Jen1977ni

So today I found out that the 2 weeks worth (ok so it's not much, but it's not bad for a 'contract' teacher) of sick leave that I've earned in the last year or so, are not transferrable when we are due to move at the end of this year, to another state! LIKE OMG!? How can that be right?! I'm moving within the same country, so surely that's just plain wrong! ARGHHHH LOL

rasen78

I would imagine it would be the same here though, if you moved from county to county within the UK. Each County has it's own Education Department which employs teachers, so if you move from one county to another, you are changing employers, so why would your leave transfer? Unless it is just one employer in Aus, which would be a bit strange

Jen1977ni

Hmmmmm I guess so, annoying all the same though. I guess I'll just have to use all of the sick leave up before we move then lol

Pollyana

Are you on a contract or a Qld Govt permanent employee? Thats the key difference.

quoll

Nope, only transfer leave entitlements if you are with the same employer. When you start to be a teacher in another state you will have to go through the whole recruitment process again - they will take into account your years of experience in the salary scale if you are offered a job but that's about it. You may be able to transfer LSL entitlements if you go from government to government but that is something to check out, not sure about that one.

Jen1977ni

The states have a Mutual Recognition Principle, well the ones I'm moving from and to, so it'll be fine that way...already got that sorted!

Toe Dipper

I am a traditionalist. If you are sick, then take sick leave. If you are well, you have no sick leave - it should not build up into a defacto holiday entitlement.

Watch the Aussies splutter on that!!!

TD

Jen1977ni

It's also known as family leave...lol

Pollyana

I used to think like that, but after a few years I've changed my views a bit. I don't treat sick leave like a holiday entitlement, in fact I rarely use it, but it sits there and builds up year by year. The up side of that is that one day I might need it if I'm off longterm sick for something, and as healthcare in Aus isn't as "free" as the NHS getting sick pay for longer is a bonus.

Don't agree with using it for extra days off just like a holiday entitlement though.

Jen1977ni

I won't use it for a holiday, I'm not that bad lol However if we are told to go to our new posting location before the school year ends I might use some as family days as that's what they'll be. People in work r suggesting just taking days willy nilly to use them all up, but like you, that'd not be my style!

Bermudashorts

I agree with you, sick leave should not be seen as holiday entitlement.

However most people would look to build up the sick leave, not as extra holiday entitlement, but so they can be paid for an extended period if they are incapacitated for a period of time.

It is a good question from Jen as to whether she can transfer it from state to state as I assume she is an employee of the state.

Jen1977ni

Yeah and I won't be using it to take a holiday! lololol We are Defence, and we move when we're told to, so if that is during the school term, towards the end of the academic year, I might take a day or two of my sick leave as family leave in order to help pack up the house! SO SHOOT ME FOR DOING SO! LOL

Dorothy

I have hardly used any of my sick leave so have accumulated quite a bit over the last 3 years. I'm now booked to have major surgery in June and if I didn't have the leave accrued there would be no way I could afford to take 4-6 weeks off.

Would you suggest Australia adopts the North American model of not having paid sick leave at all? Any job I worked at in Canada did not have paid sick leave entitlement and only 10 paid vacation days per year.

Cheetah7

Maybe not built up to holiday entitlement but you should be allowed to carry it over. 10 days sick leave per year is not a lot, you can never predict what is going to happen in your life and someone that does not take sick days for stupid crap like hangovers/surfing etc, and stores it up in the event that they need surgery or require a lot of sick leave due to genuine illness, is behaving in a responsible manner.

Pollyana

If you are a Qld Govt permanent employee, and you transfer to another State Govt as a permanent employee, you should be able to transfer LSL, sick leave and annual leave. Same with Federal and ADF. I work with people who've come from and to other States and ADF and they've all managed to bring entitlements with them so definitely pester HR wherever you move to. If you go as temp or contract though you may lose out, same as if you go into the private sector.