Leave Policies Scope These policies apply to all Academy employees who are based in Ireland. They also apply to employees who are based outside Ireland except where local laws are specifically stated to apply. A. Annual Leave As part of our commitment to the health and welfare of our employees, the Academy wants to ensure that all employees enjoy the benefit of their annual leave entitlement. Scope This policy applies to all Academy employees who are based in Ireland. It also applies to employees who are based outside Ireland except where local laws are specifically stated to apply. Our holiday year runs from 1 October to 30 September each year. Entitlement The entitlements set out below apply to all Academy employees who are based in Ireland. The entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with their contract of employment which will at least reflect local laws. Your total annual leave entitlement is the greater of either: a) the annual leave entitlement set out in your contract of employment; or b) the annual leave entitlement set out in the table below which will depend on the length of your continuous service as follows: Length of Service Annual Leave <1 year 20 days 1 2 years 22 days 2 3 years 24 days >3 years 25 days Part-time employees, whose contract is based on a specified number of days per week, will be entitled to either a) or b) above on a pro-rata basis to time worked. Part-time employees, whose contract is based on a specified number of hours per week, will be entitled to annual leave at the rate of 8% of hours worked. Annual leave is calculated on a pro-rata basis for any year in which you have not worked the full year, for example, the year in which you commence your employment with us and the year in which your employment terminates. It is important to note that you may be required to take annual leave on days on which you would be required to work but for the closure of the Western Gateway Building. Alternatively, you may be
permitted to work from home on such days with the permission of your Manager and subject to the needs of the business. Accrual of Annual Leave Your annual leave entitlement accrues on the basis of time actually worked and so you must work the requisite period in advance before you will be entitled to take annual leave. You will start to accrue annual leave on your commencement date. Your entitlement to accrue annual leave during periods of sickness absence will be in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 as amended. Protected Absence & Annual Leave If you are on a protected leave of absence (such as maternity, parental or adoptive leave), your annual leave entitlement will continue to accrue as if you were at work. Annual leave will also accrue during the first 13 weeks of carer s leave. For all other leaves of absence, annual leave will cease to accrue from the date of your departure until the date of your return. Taking Annual Leave As a general rule, annual leave cannot be carried over from one leave year to the next. All annual leave accrued in a particular holiday year must be taken during that holiday year. The Academy will not pay you for untaken annual leave other than on termination of your employment where you have an accrued but untaken annual leave entitlement. In exceptional circumstances and only with the written consent of your Manager and the CEO/CFO, a maximum of 5 days leave may be carried over from one holiday year to the next. However, any such leave carried over must be taken within the first 2 months of the following holiday year or it will be forfeited. Annual leave should, where at all possible, be arranged well in advance with your Manager. In some cases, annual leave will not be permitted to be taken at certain times of the year or due to the demands of the business. This will depend on the nature of your role and you will be advised of any such periods by your Manager. We will of course consider requests for leave during such periods where there are exceptional circumstances. Where you propose to take one day s leave, you must give at least 2 weeks notice to your Manager. For all greater periods of leave, you must give at least 4 weeks notice to your Manager in order to facilitate the needs of the business. While every effort will be made to accommodate your annual leave request, we reserve the right to refuse to approve a leave request if it coincides with a peak period in terms of work or if other employees have pre-agreed leave at the same time or if there are other business reasons justifying a refusal. It is important therefore that you ensure that your period of leave is approved by your Manager before you make any holiday bookings. In the interests of your health and safety, employees are required to take one period of 10 consecutive working days annual leave each year. If for some reason, you are unable to take such a period of annual leave, you should discuss this with your Manager who may allow a deviation from 2
