• Section 2 - Application
• Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Relationship to TEQSA Threshold Standards
• Section 5 - Parental Leave
• Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme
• Section 6 - Maternity, Primary Carer, and/or unpaid Parental Leave
• Other Leave
• Transfer to Suitable Position
• Special circumstances for Paid Maternity Leave
• Section 7 - Partner Leave, Primary Carer Parental Leave and/or unpaid Parental Leave
• Unpaid Parental Leave
• Section 8 - Adoption Leave
• Section 9 - Parental Leave for Casual Professional and Sessional Academic Staff
• Section 10 - General Conditions of Parental Leave
• Payment
• Superannuation
• General Conditions
• Keeping in Touch Days
• Additional Unpaid Parental Leave
• Subsequent Periods of Paid Parental Leave
• Section 11 - Returning to Work
• Transfer to Suitable Position
• Early Return to Work Options
• Flexible Unpaid Parental Leave
• Flexible Return to Work Options
• Parenting Room Facilities
• Section 12 - Exceptions to Policy
• Section 13 - Delegations

(1) The University provides staff with parental leave arrangements that enable access to paid and unpaid leave to support and protect working parents.

Section 2 - Application

(2) This Policy applies to all staff of the University (excluding casual professional and sessional academic staff unless otherwise stated).

Section 3 - Roles and Responsibilities

Section 4 - Relationship to TEQSA Threshold Standards

(3) This Policy assists the University to satisfy the provision of standards within 2.3 Wellbeing and Safety and 6.1 Corporate Governance of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 to comply with the requirements of the legislation under which the provider is established, recognised or incorporated, any other legislative requirements and the University’s constitution or equivalent.

Section 5 - Parental Leave

(4) Parental leave includes paid and unpaid leave associated with the birth of a staff member’s child (including in a legal surrogacy arrangement) or placement of a child with the staff member, comprising maternity leave, partner leave, primary carer parental leave, unpaid parental leave and adoption leave.

(5) Parental leave, excluding partner and primary carer parental leave, must commence before the medically certified expected date of birth, date of adoption or commencement of a long-term fostering or guardianship arrangement.

(6) Parental leave (paid and unpaid) must be accessed within 12 months of the actual date of birth of the child or placement of the child or commencement of the long-term fostering or guardianship arrangement. 

(7) All paid parental leave must be completed within 52 weeks after the actual date of birth, placement of the child or commencement of the long-term fostering or guardianship arrangement. All unpaid parental leave must be completed within two years after the actual date of birth, placement of the child or commencement of the long-term fostering or guardianship arrangement.

(8) A staff member on primary carer parental leave or unpaid parental leave may initially apply for a maximum period of 52 weeks parental leave, although this may be extended for a further period of up to 52 weeks unpaid parental leave. 

(9) Parental leave will normally be available as one continuous period with the exception of keeping in touch days which may be accessed where the staff member meets the relevant eligibility criteria in line with Federal Government requirements (Refer below). Shorter, non-continuous periods of leave may be available in special circumstances as outlined in the Parental Leave Guidelines available on the Taking Leave web page (QUT staff access only).

(10) The University will not refuse employment or dismiss a staff member, or take any other action that disadvantages a staff member on the grounds of pregnancy, possible pregnancy, a request for parental leave, or a possible request for parental leave.

(11) Procedures for applying and taking leave, including notice and documentation requirements, are contained in the Parental Leave Guidelines available on the Taking Leave web page (QUT staff access only). Staff are required to comply with these procedures in order to access parental leave.

Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme

(12) A staff member may be entitled to access the Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme (Parental Leave Pay - Services Australia) which is separate to the University’s parental leave entitlements as outlined in this Policy.

(13) A staff member accessing the Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme (Parental Leave Pay - Services Australia) is not restricted from also accessing parental leave at QUT.

Section 6 - Maternity, Primary Carer, and/or unpaid Parental Leave

(14) A staff member (excluding casual professional and sessional academic staff) who gives birth to a child or whose child is born in a legal surrogacy arrangement is eligible for parental leave in the form of paid maternity leave, paid primary carer parental leave, and/or unpaid parental leave as follows:

(15) Staff employed on a part-time basis are eligible for parental leave paid on a proportional basis of the full-time entitlement.

(16) Staff are entitled to access a further period of unpaid parental leave of up to 52 weeks (Section 10, clause 42).

Other Leave

(17) It is not intended that personal leave will be used to duplicate, replace or extend parental leave. However, prior to taking parental leave, personal leave, additional personal leave or recreation leave can be used for medical appointments or illness directly related to the pregnancy.

Transfer to Suitable Position

(18) Where a staff member is pregnant and, in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner, illness or risks arising out of the pregnancy or hazards connected with the work assigned to the staff member make it inadvisable for the staff member to continue at her present work, the staff member will, if the authorising officer deems it practicable, be transferred to a suitable position at the same rate of pay and on the same conditions until the commencement of parental leave.

