Indigenous Australian staff are entitled to up to five days special paid leave to attend to Indigenous cultural/ceremonial obligations. Staff will provide appropriate documentation to their Supervisor.

A staff member who is summoned as a prospective juror must notify their Supervisor as soon as possible of the date/s when they are required to attend for jury service.

Upon providing proof of attendance, a staff member who is required to undertake jury duty will be granted:

1. paid leave for the period necessary for such service, in which case the staff member must forward to the University any fees (other than reimbursement of expenses) received for such jury service; or
2. leave without pay for the period necessary for such service, in which case the staff member will be entitled to retain any fees received for such jury service.

Where a staff member who takes paid leave fails to forward such fees to the University, the period of their absence for jury service will be treated as leave without pay, and any salary paid for the period of absence will be repayable to the University.

Staff serving on a part-time basis in the Australian Defence Forces Reserves are entitled to paid leave to attend Defence Forces training as follows:

The University may grant up to four additional days’ leave each year if the staff member’s commanding officer states in writing that additional training is necessary. Further additional leave may be taken as annual leave or leave without pay.

The University may refuse an application to attend training if it is not convenient for the University at the time, but approval will be given for leave to attend equivalent training at an alternative convenient time.

The University will grant up to three days’ paid leave per year for the purposes of undertaking voluntary emergency management activities and related training.

Additional leave will be granted where such leave is reasonable having regard to all the circumstances. Such leave will normally be unpaid, but paid leave may be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Emergency services leave will be granted only where a staff member:

1. is a member of, or has a member-like association with an emergency services organisation (as defined in the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 (NSW) or a “recognised emergency management body” as defined in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth); and
2. provides documentary evidence of their membership, training requirements and call-outs attended if requested to do so.

The University may approve paid special leave in accordance with University policy. Other than in exceptional circumstances, special leave may not exceed three days.

The University may approve leave without pay in accordance with University policy and on such conditions as the University considers appropriate in the circumstances.

A staff member who is required to attend a court or tribunal hearing as a witness:

1. will be regarded as being on duty during their period of absence if:
   • required as a witness for the University;
   • the hearing relates to a University award or agreement; or
   • the hearing relates to proceedings initiated under clause 322 of this Agreement in relation to the staff member’s employment;
2. will be permitted to take annual leave, accrued flex-time (General staff only) or time in lieu of overtime (General staff only) or leave without pay to cover the period of their absence from work in any other circumstances;
3. must notify their Supervisor of the expected times of their absence as early as possible; and
4. will not be entitled to any witness fees in relation to a matter referred to in clause 205(a), but may retain such fees as may be paid to them (if any) in respect of other matters.

General staff may convert up to five days of their accrued sick leave each year to career development leave. Such leave will be approved in accordance with University policy. Career development leave will be available under this Agreement in addition to, and will not diminish, any study leave and staff development entitlements that are otherwise available to staff in accordance with University policy.