this requirement. Employees are generally not permitted to take more than 10 consecutive working days annual leave at any one time unless otherwise approved by your Manager and the CEO/CFO. Purchase of Annual Leave We will consider requests for the purchase by you of additional annual leave. Where you wish to take a period of annual leave and you do not have a sufficient annual leave entitlement remaining or yet accrued, you may, at the discretion of your Manager, be entitled to purchase additional days annual leave. The purchase of additional annual leave is entirely at the Academy s discretion and will be considered on a case by case basis having regard to the nature of your role and the needs of the business. Where the purchase of additional annual leave is permitted, it means you will not get paid in respect of those days and your annual salary will be reduced accordingly. For your convenience, where you are purchasing at least 5 additional days annual leave, you may request that this deduction in your salary be spread across your salary for the year as opposed to being deducted at the time of taking the leave. If you wish to avail of this option, you must advise the CFO by 1 December of the particular leave year of your intention to purchase additional leave and your desire for the deduction in your salary to be spread across your salary for the year. Only in exceptional circumstances will such requests be considered after 1 December of the particular leave year. Annual Leave during Notice Period Requests for annual leave approval during your notice period will be considered entirely at the Academy s discretion and based on the needs of the business. We may also require you to take annual leave during your notice period. Annual Leave on Termination of Employment On the termination of your employment, we will pay you in lieu of any accrued but untaken annual leave entitlement. We reserve the right to deduct from your salary or any other payment owing to you on termination any amount owing to us in respect of any leave taken by you in excess of your accrued annual leave entitlement as at the date of termination of employment. Sickness during Annual Leave If you are sick during any part of your approved annual leave and can provide a medical certificate to show that your illness would have prevented you from attending work, your absence or the relevant part thereof will be treated as sickness absence and not annual leave. B. Public Holidays The public holiday entitlements set out below apply to employees based in Ireland. Employees based outside of Ireland are entitled to the public holidays arising in their jurisdiction and in accordance with such entitlements as set out under local laws. There are 9 public holidays in Ireland: 1. New Year s Day 3
2. St. Patrick s Day 3. Easter Monday 4. First Monday in May 5. First Monday in June 6. First Monday in August 7. Last Monday in October 8. Christmas Day 9. St. Stephen s Day Your entitlement in respect of public holidays is set out in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The entitlement is in respect of public holidays as distinct from bank holidays, for example Good Friday is a bank holiday but it is not a public holiday. All employees based in Ireland, with the exception of some part-time employees, are entitled to a paid day off on public holidays. If for some reason you are required to work on a public holiday, you will be entitled to an additional day s annual leave or an additional day s pay. Part-Time Employees & Public Holidays General If you are a part-time employee, you must have worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks immediately before the public holiday in order to gain an entitlement in respect of that public holiday. Entitlement If the public holiday falls on a day that you normally work, you are entitled to a day s pay for the public holiday. If you are required to work on that day, you are entitled to an additional day s pay. If you do not normally work on the day on which the public holiday falls, you are entitled to one-fifth of your weekly pay in respect of that public holiday. All other entitlements (for full and part-time employees) in respect of public holidays, including rates of pay, are as set out in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. Scope C. Maternity Leave The purpose of this policy is to ensure your rights and entitlements are protected during your pregnancy and maternity leave. Set out below are some of the main entitlements as provided for under Irish Maternity Protection legislation. Therefore, this policy applies to employees based in Ireland. The rights and entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with local laws. Entitlement As an expectant mother, you are entitled to 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and a further 16 weeks of additional maternity leave. The additional maternity leave period must be taken in one block at the end of the ordinary maternity leave. There is no minimum qualifying period of employment; your entitlement to maternity leave accrues on your commencement date. 4
