Holidays & time off work
May 5th 2008 | 4:26 pm
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,380
From: Perth, WA
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.
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.
May 5th 2008 | 8:01 pm
#17
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,514
Re: Holidays & time off work
NJ
May 5th 2008 | 8:26 pm
#18
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,269
From: Mandurah
Re: Holidays & time off work
Also its not uncommon (depending on sector) to have one of your 4 weeks leave mandatory at Christmas. A lot of office based places shutdown for Xmas/NY.
I would strongly recommend no-one regards the 10 days sick/mandatory as "leave". As others have said use it at your peril God forbid you get sick.
Also a 12 month wait for any leave to be granted is not uncommong but normally negotiable.
I would strongly recommend no-one regards the 10 days sick/mandatory as "leave". As others have said use it at your peril God forbid you get sick.
Also a 12 month wait for any leave to be granted is not uncommong but normally negotiable.
May 19th 2008 | 5:01 pm
#19
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 198
From: Avalon, NSW
Re: Holidays & time off work
Also its not uncommon (depending on sector) to have one of your 4 weeks leave mandatory at Christmas. A lot of office based places shutdown for Xmas/NY.
I would strongly recommend no-one regards the 10 days sick/mandatory as "leave". As others have said use it at your peril God forbid you get sick.
Also a 12 month wait for any leave to be granted is not uncommong but normally negotiable.
I would strongly recommend no-one regards the 10 days sick/mandatory as "leave". As others have said use it at your peril God forbid you get sick.
Also a 12 month wait for any leave to be granted is not uncommong but normally negotiable.
Hello all.
Regarding "Personal Leave" - understand that you don't want to be using it flippantly, but...
What normally happens at the end of the year if you haven't used it? Can you carry it forward (i.e. have 20 days personal leave in the 2nd year), do employer's offer to pay for it?
Thanks in advance.
May 19th 2008 | 5:55 pm
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,380
From: Perth, WA
Re: Holidays & time off work
Basically you get x per hour + 9% on top for super, which the agency [or yourself] sort out. No sick leave, holidays etc. If you don't work, you don't get paid. I have long-term illness cover as well just in case. In my case it's about 25%-30% higher than full-time, but to be honest contract jobs are easier to pick up.
All my comments are in the context of IT contracting.
May 19th 2008 | 9:09 pm
#21
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,269
From: Mandurah
Re: Holidays & time off work
Hello all.
Regarding "Personal Leave" - understand that you don't want to be using it flippantly, but...
What normally happens at the end of the year if you haven't used it? Can you carry it forward (i.e. have 20 days personal leave in the 2nd year), do employer's offer to pay for it?
Thanks in advance.
Regarding "Personal Leave" - understand that you don't want to be using it flippantly, but...
What normally happens at the end of the year if you haven't used it? Can you carry it forward (i.e. have 20 days personal leave in the 2nd year), do employer's offer to pay for it?
Thanks in advance.
May 20th 2008 | 3:32 am
#22
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,514
Re: Holidays & time off work
Sorry for the late reply - missed it. Yes I do pay for my own health cover but many people do that anyway. I had a wisdom tooth out last year that cost me over $2000 so I don't want to repeat that again without insurance. The government though has changed the amount of money at which it the health insurance costs pay for themselves via the tax brackets so a lot of people now will drop private health since there is no tax benefit.
Basically you get x per hour + 9% on top for super, which the agency [or yourself] sort out. No sick leave, holidays etc. If you don't work, you don't get paid. I have long-term illness cover as well just in case. In my case it's about 25%-30% higher than full-time, but to be honest contract jobs are easier to pick up.
All my comments are in the context of IT contracting.
Basically you get x per hour + 9% on top for super, which the agency [or yourself] sort out. No sick leave, holidays etc. If you don't work, you don't get paid. I have long-term illness cover as well just in case. In my case it's about 25%-30% higher than full-time, but to be honest contract jobs are easier to pick up.
All my comments are in the context of IT contracting.
NJ