(19) If the transfer to a suitable position is not practicable the staff member may elect to commence parental leave.

Special circumstances for Paid Maternity Leave

(20) After 16 weeks of pregnancy have elapsed, the staff member shall be entitled to 12 weeks paid maternity leave (if the staff member is entitled to paid leave) regardless of the outcome of the pregnancy, for example, if a pregnancy terminates by miscarriage or still birth. If a pregnancy terminates before 16 weeks, the staff member can use other leave credits such as personal leave, additional personal leave, compassionate leave and/or recreation leave.

Section 7 - Partner Leave, Primary Carer Parental Leave and/or unpaid Parental Leave

(21) A staff member (excluding casual professional and sessional academic staff) whose partner gives birth to a child or whose child is born in a legal surrogacy arrangement is eligible for parental leave in the form of paid partner leave, unpaid partner leave (which can be taken to facilitate the Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme: Parental Leave Pay - Services Australia), paid primary carer parental leave, and/or unpaid parental leave, subject to the following:

(22) Staff employed on a part-time basis are eligible for parental leave paid on a proportional basis of the full-time entitlement.

(23) Staff are entitled to access a further period of unpaid parental leave of up to 52 weeks (Section 10, clause 42).

Unpaid Parental Leave

(24) In addition to paid partner and primary carer parental leave, staff who become the carer of a new child are entitled to unpaid parental leave so that the total period of leave is no more than 24 months. 

Section 8 - Adoption Leave

(25) Adoption leave is granted to eligible staff who become the primary carer for a new child who is under six years of age (not including adopting a child of the staff member's partner) and comprises both paid leave and unpaid leave.

(26) Staff are entitled to access a further period of Unpaid Parental Leave of up to 52 weeks (Section 10, clause 42).

(27) Eligible staff (excluding casual professional and sessional academic staff) may also be entitled to parental leave, consistent with Section 7 above. Upon successful adoption, this leave may be used for any event directly related to the placement of the child.

(28) Where the placement of a child for adoption with a staff member does not proceed or continue, the staff member will notify the University immediately and the University will nominate a time at least four weeks from receipt of notification for the staff member's return to work.

Section 9 - Parental Leave for Casual Professional and Sessional Academic Staff

(29) A casual or sessional staff member with primary carer responsibilities is entitled to a maximum of 52 weeks of unpaid parental leave.

Section 10 - General Conditions of Parental Leave

Payment

(30) The salary received for paid parental leave is the normal salary paid to the staff member immediately prior to the commencement of leave. The method and calculation of paid parental leave will occur in accordance with the Parental Leave Guidelines available on the Taking Leave web page (QUT staff access only).

Superannuation

(31) The University will pay 17% employer superannuation contribution (not including on any higher duties salary) to ongoing and fixed-term staff members accessing paid parental leave for up to 52 weeks following the birth (including in a legal surrogacy arrangement) or placement of the child.

General Conditions

(32) For the purposes of parental leave, continuous service is calculated as at the first commencement date of parental leave, or the date of birth of the child, date of adoption or commencement of a long-term fostering or guardianship arrangement, whichever is earlier.

(33) If a staff member applies for a period of paid  or unpaid parental leave for a subsequent new child whilst already on unpaid parental leave, the new period of leave supersedes the initial period of leave granted and will not be in addition to that leave.

(34) The University is not required to extend a fixed-term, casual or sessional appointment solely by reason of a period of paid or unpaid parental leave.

(35) Staff on probation will have their probation period suspended by any period of extended leave.

Keeping in Touch Days

(36) Up to 10 keeping in touch days may be accessed when the staff member is on paid or unpaid parental leave from the University, in accordance with this Policy. The purpose of a keeping in touch day is to enable the staff member to keep in touch with their employment in order to facilitate a return to work in line with Federal Government requirements (Keeping in touch days - Fair Work Ombudsman). 

(37) Where it is mutually agreed between the staff member and the authorising officer, a staff member may attend work for up to 10 days for the purposes of keeping in touch in line with Federal Government requirements (Keeping in touch days - Fair Work Ombudsman). Where a staff member extends their unpaid parental leave (Section 10, clause 42), they are eligible to access an additional 10 keeping in touch days.

(38) Requests to schedule keeping in touch days can come from both the staff member and/or the supervisor, but they can only occur if both parties agree on a date. It is the staff member’s responsibility to apply to Human Resources for any keeping in touch day.

(39) A keeping in touch day can be worked at least 42 days after the birth or placement of a child, unless the staff member requests that it be earlier. However, a keeping in touch day cannot be worked earlier than 14 days after the birth or placement of the child.