In the case of temporary staff employed under a fixed-term contract of employment, any entitlement to maternity leave or other benefits will continue only as long as the fixed-term contract of employment continues (i.e. until the expiry of the term of the fixed-term contract). Any outstanding period of probation is suspended for the duration of protective leave or the formal commencement of maternity leave. Probation is then resumed when the employee returns to work. Payments/Benefits during Leave While the Academy does not continue to pay your salary during the ordinary maternity leave period, depending on your PRSI contributions, you may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Benefit from the Department of Social Protection. There is no entitlement to Statutory Maternity Benefit during the additional maternity leave period and as such it is unpaid. Procedures & Notification Requirements Although there is no legal requirement, you are encouraged to inform your Manager as soon as you know that you are pregnant so that we can ensure that the environment is supportive of you and your requirements during your pregnancy. You can begin and end your maternity leave on any date you choose subject to the following: a) Your maternity leave must commence at least 2 weeks before the end of the week that your baby is due; and b) You must take at least 4 weeks maternity leave after your baby is born. If your baby is born earlier than two weeks before the due date and before you have commenced maternity leave, then the 26 weeks maternity leave will commence on the day of the birth. You must give your Manager at least 4 weeks written notice of your intention to take maternity leave. You must also provide us with a medical certificate confirming your pregnancy and specifying the expected date of birth of your baby. You must give us at least 4 weeks notice in writing of your intention to return to work after maternity leave. You must inform your Manager in writing of your intention to take the 16 weeks additional maternity leave not later than 4 weeks before the end of the 26 weeks ordinary maternity leave period. Applying for Maternity Benefit Statutory Maternity Benefit will be payable to you during your ordinary maternity leave period if you have made the requisite number of PRSI contributions. It is important that you submit your application on time. You should ask for relevant information as early as possible from the Maternity Benefit Section of the Department of Social Protection. The Form MB10 and any other documentation required should be completed by you, signed by your doctor and by your Manager who will take a copy of the completed form for your personnel file. The completed form should be submitted to the Department of Social Protection at least 6 weeks before you intend to start your 5
maternity leave. Further details can be found on the website of the Department of Social Protection (www.welfare.ie) at http://www.welfare.ie/en/pages/3919_when-and-how-do-i-apply.aspx. Protection of Employment Rights Our policy is to treat an employee absent on protective leave (including maternity leave, additional maternity leave and health and safety leave) as if she is at work, save in respect of remuneration and benefits. At the end of the protective leave period, you are entitled to return to the same position you had before your leave in so far as is reasonably practicable and on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which would have applied had you not been absent. If this is not reasonably practicable, you will be offered a suitable and appropriate alternative, on no less favourable terms and conditions. During your leave, you will be deemed to have been in continuous employment and your employment rights will be preserved as though you were present at work. Your statutory and contractual rights (excluding remuneration and benefits) are protected by law. During your maternity leave your entitlements to public holidays and annual leave continue to accrue. Your pension participation will continue but no pension contributions will be made by the Academy during your maternity leave period. Ante-natal Classes You are entitled to paid time off work to attend one set of ante-natal classes (other than the last 3 classes) during your pregnancy. You must give your Manager at least two weeks written notice of the date and time of each antenatal class and furnish appropriate documentation, such as an appointment card, confirming the dates and times of the classes. Entitlements for Spouse or Partner Births Employees whose spouse or partner is expecting a baby are entitled to time off, on a once-off basis, without loss of pay, to attend the last two antenatal classes. You must give your Manager at least two weeks written notice of the date and time of each antenatal class and furnish appropriate documentation, such as an appointment card, confirming the dates and times of the classes. Medical Appointments You are entitled to a reasonable amount of time off, without loss of pay, to attend medical appointments related to your pregnancy. You must, where practicable, give written notice to your Manager of the date and time of the appointments at least 2 weeks in advance. Where possible, we would be grateful if you could try to schedule your appointment at the beginning or end of your working day. You are entitled to time off to cover travel to, duration of and return from medical appointments. Where circumstances arise in which you are unable to give us notice of a medical appointment, you must provide confirmation of the time and date of your attendance e.g. appointment card/letter, as soon as possible thereafter. 6
