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War service leave changes
By Cpl Andrew Hetherington and Ms Sue Scown
Volume 50, No. 10, June 14, 2007 |
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As of July 1 there will be new changes to how ADF members war service leave (WSL) will be accrued. The changes intend to make the calculation of WSL fairer for members, while also simplifying its administration.
Under the new rules, WSL will be calculated on the number of days, or part-days, spent in a defined area of operation (AO), instead of the previous method calculated based on the number of completed months.
The entitlement of 1.5 days WSL for every month in an AO (or 18 days per year) remains the same.
Mr Bob Jones, Acting Assistant Director Domestic Conditions-Policy (A/ADDC-P) said the new method of accrual would make it fairer for members.
“For example if someone previously went into an AO on February 1 and stayed there for 28 days, they would get one-and-a-half days WSL and anyone else who went in any other month and did 28 days service got absolutely no WSL,” he said.
“So unless you completed a full month of service and in some cases that is 30 or 31 days, you got absolutely nothing.”
Under the revised system members will accrue WSL for every day, including part days, they are in an operational area.
The main benefits to members will be for those people who otherwise would not have accrued any WSL for a part month, they will now accrue a proportion of one-and-a-half days of WSL for the proportion of the month that they now serve.
Mr Jones said it has been a long process to make the change to daily WSL accrual.
“It has taken over a year to sort out and implement the changes.
“One of the reasons it occurred is we had changed the other forms of leave to daily accrual, so it was thought appropriate to bring WSL into line also,” he said.
For members who are serving in operational areas and are accruing WSL before, during and after July 1, their WSL will be calculated by the new daily method.
“Those people who begin a period of leave on July 1, will have their WSL calculated as two separate periods; as completed months before July 1 and on a daily basis from July 1 onwards,” Mr Jones said.
WSL will no longer be accrued during short absences from an AO. Previously, absences from an AO of less than 15 days counted towards the accrual of WSL.
Under the new policy, WSL will only accrue for actual days, or part-days, spent in the AO.
For further information on the WSL changes members can read Defgram 302/2007, visit the Pacman website on the Defweb at: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pac/ or on the Internet at: http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac or can address questions through the Director of Entitlements through their chain of command. |
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