• Section 1 - Purpose / Objectives
• Section 2 - Scope / Application
• Section 3 - Definitions
• Section 4 - Policy Statement
• General Principles
• Section 5 - Procedures
• Section 6 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose / Objectives

(1) By adopting a proactive and consistent approach to the management of Annual Leave and Long Service Leave (LSL), the University will be better placed to ensure the leave liability, both operationally and financially, is more effectively managed. This Policy reinforces the responsibility of University managers and supervisors to ensure that employees do not accrue excessive leave balances and encourage staff to utilise their leave regularly in order to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

(2) This Policy provides clarification for managers and supervisors in managing the leave entitlements of their staff, and aims to:

1. facilitate the proper management of employees' Annual Leave and LSL entitlements in order to prevent the accrual of excessive leave balances and, in turn, effectively manage the University's leave liability;
2. ensure that employees are encouraged to take leave to which they are entitled in a timely manner and in a way which supports the University's approach to a healthy work/life balance.

(3) This Policy relates to the management of Annual Leave and Long Service Leave only.

Section 2 - Scope / Application

(4) This policy is important to:

1. Managers and Supervisors.

Section 3 - Definitions

(5) Annual Leave - Four weeks of leave provided to all ongoing and fixed term staff under current Enterprise Agreements

(6) EA - Victoria University (Academic & General Staff) Enterprise Agreement (current version)

(7) Leave Balance - The total current leave entitlement of an employee, referred to in this Policy in quantities of weeks.

(8) LSL - Long Service Leave — Leave accessible after seven years of eligible service provided to all ongoing and fixed term staff under current Enterprise Agreements

(9) MBA - Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Multi-Business Agreement (current version)

(10) SPDP - Staff Performance and Development Planning

(11) Weeks of Leave - Leave entitlements that equate to a week of leave. "Weeks", as opposed to "days" or "hours", is used in this Policy to ensure pro-rata treatment of leave liabilities for part time staff. One week of leave equates to 36.75 hours for full time Academic and General Staff and 38 hours for full time TAFE Teaching staff.

Section 4 - Policy Statement

(12) Effective leave management is critical to both the operation of the University and the wellbeing of University employees. Managers and supervisors are accountable for ensuring their understanding of and adherence to the Leave Management Policy.

(13) Annual Leave and LSL entitlements and management provisions are contained in Industrial Agreements. The following general principles support these provisions and provide further guidance to managers and supervisors regarding leave management.

General Principles

(14) Managers are responsible for considering and balancing operational and individual needs when planning for and/or approving leave.

(15) Managers are required to monitor their employees leave balances via quarterly reports provided by People and Culture and via HR Zone and address excessive leave balances as per the procedures provided in this Policy.

Annual Leave

(16) Employees are expected to take their annual leave in the year it is accumulated.

(17) Annual leave balances are to be reviewed on a quarterly basis by managers and supervisors based on information provided by People and Culture.

(18) Managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that planning with staff members to utilise leave forms part of the annual workload planning process for academic staff, the work plan process for TAFE Teaching staff and the annual SPDP planning process for general staff.

(19) Managers and supervisors are required to be mindful of the impact on leave balances of employees when reducing their work time fraction, and plan leave accordingly.

(20) Those employees with balances that are within one week of the maximum leave balance as stipulated in the relevant Industrial Agreement must develop a leave plan in conjunction with their manager/supervisor to ensure they do not exceed the maximum balance.

(21) Those employees with leave balances equal to or greater than the maximum allowable balance must have a leave plan in accordance with the procedures stipulated in their relevant Industrial Agreement and as detailed in the procedures associated with this Policy.

(22) All arrangements entered into to reduce leave balances to below the maximum balance must take into account the ongoing accrual of annual leave entitlements.

(23) Employees may be able to utilise up to a maximum of 1 week in advance (negative annual leave balance) subject to manager or supervisor approval. This is on the understanding that they will need to repay any excess leave taken should their employment with the University end before the leave has been accrued.

(24) Employees are not able to undertake paid work for the University, in any capacity, during their normal working hours whilst on annual leave.

Long Service Leave

(25) LSL balances are to be reviewed on a quarterly basis by managers and supervisors based on information provided by People and Culture.

(26) Employees identified with leave balances equal to or greater than the maximum allowable balance as stipulated in the relevant Industrial Agreement or within this policy are to be directed to take LSL to reduce their balance to below the maximum allowable balance. This process is in accordance with the procedures outlined in the relevant Industrial Agreement and detailed in the procedures below.

(27) Employees are not able to undertake paid work for the University, in any capacity, during their normal working hours whilst on long service leave.

Section 5 - Procedures

(28) Nil

Section 6 - Guidelines

(29) Nil