Health and Safety Leave You cannot continue in any position that poses an unacceptable risk to your health and safety or that of your baby during your pregnancy or where you have recently given birth or are breastfeeding. If such a risk arises, we will take steps to remove the risk or to reassign you to alternative work or to a more suitable working environment. Where the risk cannot be removed or you cannot be redeployed, we are obliged to place you on health and safety leave. We will pay you for the first 21 days of such leave after which Health and Safety Benefit may be payable by the Department of Social Protection if you have sufficient PRSI contributions. Breastfeeding If you are breastfeeding your baby you are entitled to a one hour reduction in working hours, without loss of pay, for the purpose of breastfeeding, for a period of up to six months after giving birth. This one hour break may be taken as a single break or smaller breaks as agreed with your Manager. Scope D. Adoptive Leave The purpose of this policy is to provide you with time off if you have adopted a child. Set out below are some of the main entitlements as provided for under Irish Adoption legislation. Therefore, this policy applies to employees based in Ireland. The rights and entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with local laws. Entitlement If you are an adopting mother or a sole male adopter, you are entitled to 24 weeks of ordinary adoptive leave beginning on the date of placement of the child and an additional period of up to 16 weeks leave commencing from the end of the ordinary adoptive leave period. In the case of temporary staff employed under a fixed-term contract of employment, any entitlement to adoptive leave or other benefits will continue only as long as the fixed-term contract of employment continues (i.e. until the expiry of the term). Any outstanding period of probation is suspended for the duration of adoptive leave. Probation is then resumed when the employee returns to work. Payments/Benefits during Leave If you have a sufficient amount of PRSI contributions, Statutory Adoptive Benefit is payable by the Department of Social Protection for the ordinary adoptive leave period. Statutory Adoptive Benefit is not payable during the additional adoptive leave period. Procedures & Notification Requirements You should inform your Manager of your intention to take adoptive leave at least 4 weeks before the expected date of placement and also confirm the date of placement. 7
If you wish to take the additional adoptive leave period, you must inform your Manager at least 4 weeks before the end of the ordinary adoptive leave period. In the case of foreign adoption, some or all of the 16 weeks additional adoptive leave may be taken immediately before the day of placement. You must also inform your Manager in writing at least 4 weeks before your intention to return from adoptive leave or additional adoptive leave. Applying for Adoptive Benefit Statutory Adoptive Benefit will be payable to you by the Department of Social Protection during your ordinary adoptive leave if you have made the requisite number of PRSI contributions. It is important that you make your benefit claims correctly and on time. You should obtain the relevant documentation from the Department as early as possible. A copy of the completed application should be given to your Manager for your Personnel file Protection of Employment Rights Our policy is to treat employees who are absent on ordinary or additional adoptive leave as if they are at work save in respect of remuneration and benefits. At the end of the adoptive leave period, you are entitled to return to the same position you had before your leave in so far as is reasonably practicable and on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which would have applied had you not been absent. If this is not reasonably practicable, you will be offered a suitable and appropriate alternative, on no less favourable terms and conditions. During your leave, you will be deemed to have been in continuous employment and your employment rights will be preserved as though you were present at work. Your statutory and contractual rights (excluding remuneration and benefits) are protected by law. During your adoptive leave your entitlements to public holidays and annual leave continue to accrue. Your pension participation will continue but no pension contributions will be made by the Academy during your adoptive leave period. Pre-Adoption Meetings You are entitled to time off work, without loss of pay, to attend any pre-adoption classes or meetings within the State which you are obliged to attend. If you wish to avail of this leave, you must give at least two weeks notice in writing to your Manager of the times and location of the classes/meetings. You should also provide confirmation of your appointment e.g. appointment card/notification letter. E. Parental Leave Parental leave is unpaid leave from work taken by parents to look after their young children. This policy provides leave to employees who are natural or adoptive parents to enable them to spend 8