(40) Keeping in touch days can be worked as a part day, as a single day, a few days at a time or the 10-day entitlement in a block. Staff will be paid their normal salary for any keeping in touch day(s) worked. However, irrespective of the actual number of hours worked on each occasion, a staff member will be paid for one day (7.25 hours) per keeping in touch day.

(41) If the staff member is on paid parental leave, their period of paid leave will be extended accordingly.  Staff members receiving the Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme (Parental Leave Pay - Services Australia) are responsible for considering how keeping in touch days may impact their payments.

Additional Unpaid Parental Leave

(42) A staff member who has accessed their full entitlement to unpaid parental leave (52 weeks) may apply to extend their period of unpaid leave up to a further, maximum period of 52 weeks.

(43) This request must be made to the staff member’s supervisor at least 4 weeks prior to the end of the initial period of parental leave.

(44) The University may only refuse such an application on reasonable business grounds, and this must be discussed with the staff member prior to refusal.

Subsequent Periods of Paid Parental Leave

(45) A staff member is eligible for subsequent periods of parental leave in accordance with the eligibility criteria outlined within this Policy. Parental leave is an individual entitlement and there is no restriction on the number of times a staff member may access paid and/or unpaid parental leave. Previous paid and/or unpaid parental leave is treated as continuous service for the purpose of determining eligibility for subsequent periods of paid/unpaid parental leave. The calculation of a paid parental leave entitlement is in accordance with the Parental Leave Guidelines available on the Taking Leave web page (QUT staff access only).

Section 11 - Returning to Work

(46) A staff member will be entitled to return to the position which they held immediately before commencing parental leave. Where this position no longer exists but there are other positions available which the staff member is qualified for and capable of performing, the staff member will be entitled to a position as nearly comparable in status and pay to that of their former position.

Transfer to Suitable Position

(47) In the case of a staff member transferred to a suitable position, pursuant to Section 5 above, the staff member will be entitled to return to the position held immediately before such transfer.

Early Return to Work Options

(48) With the agreement of the University, a staff member may elect to return to work earlier than the expected end date of their parental leave. This request may also come from the University, provided the staff member no longer has responsibility to care for a child and 4 week's written notice is given. Where a mother has given birth, the date of return may be no earlier than 6 weeks after the date of birth.

(49) In special circumstances, for example still birth, the staff member may request to return to work earlier than the expected end date of their parental leave by written request and within 4 weeks of providing notice. Alternatively, this request may come from the University provided at least 6 weeks' written notice is given.

Flexible Unpaid Parental Leave

(50) A staff member who is entitled to unpaid parental leave may take a portion of their entitlement flexibly (in any way described in clause 51 below), at any time during the period 24 months (104 weeks) from the date the staff member becomes responsible for the care of a child.

(51) Flexible unpaid parental leave:

1. can be taken as either a single continuous period of one or more days, or separate period of one or more days
2. comes out of the staff member’s entitlement to 12 months of unpaid parental leave
3. can be taken before or after a period of continuous unpaid parental leave.

(52) The amount of unpaid parental leave that can be taken as flexible unpaid parental leave depends on when the child is born or adopted: 

1. before 1 July 2024 – up to 100 days
2. between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 – up to 110 days 
3. between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026 – up to 120 days 
4. on or after 1 July 2026 – up to 130 days. 

(53) Note: For the purposes of this section, unpaid parental leave means any entitlement eligible staff members have to take 52 weeks (or 104 weeks if approved) of parental leave under the Fair Work Act 2009. This entitlement is not impacted by any entitlement to paid parental leave from the University pursuant to this Policy or pursuant to the Federal Government Paid Parental Leave Scheme (Parental Leave Pay - Services Australia).

Flexible Return to Work Options

(54) A staff member who has responsibility for the care of a child may request for an individual flexibility arrangement. The University will only refuse such a request on reasonable business grounds. This may include part-time work for a period agreed between the staff member and supervisor, with the option for the staff member to revert to their former employment arrangement at the end of the agreed period.

(55) Procedures for applying for an individual flexibility arrangement are contained in the Parental Leave Guidelines available on the Taking Leave web page (QUT staff access only).

Parenting Room Facilities

(56) The University is committed to supporting parents who are breastfeeding in their return to work.

(57) The University has parenting rooms and breastfeeding facilities in place in multiple locations across both campuses.

(58) Information in relation to these facilities can be found on the Child care and parenting web page (QUT staff and student access only).  

Section 12 - Exceptions to Policy

(59) The Vice-President (People) and Chief People Officer is authorised to approve variations to this Policy in exceptional circumstances. Any such variation will be recorded by Human Resources.

Section 13 - Delegations

(60) Refer to  Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC110, VC108,VC107) (QUT staff access only).