17.4.1 The Secretary must grant to a permanent or long term temporary employee some, or all of their accrued family and community service leave on full pay, for reasons relating to unplanned and emergency family responsibilities or other emergencies as described in subclause 17.4.2 of this clause. The Secretary may also grant leave for the purposes in subclause 17.4.3 of this clause. Non-emergency appointments or duties must be scheduled or performed outside of normal working hours or through approved use of appropriate leave.

17.4.2 Such unplanned and emergency situations may include, but not be limited to, the following:

(i) Compassionate grounds - such as the death or illness of a close member of the family or a member of the staff member's household;

(ii) Emergency accommodation matters up to one day, such as attendance at court as defendant in an eviction action, arranging accommodation, or when required to remove furniture and effects;

(iii) Emergency or weather conditions; such as when flood, fire, snow or disruption to utility services etc., threatens a staff members property and/or prevents a staff member from reporting for duty;

(iv) Attending to unplanned or unforeseen family responsibilities, such as attending child's school for an emergency reason or emergency cancellations by child care providers;

(v) Attendance at court by a staff member to answer a charge for a criminal offence, only if the Secretary considers the granting of family and community service leave to be appropriate in a particular case.

17.4.3 Family and community service leave may also be granted for:

(i) An absence during normal working hours to attend meetings, conferences or to perform other duties, for staff members holding office in Local Government, and whose duties necessitate absence during normal working hours for these purposes, provided that the staff member does not hold a position of Mayor of a Municipal Council, President of a Shire Council or Chairperson of a County Council; and

(ii) Attendance as a competitor in major amateur sport (other than Olympic or Commonwealth Games) for staff members who are selected to represent Australia or the State.

17.4.4 Family and community service leave accrues as follows:

(i) two and a half days in the staff members first year of service;

(ii) two and a half days in the staff members second year of service; and

(iii) one day per year thereafter.

17.4.5 If available family and community service leave is exhausted as a result of natural disasters, the Secretary must consider applications for additional family and community service leave, if some other emergency arises. On the death of a person defined in paragraph 17.7.3 of this clause, additional paid family and community service leave of up to two days may be granted on a discrete, per occasion basis to a permanent or long-term temporary employee

17.4.6 In cases of illness of a family member for whose care and support the employee is responsible, paid sick leave in accordance with subclause 17.7 of this clause must be granted when paid family and community service leave has been exhausted or is unavailable.