more time with their child and to take care of their child. Parental leave entitlements also extend to people in loco parentis in respect of an eligible child. Parental leave can be taken in respect of children born or adopted after 3 June 1996. Scope Set out below are some of the main entitlements as provided for under Irish Parental Leave legislation. Therefore, this policy applies to employees based in Ireland. The rights and entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with local laws. All employees who have at least one year s continuous service with the Academy, who is a natural or adoptive parent or in loco parentis, is entitled to parental leave. The child must be under 8 years of age except in certain circumstances. In the case of a child with a disability, the leave must be taken before the child reaches 16 years of age or ceases to have that disability or any disability (whichever occurs first). In the case of an adopted child, if the child is under 6 years of age at the time of the adoption, the leave must be taken before the child reaches 8 years of age. However, if the child is aged between 6 and 8 years at the time of the adoption, the leave must be taken within 2 years of the Adoption Order. If you have more than 3 months service and your child is approaching the age threshold, you are entitled to 1 week s parental leave for every month of continuous service with us. If you have already availed of parental leave with a previous employer, your parental leave entitlement will be reduced by the amount of parental leave already taken with the previous employer. Entitlement Your parental leave entitlement is 18 weeks of unpaid leave. This leave may be taken either as a continuous 18 week period, or, by agreement with the Academy, in the form of days or weeks off work. Where an employee has more than one child, parental leave is generally limited to 18 weeks in a 12 month period. Part-time employees are entitled to unpaid parental leave on a pro-rata basis. In the case of temporary staff employed under a fixed-term contract of employment, any entitlement to parental leave or other benefits will continue only as long as the fixed-term contract of employment continues (i.e. until the expiry of the term of the fixed-term contract). Any outstanding period of probation is suspended for the duration of parental leave. Probation is then resumed when the employee returns to work. Procedure If you wish to take parental leave, you must submit a formal request to your Manager at least 6 weeks before you intend to take such leave, setting out the duration and manner in which the proposed leave is to be taken. 9
If your request is approved, you will be advised in writing at least 4 weeks before your leave is due to commence. The duration and manner of your leave may subsequently be amended by agreement with your Manager. In most cases, both parents have an equal and separate entitlement to parental leave. Unless you and your partner both work for the Academy, you can only claim your own parental leave entitlement. If you both work for the Academy, you may be permitted, at the discretion of the Academy, to transfer 14 weeks of your parental leave entitlement to each other. Protection of Employment Rights Our policy is to treat an employee absent on parental leave as if s/he is at work, save in respect of remuneration and benefits. At the end of the parental leave period, you are entitled to return to the same position you had before your leave in so far as is reasonably practicable and on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which would have applied had you not been absent. If this is not reasonably practicable, you will be offered a suitable and appropriate alternative, on no less favourable terms and conditions. During your leave, you will be deemed to have been in continuous employment and your employment rights will be preserved as though you were present at work. Your statutory and contractual rights (excluding remuneration and benefits) are protected by law. During your parental leave your entitlements to public holidays and annual leave continue to accrue. Your pension participation will continue but no pension contributions will be made by the Academy during your parental leave period. Postponement We may postpone your parental leave for up to six months should the time for which you have requested the leave have an adverse impact on the operation of the business. You will be advised of the postponement in writing at least 4 weeks before your leave is due to commence. If your child would reach the threshold during such a postponement, you will retain your leave entitlement. Illness while on Parental Leave If you become ill while you are on parental leave and are unable to care for your child, you should contact your Manager at the earliest possible opportunity. Your parental leave period will be suspended and the Academy s Sickness Absence Policy will kick in requiring you to provide medical certificates. At the end of the period of certified sickness absence, you will resume your parental leave. Abuse of Parental Leave The purpose of parental leave is to allow you to take care of your child. It is not for the purposes of a holiday or sabbatical or to enable you to take up another job or work in your own or another business. If there are reasonable grounds to believe that you are using a period of parental leave for another purpose, the Academy may take disciplinary action up to and including the termination of your employment. 10
