Long Service Leave — Teaching Service

Policy and Guidelines for Long Service Leave

Entitlement

An employee is entitled to 495.6967 hours (3 months) of long service leave after 10 years of full time eligible service, and 247.84835 hours (1.5 calendar months) of long service leave for each 5 years of full time eligible service thereafter. An employee may, however, access their long service leave entitlement on a pro rata basis after 7 years of eligible service. Part-time employees accrue long service leave on a pro rata basis.

For information about eligible service for long service leave purposes, refer to Recognition of Prior Service for Leave Purposes — Teaching Service.

Employees may view their current long service leave entitlement, or forecast future entitlements, on eduPay using Employee Self Service (refer to the Resources tab).

On cessation of employment (including the expiration of a fixed period of employment) an employee may be entitled to payment in lieu of long service leave. For information, refer to payment in lieu of entitlements in Cessation of Employment — Teaching Service.

Employees are not permitted to engage in other employment while absent on Long Service Leave without prior approval. For information regarding engaging in other employment refer to Other Employment.

Granting long service leave

Whilst long service leave is an entitlement, the timing of the leave is discretionary. An application for long service leave needs to be lodged with sufficient notice but no later than 2 terms before the intended commencement of leave or such shorter period that may be approved by the principal (or Regional Director in the case of the principal) either generally or in any particular case.

In considering applications for long service leave, the principal will have regard to the operational requirements of the school, taking into account the availability of replacement staff and the number of staff who wish to take leave at the same time. Where long service leave is not granted, arrangements should be made with the employee to enable leave to be taken at an alternative date in the future.

An employee may access some or all of their long service leave entitlement during a period of unpaid parental absence. For information, refer to Parental Absence — Teaching Service.

An employee granted long service leave with full pay will be paid their normal rate of pay during the period of long service leave. An employee may elect to take all or part of the long service leave at half pay. An employee may apply for payment in advance for long service leave.

Commuting long service leave to salary

Employees have the option to commute a portion of long service credit to salary in conjunction with a long service leave absence of 228 hours (6 weeks) or longer.

Commutation of long service leave is also available in special circumstances (such as financial hardship) without the requirement to be absent for a period of long service leave. Applications for commutation in these circumstances should be made in writing to the principal (or the Regional Director in the case of a principal) for consideration. If the principal (or the Regional Director in the case of a principal) is satisfied that the employee has, in all the circumstances, reasonable grounds to commute some or all of their long service leave credits, the principal (or the Regional Director in the case of a principal) may approve the commutation of the long service leave credits sought by the employee.

School vacations and public holidays during long service leave

With the exception of education support class employees, where a school vacation period occurs during a period of long service leave, the school vacation will form part of the long service leave. Generally, where long service leave is to commence at the beginning of a school term and, or to end at the conclusion of a school term, the school vacation period immediately preceding and, or immediately following the leave is not counted as part of the long service leave.

Education support class employees are expected to use accrued annual leave and additional paid leave during school vacation periods unless otherwise approved, therefore long service leave is not generally approved during school vacation periods.

Public holidays which occur during a period of long service leave will not form part of the leave.

Illness or injury during long service leave

An employee who becomes ill or is injured during long service leave may be granted personal leave (refer to Personal Leave — Teaching Service for more information including eligibility requirements). Where this occurs, the equivalent amount of long service credits will be restored to the employee. The initial period of leave will not be automatically extended, however an employee may apply for an extension of the leave.