authority of the State Emergency Services Act 1989.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for full details.

When is Emergency Services Call-out leave taken?  When an emergency is declared by authority of the State Emergency Services Act 1989, and you have been called to attend the emergency, you must inform your supervisor of your absence as soon as possible.

Refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement for full details.

During the Christmas/New Year closedown period, staff members are generally granted three days leave on full pay in addition to the designated public holidays. Staff members may apply to take either Annual Leave or Flexi Leave for the remaining days of the closedown.

See the following page for a list of annual close down dates (opens in a new window).

Public Holidays for New South Wales are promulgated by the New South Wales Government. Full details can be found on the NSW Department of Industrial Relations (opens in a new window) website.

Also refer to the relevant Enterprise Agreement.