SCHADS Leave Entitlements: Annual, Sick & Long Service
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SCHADS Award Leave Entitlements

By CrossVault · Updated

Employees covered by the SCHADS Award are entitled to various forms of leave under the National Employment Standards (NES), with some specific additional provisions in the Award itself.

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Quick Facts

Annual Leave
4 weeks (5 weeks for shift workers)
Personal Leave
10 days per year (cumulative)
Ceremonial Leave
Up to 10 days unpaid for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander employees
Leave Loading
17.5% on Annual Leave

Tools & Resources

Annual Leave & Shift Workers

Standard full-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave per year. However, shift workers under the SCHADS Award may be entitled to 5 weeks.

For the extra week, clause 31.2 defines a shift worker as an employee who either works more than 4 ordinary hours on 10 or more weekends in the year their leave accrues, or works at least eight 24-hour care shifts (cl.25.8) in that year.

Annual Leave Loading

For most employees, annual leave is paid at ordinary pay plus a flat 17.5% loading (cl.31.4(a)).

For shiftworkers (cl.31.4(b)), the entitlement is the greater of:
1. Their ordinary pay plus the 17.5% loading; OR
2. The weekend/shift penalties they would have received if they had worked during the leave.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do casuals get annual leave under SCHADS?
No. Casual employees receive a 25% casual loading on their hourly rate instead of paid leave entitlements like annual leave and sick leave.
What is Ceremonial Leave in the SCHADS Award?
Clause 35 allows an employee who is legitimately required by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander tradition to be absent to take up to 10 working days of unpaid ceremonial leave per year, with the employer's approval.

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