[Busmanagers] Family leave assistance. Thanks Chris. EOM

Fri Oct 20 10:46:14 EST 2006

Noleen Maxwell

Business Manager

Bayswater South Primary School

Phone: 9720 4147

maxwell.noleen.n1 at edumail.vic.gov.au

________________________________

From: busmanagers-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:busmanagers-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Towers, Chris
G
Sent: Friday, 20 October 2006 10:34 AM
To: Business Managers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Busmanagers] Family leave assistance.

Noleen

I have spoken to the Leave Team Leader in Schools HR Services about
this.  She confirmed that half pay maternity leave is not available.  

On the question of the commencement of the maternity leave, she referred
us to the policy set out on HRWeb which is:

Required period of absence 

A member of the teaching service who is pregnant must absent herself
from duty for the period commencing six weeks prior to the expected date
of the child's birth until six weeks after the actual date of
confinement. 

A member of the teaching service may attend for duty during any part of
the required absence period if the principal is satisfied that: 

*	she will be fit for duty for the relevant period (proof of which
is to be by medical certificate supplied by the staff member), and
*	the staff member's attendance for duty will not adversely affect
the school's operations; and
*	the return to duty sought by the staff member is at a time staff
ordinarily attend for duty at that school. 

Where a staff member is permitted to attend for duty during the part of
the required absence period before the birth of the child, the twelve
(this should be fourteen) weeks' maternity leave commences from the
first day of absence from duty. 

The key point of the above that is relevant to your question is the
second dot point.  Surely the operations of the school would not benefit
from a teacher that is going on leave attending for duty (personally, I
can't see how the teacher really would be on duty) for one day.  The
principal has every right not to approve the attendance on day 1 of 2007
and therefore the paid maternity leave of 14 weeks would start on 13/1
as you have calculated.

Finally, what most (all?) teachers don't realise is that they have
exactly the same annual leave entitlements as practically everyone else
in the workforce i.e. they only are entitled to 20 days per year.  All
days over 20 are just that, generally, they are not required to be on
duty (many of course are)   This is why there are so many 'special'
rules for the teaching service around the relationship between school
holidays and other forms of leave.

Chris Towers 
Assistant Manager, Communication & Support 
Corporate Systems 
Corporate Services Division 
Department of Education and Training (Victoria) 
___________________________________________________________________ 
*Address: Third Floor, 2 Treasury Place, East Melbourne 3002  
*  Phone: + 61 3 9637 3648       *    Fax:     + 613 9637 2636
* Email:  towers.chris.g at edumail.vic.gov.au
<mailto:towers.chris.g at edumail.vic.gov.au> 

________________________________

From: busmanagers-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:busmanagers-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Maxwell,
Noleen N
Sent: Thursday, 19 October 2006 4:13 PM
To: Business Managers' Mailing List
Subject: [Busmanagers] Family leave assistance.

Hi all,

I have a full time staff member who is pregnant and her due date is 26th
Feb. 6 weeks prior to that is 13th Jan however, she wants to know if she
gets a doctor's certificate stating she is fit to work and comes to work
on Jan 30th (pupil free day) could she start family leave from 31st Jan,
as she would prefer not to have to take family leave during the xmas
holidays. I know if it's during a term it's ok but am unsure whether the
vacation period alters that.

I've explained to her that she gets 14 weeks paid leave, but she wants
to know if she can be paid at half pay rate over a longer period. Never
been asked that before, so haven't got the foggiest! 

I'm hoping that someone will have the answers.

Thanks,  

Noleen Maxwell

Business Manager

Bayswater South Primary School

Phone: 9720 4147

maxwell.noleen.n1 at edumail.vic.gov.au

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