Holidays & time off work
 

Hello all,

We're new to this & before we have even left the UK we are thinking about the holidays we'll have in Oz....

What is the typical amount of annual days holidays? Does it vary from job to job like it does in the UK? I work in an office doing a purchasing job & James does CNC engineering?

Do you find you do more with your free time than you did in the UK?

Cheers, Mandy x:)

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

I get 4 weeks paid holiday in my job and ten days 'personal' leave which can be sick leave/compassionate leave. Although I can have 2 days paid of each at any one time.

I think it varies from job to job as you say, in my husbands first job in Perth he wasn't allowed to take a break and when he was asked to cover someone and work straight through on a late shift, he asked if he could take a lunch break (as it would have been all day) and was told 'no don't bother, Ill call you regarding your next shif). - he never heard from him after that.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

Sounds strange, was that an engineering job? Did you find it easy to find jobs?

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

It was a chef position - they have the highest staff turnover I have ever seen - something we found out too late.

They still owe him about 16 hours approx, we are taking legal action to recover that money.

I applied for lots of agencies and was quite alarmed at the slow response. When I did get a response or offer of temp work, it all came in at once.

It was quite stressful because we didn't know how long we would be waiting for work although my husband found work on the 4th day (I think it was).

I would never say it is easy, it involved waiting a while for a response which made it seem harder, I had to redo my typing/computer tests for different agencies which was fair enough.

I think at the end of the day I was lucky to get the job I have now but I would never take the job market over here for granted.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

Everyone gets 4 weeks annual leave and two weeks sick leave per year. That's the standard minimum, it's set in stone somewhere. A few people will get more than that, depends on the job.

Sick leave will accrue - if you don't use the whole two weeks, it rolls over to the following year. If you need more sick leave than you have - you don't get paid. So best not to use sick leave for anything other than genuine reasons.

You usually have to have 'earnt' your annual leave before you can take it. This means that after 3 months in the job you can take 1 weeks leave, after six months you can take two weeks etc. Some employers are a bit more flexible in this regard than others - but that's the norm. :)

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

Thats maybe correct if you get a full time perm job, but remember about 40% of australias population is employed on a casual or contract (job to job) basis and holiday pay, sick pay etc are not paid. You may get a slightly higher hourly rate, but it still leaves you with irregular hours (at the employers whim:blink:) , time off sick is unpaid, no hols to budget for etc.

Not nitpicking your answer but I think the amount of jobs that are casual is a bit of a shock for many new arrivals. Its not just chefs and tradesmen, but ones you might not expect either many nurses, teachers etc...

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

I get 5 weeks + 10 days personal leave I negotiated it before I started my current job.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

I only get 10 days personal leave and I can only have two days compassionate or sick days at any one time.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

4 weeks paid holiday, 10 days personal.... time off in Lieu

Haven't had a day off in 4 months and over 230 hours time owing...

work it our for yourself...

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

You are both right tho- the full time/ permanent minimum is 4 weeks leave and 10 days sick leave, part time permanent is supposed to be pro rata that amount. Casual- anyones guess really, tho in terms of lunch breaks etc there is a minimum every worker is entitiled to. In real life- it doesnt always happen tho.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

This does sound like some sort of slavery, what do you do for living? Is this a perm job or a contract gig?
NJ

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

Plenty of time of, as the wife and I have accrued long service leave which kicks in after 10 years @ the rate of an extra 11 days per annum on top of the 4 weeks (or 5 weeks in my case for night shift)... However.... and it's a very big however, we have to book our holidays in 5 week blocks one year in advance in our section of the post office. They dont like to pay for casuals to cover us, hence only one full timer out off 11 of at once.

I cannot take single weeks any more and only 2weeks at a time with special permission.... hence they wonder why people take sickies.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

I traveled EU-wide for years and seen a lot of practices, and this one, with the year-in-advance does not sound out of this world. It is kind of nice to know when you go off work and you can get best deals on airfares, etc. when you arrange them far in advance (silver lining, I know LOL)

Reminds me of a counter-example on one of my German engagements - if a consultant was overtiming too much, the workers council could go after the employer, if that was found out, up to the point of suing pants of their arse. Even without employee complaining, even if they were staying at will (only to be accused that they are not competent enough because one day of an assignment takes more than 8 hours - would you believe?). Part of the supervisor's job description was kicking people out every evening :eek:

NJ

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

Yes we have restricted overtime as well, but thats because at certain times of the year the volume of work seems limitless. So 12 hour maximum nightshift is the limit.... then we get kicked out.... thankfully.

Re: Holidays & time off work
 

Thank you all, think that has answered our question about the time off, all we need to do now is get ourselves over to Perth & find jobs!
Cheers ;)