Cultural and Ceremonial Leave

Policy and Guidelines

A public service or education support class employee of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent may be given approval for attendance during working hours at any Aboriginal community meetings, except the Annual General Meetings of Aboriginal community organisations at which the election of office bearers will occur.

Employees of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent may be granted access to accrued long service leave or such other leave approved by the Secretary (or delegate) to attend Annual General Meetings of Aboriginal community organisations at which the election of office bearers will occur.

Leave may be granted to an employee of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent for ceremonial purposes:

• connected with the death of a member of the immediate family or extended family (provided that no employee will have an existing entitlement reduced as a result of this provision), or
• for other ceremonial obligations under Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law

Where a Victorian Public Service (VPS) employee of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent takes ceremonial leave for the purposes outlined above, up to 3 days in each year of employment will be with pay. Such leave will not accrue from year to year and will not be paid out on termination. For all other employees, ceremonial leave will be without pay.

Ceremonial leave is in addition to leave granted under the compassionate or bereavement leave provisions.

VPS employees of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent are also entitled under the Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement 2016 to 1 day of paid leave per year to participate in National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week activities and events.