Types of Leave
Sick leave
Annual leave
Family leave
Long service leave
Cultural Leave
Sick leave
All employees except casuals, pieceworkers and school-based apprentices and trainees are entitled to paid sick leave when they’re ill or incapacitated.
Sick leave varies depending on how long you’ve worked for the employer: by law, it’s at least one working day for six weeks of employment if you’ve been on the job less than one year. Unused sick leave can generally accumulate from year to year.
If you are ill or incapacitated and cannot go to work, you need to let your employer know straight away.
If you are absent more than two days, you need to present a doctor’s certificate.
Further information is available on sick leave.
Annual leave
Annual leave is paid leave which is also called recreation (‘rec’) or holiday leave
Employees covered by an award are also entitled to a loading of 17.5% on the award rate. Employees covered by an agreement may also be entitled to a leave loading unless something different has been negotiated.
Most employees get a minimum four weeks annual leave for each year they work; some awards and agreements provide more.
Annual leave can be accumulated and public holidays don’t count as leave.
Casuals, pieceworkers and school-based trainees and apprentices do not get paid annual leave.
Further information is available on annual leave.
Family leave
Family leave helps employees balance their work and family responsibilities. The Industrial Relations Act 1999 (PDF, 1.9 MB) sets out family leave entitlements for all employees under its jurisdiction, whether they are covered by an award or workplace agreement or not. Family leave includes:
Parental leave
Parental leave is unpaid leave for:
- the birth of a child to a pregnant employee
- the birth of a child of an employee’s spouse
- the adoption of a child.
Parental leave is available to the child’s primary care giver.
Full-time, part-time and casual employees who have had at least 12 months continuous service are entitled to take parental leave.
Maternity leave
Maternity leave can be taken for up to 52 weeks (unbroken period) for a pregnant employee.
Parental leave - an employee’s spouse may take either:
- short – one week at the time of the birth
- long – up to a further 51 weeks if the primary care giver.
Leave to adopt a child may be either:
- short – up to three weeks at the time of placement
- long – up to a further 49 weeks for the primary care giver.
Extensions – an application can be made to your employer.
When you come back from parental leave, you are entitled to return to your former position.
A new initiative on work, family and lifestyle details more information on parental leave.
Carer’s leave
Carer’s leave helps you care and support a member of their immediate family or household when they are ill or because an unexpected emergency arises.
You may need to care for your partner, child, stepchild, adopted child, ex-foster child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling.
Full-time and part-time employees – Paid carer’s leave allows you to use up to ten days of your accumulated sick leave each year to look after your loved one. When this is exhausted an additional two days unpaid leave can be taken each time you qualify.
Long term casuals – You can take up to ten days unpaid carer’s leave each year.
Short term casuals – you are entitled to be unavailable to work for up to two days each time carer’s leave is needed.
Further information on carer's leave is available from the Department’s Wageline site
Bereavement leave
Bereavement leave can be taken when a member of your immediate family or household dies.
In this case, the leave is available if your partner, child, stepchild, adopted child, ex-foster child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or partner’s sibling dies.
Bereavement leave is available to full-time, part-time and long-term casual employees.
You can take up to two days leave on full pay at the time of each bereavement – full-time and part-time.
You can take up to two days unpaid leave – long term casual employees.
Short term casuals can be unavailable to work for up to two days and your employer can not refuse to re-engage you because of time off for the bereavement.
Your employer may want you to provide proof of the death such as a copy of the funeral notice.
Further information on bereavement leave is available from the Wageline information service.
Long service leave
Long service leave is paid leave recognising a long-term commitment to a workplace of ten years or more.
You get 8.6667 weeks on full pay after a period of ten years' continuous service and an additional proportionate period of leave after a further 5 years continuous service.
A pro rata entitlement exists after seven years in certain instances.
All employees in Queensland are entitled to long service leave, subject to certain conditions.
This includes casuals, part-time employees and seasonal workers.
Further information on long service leave is available from the Wageline information service.
Cultural Leave
Cultural Leave is available to employees who are required by Aboriginal tradition or Island custom to attend an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ceremony.
With their employer's agreement, eligible employees are entitled to 5 days unpaid leave per year.
Further information on cultural leave is available from the Wageline information service.
Last updated July 21, 2009
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