Parental Absence — Teaching Service

Introduction

The purpose of parental absence is to enable an employee to be absent from duty for a total of 7 years following or in conjunction with the birth, adoption or otherwise becoming the legal parent of one or more children.

This policy applies to all employees in the teaching service, covered by the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 (the Agreement) and provides details on employee entitlements consistent with the Agreement and the National Employment Standards from the Fair Work Act 2009.

Parental absence comprises 1 or more of the following forms of leave as illustrated below:

• maternity leave
• partner leave
• other paid parental leave
• long service leave
• annual leave and additional paid leave (education support class employees)
• family leave without pay (that portion of a parental absence not covered by paid leave)

An employee may also be entitled to leave preceding the birth or adoption of a child.