AT765517 - Airline Operations - Flight Attendants’ Long Haul - Qantas Airways Limited - Award 2000 [Transitional]
26. PERSONAL/CARER'S LEAVE (INCORPORATING SICK LEAVE AND BEREAVEMENT LEAVE)
26.1 Definitions
26.1.1 Immediate family includes:
26.1.1(a) a spouse, including a former spouse, a de facto spouse and a former de facto spouse; and
26.1.1(b) a child or adult child, including an adopted child, a step child or an ex nuptial child, of the flight attendant or the flight attendant's spouse; and
26.1.1(c) a parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the flight attendant or the flight attendant's spouse.
26.1.2 De facto
In relation to a person, a person of the opposite sex to the person who lives with the person as the husband or wife of that person on a bona fide domestic basis although not legally married to the person.
26.2 Entitlement
26.2.1 A flight attendant, is entitled to paid personal leave in the following circumstances:
26.2.1(a) when the flight attendant is absent from work due to personal illness or accident (sick leave);
26.2.1(b) for the purposes of caring for a member of the flight attendant's immediate family or household who is sick and who requires the flight attendant's care and support (carer's leave);
26.2.1(c) when a member of the flight attendant's immediate family or household dies (bereavement leave).
26.2.2 Personal leave of 13 days is available in the first year of service. 18 days personal leave is available in each second and subsequent year of service.
26.2.3 In any year, unused personal leave accrues at the rate of the lesser of:
26.2.3(a) in the first year of service 10 days and in each subsequent year 15 days, less the number of sick leave and carer's leave days taken; or
26.2.3(b) the balance of that year's unused personal leave.
26.2.4 Personal leave may accumulate to a maximum of 365 days.
26.2.5 The entitlement to use personal leave for the purpose of carer's or bereavement leave is subject to the person being either:
26.2.5(a) a member of the flight attendant's immediate family; or
26.2.5(b) a member of the flight attendant's household.
26.3 Sick leave
26.3.1 Entitlement
26.3.1(a) A flight attendant is entitled to use up to ten days of the current year's personal leave entitlement as sick leave in the first twelve months of service and fifteen days in any second and subsequent years of service.
26.3.1(b) A flight attendant is entitled to use accumulated personal leave for the purposes of sick leave if the flight attendant's current year's sick leave entitlement has been exhausted.
26.3.2 Notice of illness or injury
26.3.2(a) Before taking such leave, if possible, a flight attendant will advise the Company of his or her non-attendance the day before the absence. Where possible notice will be given by the flight attendant at least two hours prior to his or her rostered commencement time.
26.3.2(b) The notice must include the nature of the injury or illness (if known) and the estimated duration of the absence.
26.3.2(c) If it is not possible for the flight attendant to give prior notice of the absence, the flight attendant must notify the Company by telephone at the first opportunity.
26.3.2(d) A flight attendant resuming duty after any period of sick leave must advise the Company on the day preceding the return to duty.
26.3.3 Proof of illness or injury
The Company will grant paid sick leave to a flight attendant without the provision of a medical certificate to the extent of four days in each twelve month period, no more than three of which may be consecutive.
26.3.4 Sick leave and workers' compensation
A flight attendant is not entitled to be paid sick leave for any period for which he or she is receiving workers' compensation.
26.3.5 Sick leave and annual leave
If a flight attendant is sick while on annual leave, and provides the Company with a medical certificate within 15 days of returning to duty, the flight attendant must, provided the illness is not less than one day, be recredited the annual leave for the period of the illness and the illness must be treated as sick leave for pay and accrual purposes.
26.3.6 Non-health reasons
If the Company does not want a flight attendant to take up line operations due to non-health reasons, the flight attendant must continue to be paid and no credits deducted from sick leave.
26.3.7 Unfit for flying duties but fit for temporary non-flying duties
A flight attendant who, through personal illness, is unfit for flying duty but is declared fit for non-flying duty by a Company doctor may continue on sick leave or if a temporary ground staff position is available and is accepted by the flight attendant, he or she will be paid the rate of pay prescribed in the relevant award or Agreement for that position.
26.4 Bereavement leave
26.4.1 A flight attendant is entitled to use up to three days personal leave as bereavement leave on each occasion of the death of a member of the flight attendant's immediate family or household in Australia.
26.4.2 A flight attendant is entitled to use up to five days personal leave as bereavement leave on each occasion of the death of a member of the flight attendant's immediate family or household outside Australia.
26.4.3 Flight attendants must produce satisfactory evidence of the death.
26.5 Carer's leave
26.5.1 Entitlement
26.5.1(a) A flight attendant is entitled to use up to 5 days personal leave each year as carer's leave. This entitlement is subject to:
26.5.1(a)(i) the flight attendant being responsible for the care of the person concerned; and
26.5.1(a)(ii) the person concerned being either:
26.5.1(a)(iii) the immediate family or household member requires care.
26.5.1(b) In normal circumstances a flight attendant must not take carer's leave under this clause if another person has taken leave to care for the same person.
26.5.1(c) Carer's leave may be taken for part of a single day.
26.5.2 Proof of illness
The flight attendant must, if required, establish by production of a medical certificate, the illness of the person concerned and that the illness is such as to require care by another.
26.5.3 Notice requirements
26.5.3(a) The flight attendant must give the Company at least eight hours notice prior to the absence of:
26.5.3(b) The flight attendant, if possible, must notify the Company the day before the absence.
26.5.3(c) If it is not practicable for the flight attendant to give prior notice of the absence, the flight attendant must notify the Company by telephone of the absence at the first opportunity on the day of absence.
26.5.4 Unpaid carer's leave
A flight attendant may elect, with the consent of the Company, to take unpaid leave for the purpose of providing care to a family or household member who is ill.
