Carers’ leave increased

Carers’ leave has been separated from compassionate leave – members can now take up to five working days a year of carers’ leave to look after their dependants when they are ill.

Photo by CPL Kirk Peacock

FROM September 27, Service members and their families will benefit from changes to compassionate leave and carers’ leave.

These types of leave will be better able to meet the needs of members and their families and will also be simpler. There are four main changes to carers’ and compassionate leave.

Carers’ leave has been separated from compassionate leave. Members can now take up to five working days a year of carers’ leave to look after their dependants when they are ill. The criteria for approving carers’ leave have not changed.

This will benefit members because a member will be able to take compassionate leave without using up their carers’ leave. Similarly, a member who takes carers’ leave will still have compassionate leave available if a close relative becomes seriously ill or dies.

Compassionate leave has been made simpler so it only includes working days, like other types of leave. Members are now entitled to five working days of compassionate leave.

Commanding officers and supervisors of squadron leader rank or above may also approve more than five days compassionate leave.

This can help members who may need extra time to deal with the serious illness or death of a close relative. It should also save members from needing to use other types of leave to deal with any further such events in the same year.

The conditions for compassionate leave are now limited to serious illness or death of a close relative. Commanders can approve short absence from duty for members who require leave for reasons that are no longer covered by compassionate leave.

For more information, visit the ADF Pay and Conditions Website http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pac/.
The "What’s New" page includes information on the new leave policy. For the policy itself, read the PACMAN online at http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac/.

 

.