Leave entitlements discussion

[Deleted member]

There is a very good reason it was introduced. Shift workers getting penalty rates used to lose money when they went on leave. The loading was introduced to remedy this issue. It then flowed on to all workers

Even to people who don’t do,shift work !

 

[Deleted member]

There is a very good reason it was introduced. Shift workers getting penalty rates used to lose money when they went on leave. The loading was introduced to remedy this issue. It then flowed on to all workers

I guess it is only reasonable that someone should receive more money for doing absolutely nothing!

 

[Hvr]

It then flowed on to all workers… why ??

The same reason that CEOs get millions of dollars in bonuses for turning up, look at bankers for undeserved wealth.

With leave loading many new agreements have removed it for non-shift workers during the heady days of genuine enterprise bargaining.

 

[cove]

With entitlements like long service leave and annual leave they get taken later. If there is major wage inflation those amounts of liability grow substantially. In most recent times wage inflation has been modest so the amount does not grow into a crippling figure for an employer.
Our investing the money not yet paid strategy has covered the inflation effect.

 

[kpc]

Fortunately, as a public servant, I get LSL ....by the end of next year, I will have 1 year LSL; I will leave this in the bank for a rainy day. My LSL accrues at 2 weeks per year so moving forwards, my plan is to take 2 weeks LSL in addition to my other leave every year such that I'm only working just over 9 months per year till the chequered flag drops whenever that might be.

 

[cove]

kpc that is a handy amount of LSL that you have accumulated.
This chequered flag idea is a concept that I guess we are all headed for as we race to the finish line.

 

[JohnK]

I agree and certainly was the beneficiary for many years. I don't believe it should be in awards today.

We don't get leave loading where I've worked the past 11 years. I was surprised as this was the first time I'd come across a company not paying leave loading.

 

[serfty]

IIRC, Blanket Leave loading was introduced in the early 70's.

Sometime between then and now (I'm thinking more than 10 years ago), it was done away with in a general sense and mainly only exists for those who are working under specific industry awards.

If an employee is not covered by an Award or Enterprise Agreement, then they will not be entitled to the leave loading (unless their employment contract says otherwise).

What Is Leave Loading, Who Gets It, & How Does It Work? | Canstar

What is Annual Leave Loading? - HR Assured

 

[Pushka]

We don't get leave loading where I've worked the past 11 years. I was surprised as this was the first time I'd come across a company not paying leave loading.

We haven’t paid leave loading for years. People are paid above award rates but are not on awards.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

A lot of people posting here keeping close track of their personal (sick) leave. I've always regarded it as a benefit to use if needed and don't even know what my balance might be. Wondering if that is how the forum see it, or do some see it as an entitlement that they need to cash out one way or the other

 

[amaroo]

I learned a while back not to focus on little things like lsl, sick days, and annual leave .... once I did that I ended up having the ability to take any amount of days / weeks / months / years off I wanted. My PB is 4 years.

It's amazing what can happen when you have a go!

 

[cove]

There are some employees who talk to the paymaster every fortnight. The other 95% of staff don’t spend a lot of time looking at their payslip. Staff tend to look at whether their pay has arrived in their bank on Thursday as we pay a day early each fortnight.

 

[kpc]

A lot of people posting here keeping close track of their personal (sick) leave. I've always regarded it as a benefit to use if needed and don't even know what my balance might be. Wondering if that is how the forum see it, or do some see it as an entitlement that they need to cash out one way or the other

I rarely take sick leave and have accumulated 8 months (shows on my payslip)...good insurance to have and I'll be needing to take 2-3 weeks of it shortly

 

[JohnM]

A lot of people posting here keeping close track of their personal (sick) leave. I've always regarded it as a benefit to use if needed and don't even know what my balance might be. Wondering if that is how the forum see it, or do some see it as an entitlement that they need to cash out one way or the other

We have had this discussion in the past.

I am pleased that in 36 years of my career job, I only ever took three days' sick leave. There is a requirement to be sick to take sick leave.

Who wants to be sick just to get that 'benefit'? - certainly not me. Being sick is the very last thing that I want. I much prefer feeling like I'm jumping out of my skin.

I have no idea what accrued sick leave was there when I retired. I knew that it was a lot but I never wanted to use it. However, it was very useful insurance should I have become chronically ill (eg. cancer) that might have kept me off work for a long period.

I was absolutely delighted to forgo it. It does my head in to think that some people feel they need to get their 'entitlement' of sick leave from their employer.

 

[Bodie]

I have just checked my leave balances - Rec Leave 22 days they donl like us with too much leave - has to be below 228 hrs rec leave (unless reports etc done) , Sick leave 287 days and LSL 190 days.
Cant beat John M sick leave - 22years working - first sick day after 7 years was about 3 hrs - went home migraine- only used in total about 7 sick days in total - about 9 hours in last 2 years both going home migraine during shifts. Im very similar- just in case - knowing i will lose the entire sick leave when retire if nothing happens ( touch wood)

 

[cove]

I had a really good record until I had a heart bypass operation almost 25 years ago. It took several weeks to be well enough to go back to work.

 

[Hvr]

It does my head in to think that some people feel they need to get their 'entitlement' of sick leave from their employer.

I totally agree. I have never 'chucked a sickie'. When younger I would go years without using sick leave. As I've gotten older and working in a customer facing role I've had the flu a couple of times and had no hesitation taking sick leave. When your (little remaining) hair hurts you're sick.

As for those who see it as an entitlement to use upon receipt I have no sympathy when they do suffer a genuine health issue and are forced to use AL/LSL to get paid or even LWOP. Invariably they live from pay to pay so their situation is precarious at best due to their unmanaged personal situation.

 

[serfty]

As for those who see it as an entitlement to use upon receipt I have no sympathy when they do suffer a genuine health issue and are forced to use AL/LSL to get paid or even LWOP. Invariably they live from pay to pay so their situation is precarious at best due to their unmanaged personal situation.

Of course, many do not have coughulative sick leave in their employment contract. Use it or lose it ...

Me? I have been self employed for 33 years ... no such thing as paid leave for me ...

So I have to utilise a 46 week year to estimate equivalents (20 days annual, 10 days public holidays, 10 days 'sick').

 

[cove]

We find some take every personal leave day on Fridays and Mondays and run on empty with accumulated leave.

 

[Pushka]

We find some take every personal leave day on Fridays and Mondays and run on empty with accumulated leave.

Please tell me that when illness invariably strikes they don’t expect paid leave? Even unpaid leave can impact when all sick leave has been taken as well.