News Archive

Dear colleagues

It’s the University’s current practice that staff work three state public holidays (Labour Day, WA Day and Queen’s Birthday) during the year, which are then taken in-lieu over the Christmas close-down period.

However, following staff feedback that working on these days impacts work-life balance and the opportunity to take regular breaks throughout the year, along with the challenges of public transport options and childcare accessibility, the University would like to propose the following changes:

New proposed changes
Commencing 2019, staff will take all public holidays (including Labour Day, WA Day and the Queen’s Birthday), when they fall.

To maintain a two-week Christmas close-down as per 2018/19 , staff will need to use annual leave, time off in lieu, flexi time, long service leave or leave without pay for the remainder of the close-down period (staff will continue to receive two concessional days—in lieu of Easter Tuesday and Special New Year’s Day).

Proposed dates for the 2019/20 close-down period:

2019

• Friday 20 December - Last work day
• Monday 23 December - Annual Leave 1
• Tuesday 24 December - Annual Leave 2
• Wednesday 25 December - Public Holiday
• Thursday 26 December - Public Holiday
• Friday 27 December - Annual Leave 3
• Monday 30 December - Annual Leave 4
• Tuesday 31 December - Easter Tuesday concessional day

2020

• Wednesday 1 January - Public Holiday
• Thursday 2 January - Special New Year concessional day
• Friday 3 January - Annual Leave 5
• Monday 6 January - Close-down ends return to work

Next steps
As this proposal is a change from how the University has operated in the past, we are seeking your feedback, which needs to be sent to [email protected] by COB Friday 5 October 2018.

Yours sincerely
Simon Biggs