Conditions applying in common to all trades and services staff

This Part shall apply in common to all trades and services staff except where otherwise expressly provided.

Section 5 - Leave of Absence and Holidays

57. Special Leave

57.1 Special Paid Leave

57.1.1 A staff member is entitled to special paid leave in accordance with clause 57.1.

57.1.2 A staff member may apply to access his/her entitlement to special paid leave for the purpose of conducting a case in the proceedings of an industrial relations commission, and/or participating as a competitor or accredited official in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and/or the Pacific Conference Games (inclusive of any incidental travelling time) subject to the following conditions:

• where leave is requested for the purpose of conducting a case in the proceedings of an industrial relations commission, the staff member shall have no entitlement where two or more staff members have already been approved special paid leave for the conduct of a casein the same proceedings; and
• where leave is requested for the purpose of participating as a competitor or accredited official in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and/or the Pacific Conference Games, the maximum entitlement shall be four weeks in aggregate in any calendar year and the staff member shall have no entitlement unless his or her application for leave is submitted not less than fourteen days prior to the proposed commencement of leave together with documentary evidence of selection as a competitor or accreditation as an official.

57.1.3 Approval of any application for special paid leave in excess of the prescribed maximum entitlement for the purpose of participating as a competitor or accredited official in the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and/or the Pacific Conference Games under clause 57.1.2 or for a purpose other than those described under clause 57.1.2 shall be at the discretion of the University.

57.1.4 Applications for leave under clause 57.1.2 are required to be submitted to the staff member's supervisor. Applications under clause 57.1.3 are required to be submitted to the staff member's Dean or Divisional Director (as appropriate) or to the nominated delegate of the Dean or Divisional Director.

57.1.5 If the staff member's application for special paid leave under clause 57.1.2 is not approved, the staff member may appeal to his/her Dean or Divisional Director as appropriate. Where an application for special paid leave under clause 57.1.3 is not approved, the staff member may appeal to the Divisional Director (Student and Staff Services). Provided that where the Divisional Director (Student and Staff Services) is the staff member's Divisional Director and the staff member's application for special paid leave under clause 57.1.3 is not approved, the staff member may then appeal to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources).

57.2 Special Unpaid Leave

57.2.1 A staff member is entitled to special unpaid leave in accordance with clause 57.2.

57.2.2 A staff member may apply to access his/her entitlement to special unpaid leave for the purpose of standing for election to federal or state Parliament, preparing a case for hearing by an industrial relations commission, participating as a competitor or accredited official in sporting competitions other than the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, or the Pacific Conference Games (inclusive of any incidental travelling time), and/or accompanying a spouse travelling overseas subject to the following conditions:

• where leave is requested for the purpose of standing for election to federal or state Parliament, the period of such leave shall not exceed the period between the date of the close of nominations and the date of the declaration of the poll;
• where leave is requested for the purpose of preparing a case for hearing by an industrial relations commission, the maximum entitlement shall be three months in any calendar year and the staff member shall have no entitlement where two or more staff members have already been approved special unpaid leave for the preparation of the same case for hearing;
• where leave is requested for the purpose of participating as a competitor or accredited official in a sporting competition other than the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, or the Pacific Conference Games, the maximum entitlement shall be four weeks in any calendar year and the staff member shall have no entitlement unless his or her application for leave is submitted not less than fourteen days prior to the proposed commencement of leave together with documentary evidence of selection as a competitor or accreditation as an official;
• where leave is requested for the purpose of accompanying a spouse travelling overseas, the staff member shall have no entitlement unless:

1. the spouse is also employed by the University; and
2. the spouse is travelling overseas whilst on long service leave or as part of an Outside Studies Program or staff training or at the direction of the University; and
3. the staff member has been granted such leave on less than two occasions previously;

and such leave shall be subject to the University's approval with regard to operational requirements.

57.2.3 A staff member with an existing annual leave or long service leave entitlement may access that entitlement for all or part of any special unpaid leave granted in accordance with clause 57.2.2 for the purpose of standing for election to federal or state Parliament, preparing a case for hearing by an industrial relations commission, and/or participating as a competitor or accredited official in sporting competitions other than the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, or the Pacific Conference Games (inclusive of any incidental travelling time).

57.2.4 During a period of special unpaid leave, the staff member has no access to holidays observed by the University.

57.2.5 Approval of any application for special unpaid leave in excess of the prescribed maximum entitlements under clause 57.2.2 or for a purpose other than those described under clause 57.2.2 is subject to the exhaustion of any existing annual leave and long service leave credits and shall be at the discretion of the University.

57.2.6 Applications for leave under clause 57.2.2 are required to be submitted to the staff member's supervisor. Applications under clause 57.2.5 for a period of six months or less are required to be submitted to the staff member's Dean or Divisional Director (as appropriate) or to the nominated delegate of the Dean or Divisional Director. All applications for leave over six months are required to be submitted to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor with the endorsement of the Dean or Divisional Director (as appropriate).

57.2.7 If the staff member's application for special unpaid leave under clause 57.2.2 is not approved, the staff member may appeal to his/her Dean or Divisional Director as appropriate. Where an application for special unpaid leave under clause 57.2.5 is not approved by the Dean or Divisional Director (as appropriate) or nominated delegate, the staff member may appeal to the Divisional Director (Student and Staff Services). Provided that where the Divisional Director (Student and Staff Services) is the staff member's Divisional Director and the staff member's application for special unpaid leave under clause 57.2.5 is not approved, the staff member may then appeal to Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources).