Use of Sick Leave to Care for a Family Member

Where family and community service leave provided for in subclause 17.4 of this clause is exhausted or unavailable, a permanent or long-term temporary employee with responsibilities in relation to a category of person set out in paragraph 17.7.3 of this subclause who needs the employee's care and support, may elect to use available paid sick leave, subject to the conditions specified in this subclause, to provide such care and support when a family member is ill.

17.7.1 The sick leave is initially taken from the sick leave accumulated over the previous three years. In special circumstances, the Secretary may grant additional sick leave from the sick leave accumulated during the employee’s eligible service.

17.7.2 If required by the Secretary to establish the illness of the person concerned, the employee must provide evidence consistent with paragraph 17.10.1 of this clause.

17.7.3 The entitlement to use sick leave in accordance with this subclause is subject to:

(i) the employee being responsible for the care and support of the person concerned; and

(ii) the person concerned being:

(a) a spouse of the employee; or

(b) a de facto spouse, being a person of the opposite sex to the employee who lives with the employee as her husband or his wife on a bona fide domestic basis although not legally married to that employee; or

(c) a child or an adult child (including an adopted child, a stepchild, a foster child or an ex nuptial child), parent (including a foster parent or legal guardian), grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the employee or spouse or de facto spouse of the employee; or

(d) a same sex partner who lives with the employee as the de facto partner of that employee on a bona fide domestic basis; or

(e) a relative of the employee who is a member of the same household where, for the purposes of this definition:

"relative" means a person related by blood, marriage, affinity or Aboriginal kinship structures;

"affinity" means a relationship that one spouse or partner has to the relatives of the other; and

"household" means a family group living in the same domestic dwelling.

Use of recreation leave to care for a family member

17.7.4 A permanent or long term temporary employee may elect, with the consent of the Secretary, to take recreation leave not exceeding 10 days in single day periods, or part thereof, in any calendar year at a time or times agreed by the parties.

17.7.5 A permanent or long term temporary employee may elect, with the consent of the Secretary, to take recreation leave at any time within a period of 24 months from the date at which it falls due.