Work/Family/Personal Life Balance

Leave Arrangements for Work/Family/Personal Life Balance

Bereavement Leave

General/Academic Staff are entitled to a period of two days paid compassionate leave for each occasion to spend time with a member of their immediate family or household who develops a personal illness or sustains a personal injury that poses a serious threat to his or her life; or after the death of a member of the employee's immediate family or household.

Leave Provisions relating to Personal and Carers leave (which covers Bereavement and compassionate leave) are outlined in the Union Collective Agreement for Academic and General Staff or in Australian Workplace Agreements.

While the Collective Agreement for academic and general staff includes a specific clause on Personal and Carer's leave (which relates to Bereavement and compassionate leave), for clarity purposes, the conditions in the statement below should be applied to all academic and general staff regardless of whether they are on a standard AWA or under the UCA. In the case of non-standard Australian Workplace Agreements the specific provision will have to be read.

TAFE Teachers are entitled to up to 3 days paid leave on each occasion of the death of either a member of the employee's immediate family or household.

Balancing your Work and Family/Personal Life

For detailed information on leave entitlements and conditions for different staff categories please click on the relevant link/s below.

Please note the 'award provisions/entitlements' above do not apply to casual or sessional staff members.

How to apply for Bereavement/Compassionate Leave

Fully understand your Bereavement Leave entitlements and options.
See links below and/or discuss your situation and plans confidentially with Human Resources (Richelle Brehaut, Human Resources Co-ordinator, x9367 or r.brehaut@ballarat.edu.au) and/or with your Supervisor.
Complete and submit a Leave Absentee Form, stating the relationship of the person to you.
If you need an extension of Bereavement Leave, please submit your request in writing to Human Resources, with your Head of School or Director's written approval.

Links to detailed information on leave entitlements and conditions relevant to Bereavement Leave for different staff categories:

Compassionate Leave Statement
Link to: Statement

Bereavement Leave - TAFE Teaching Staff
Bereavement Leave - TAFE Teachers' Conditions of Employment (Victoria) Award 2002
Link to: Clause 23

AWARD / ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT EXTRACTS

Compassionate Leave Statement

6.1 A staff member is entitled to a period of two days of paid compassionate leave for each occasion.

6.1.1 to spend time with a member of the staff member's immediate family or household who contracts or develops a personal illness or sustains a personal injury that poses a serious threat to his or her life; or

6.1.2 after the death of a member of the employee's immediate family or household.

6.2 A staff member entitled to a period of compassionate leave under clause 6.1 for a particular occasion is entitled to take the compassionate leave as:

6.2.1 a single, unbroken period of two days; or

6.2.2 two separate periods of one day each; or

6.2.3 any separate periods to which the staff member and the University agree

6.3 In order to be entitled to compassionate leave, the staff member must provide to the University any evidence that the University reasonably requires of the illness, injury or death.

Bereavement Leave - TAFE Teachers' Conditions of Employment (Victoria) Award 2002

Clause 23. Bereavement Leave

23.1 Upon satisfactory evidence, the employer shall grant bereavement leave for up to three days without loss of pay to any employee on each occasion of the death of either a member of the employee's immediate family or household.

23.2 Additional leave with or without pay shall be granted where it is considered by the employer that the leave provided by 23.1 is inadequate having regard to the circumstances.