Leave entitlements
Griffith understands the importance of maintaining a good work/life balance to sustain good health. In support of this, we provide a range of leave options and discounted health plans to our staff. We also provide flexible working arrangements such as a flexible work year, reversible part-time hours and variable hours.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to contributing to building resilient economies that promote decent work and improve the well-being of individuals and communities.
COVID-19 Leave Arrangements
Exceptional leave arrangements are in place for 2023 to support staff through COVID-19 illness however these will cease at the end of 2023 as WHO (World Health Organisation) has now declared end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency. Please note the advice for casual and sessional staff is separate to that for ongoing and fixed-term staff. Please ensure you seek the appropriate guidance.
Staff who currently have excessive leave balances as defined in the Professional and Support Staff Enterprise Agreement and the Academic Staff Enterprise Agreement are required to reduce their leave prior to 31 January 2021.
- Staff whose leave balance is currently greater than 40 days recreation leave will be directed to take this leave to reduce this balance to 20 days or less, unless there are compelling operational reasons not to.
- Staff whose leave balance is currently greater than 15 weeks long service leave will be directed to take up to 12 weeks of this leave. Under the respective agreement, a six-month notice period is usually required for such leave. Staff can negotiate with their supervisor a shorter notice period before the start of that leave.
- Both recreation and long service leave can be taken at full or half pay, or to top up a part time agreement.
Managing your leave at Griffith
When it comes to taking leave, a discussion between staff and their supervisor should enable an agreement that suits both the employee and the work unit. However, in the case of excessive leave balances, Griffith has the right to direct staff to take leave (as specified in the relevant Enterprise Agreement).
Please note excessive leave is defined as more than 40 days recreation leave or more than 15 weeks long service leave.
Please refer to the leave examples document to see how this might apply.
Submit a Flexible Work Arrangement – How to guide
Applying for Leave - How to guide
Cancel Leave Request - How to guide
Application for recognition of previous service (for long service leave calculations)
Leave types
Recreational leave
Griffith offers four weeks of recreation leave for each year of service. Part-time employees accrue recreation leave on a pro-rata basis. Casual staff do not accrue recreation leave. Staff are encouraged to access their accrued recreation leave to maintain good health and a positive working environment.
Long service leave
Employees are entitled to access long service leave (LSL) after completing 10 years of recognised continuous employment with Griffith. LSL accrues at the rate of 1.3 weeks for each year of continuous service and a proportionate amount for part of an incomplete year. Part-time employees accrue LSL on a pro-rata basis.
Other leave
Griffith also provides for a variety of other leave types including:
- Domestic and Family Violence leave
- Reserve Forces Leave
- Emergency Services Leave
- Jury Service and Court Attendance Leave
- Gender Affirmation Leave
Sick leave
Full-time Griffith employees accrue 10 days of paid sick leave per year. Part-time staff accrue paid sick leave on a pro-rata basis. Casual staff do not accrue sick leave.
Parental leave
Parental leave and partner leave are available to all Griffith staff on fixed-term and continuing appointments. Parental leave provides employees the opportunity to care for their child or children as the primary care giver during the first year of their parenting relationship. Partner leave is available to employees who are not the primary care giver of their child or children, usually in support of the time of the child’s/children’s birth or adoption.
Parental Leave Pay – Department of Human Services
Family, Cultural and other special leave
This special category of leave provides up to 5 days paid leave within a total calendar year for all absences arising from the following:
- Family Circumstances for employees who need to care for a member of their household or family when they are ill and no other care options are available. If the illness is of a nature or frequency that it exceeds the annual five-day total, sick leave may be used for caring purposes.
- Special Circumstances applies where the employee experiences pressing or emergency circumstances that preclude their attendance at work. Examples of this may include natural disasters, a bereavement where there is no familial relationship, or additional time off where the individual is mourning the death of a close family member. The approval of such leave is discretionary and requires agreement from the Head of Element. Approval of this type of leave would be appropriate where the nature of the special circumstances is unusual, out of the ordinary and that there is not a more appropriate leave type available.
- First Peoples Obligations applies where an employee is required by Aboriginal tradition or Torres Strait Island custom to fulfil formal cultural obligations related to the culture with which the employee or the employee’s partner, family and/or community group identifies.
- Special Circumstances may also apply where there is a requirement for an employee to fulfil formal cultural obligations which preclude their attendance at work. Examples of this may include religious events where the staff member has a formal ceremonial role to play that cannot be conducted outside of work time, or where there are formal religious death rites conducted a year after the initial bereavement. The approval of such leave is discretionary and requires agreement from the Head of Element. This type of leave is not normally available to attend or observe religious and cultural festivals, however, attendance at these events may be supported through other leave types such as recreation leave.
The entitlement and responsibilities relating to this leave type is outlined in the relevant enterprise agreement, either the Academic Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023-2025 (s.29) or the Professional & Support Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023-2024 (s.36).
TAT Leave Ready Reckoner
Use the Leave Ready Reckoner to calculate reduced teaching hours resulting from leave.
Private health insurance
Griffith offers a choice of four health plans. These health funds offer eligible staff attractive rates for private medical insurance. For more information please contact them directly using the information below.