Scope F. Carer s Leave The purpose of carer s leave is to allow you temporary leave from your employment so that you can give full-time care and attention to a person in need of such care. Employees with over 12 months continuous service are entitled to take a period of carer s leave. Set out below are some of the main entitlements as provided for under Irish Carer s Leave legislation. Therefore, this policy applies to employees based in Ireland. The rights and entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with local laws. Entitlement If you are eligible, you may be entitled to carer s leave for a period not exceeding 104 weeks. The duration of your carer s leave must be approved in advance by your Manager and the CEO. The Academy reserves the right to refuse requests for periods of leave for less than 13 weeks, however we will give consideration to such requests. In the case of temporary staff employed under a fixed-term contract of employment, any entitlement to carer s leave or other benefits will continue only as long as the fixed-term contract of employment continues (i.e. until the expiry of the term of the fixed-term contract). Any outstanding period of probation is suspended for the duration of carer s leave. Probation is then resumed when the employee returns to work. Payments/Benefits during Carer s Leave Carer s leave is an unpaid period of absence from employment. You are also restricted in terms of any paid employment which you may undertake during such leave. The Academy will consider requests from employees on carer s leave for limited part-time work as permitted under the relevant legislation. You may be entitled to Carer s Benefit from the Department of Social Protection. Procedure If you wish to take a period of carer s leave you must provide your Manager with at least 6 weeks notice of your intention to commence carer s leave. In emergency or exceptional circumstances this notice period may be waived and we may accept notice that is given as soon as at all possible. The person to whom you intend to provide full-time care must be deemed a relevant person by a Deciding Officer from the Department of Social Protection based on specific medical information concerning the relevant person. You must submit a copy of the written decision of the Deciding Officer (confirming that the person is a relevant person) to your Manager with your request for carer s leave. You may also be required to provide evidence that you are providing full-time care to the relevant person. You must give at least 4 weeks notice of your intention to return to work after your period of carer s leave. Protection of Employment Rights Our policy is to treat an employee absent on carer s leave as if s/he is at work, save in respect of remuneration and benefits. At the end of the carer s leave period, you are entitled to return to the same position you had before your leave in so far as is reasonably practicable and on terms and 11
conditions no less favourable than those which would have applied had you not been absent. If this is not reasonably practicable, you will be offered a suitable and appropriate alternative, on no less favourable terms and conditions. During your leave, you will be deemed to have been in continuous employment and your employment rights will be preserved as though you were present at work. Your statutory and contractual rights (excluding remuneration and benefits) are protected by law. During your carer s leave your entitlements to public holidays and annual leave will continue to accrue only during the first 13 weeks from the commencement date of the period of carer s leave. Your pension participation will continue but no pension contributions will be made by the Academy during your carer s leave period. Scope G. Force Majeure Leave The purpose of this policy is to provide time off work in the event of an illness or injury of a close family member in circumstances where the need for your presence is unavoidable and immediate. Set out below are some of the main entitlements as provided for under Irish Parental Leave legislation. Therefore, this policy applies to employees based in Ireland. The rights and entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with local laws. You may be entitled to Force Majeure Leave in the event of an illness or injury of a close family member which includes: A child or adopted child Husband, wife or partner Parent or grandparent Brother or sister Person to whom you have a duty of care (that is, you are acting in loco parentis) A person with whom you are in a relationship of domestic dependency, including a same-sex partner Persons of any other class (if any) as may be prescribed You are entitled to up to 3 days paid Force Majeure Leave in a 12 month period or up to 5 days in a 36 month period. Force Majeure Leave arises where the need for your presence is urgent, immediate and indispensable. Procedure We appreciate that it may not always be possible for you to give notice requesting Force Majeure Leave. However, you must notify your Manager by telephone within an hour of your start time on the first day of your leave. As soon as possible, you should discuss with your Manager your reasons for taking the leave. Upon returning to work, you must submit a written note to your Manager outlining a summary of the facts surrounding your leave. We will consider the facts and confirm whether we are prepared to treat the leave as Force Majeure Leave. 12
Force Majeure Leave arises in the event of a very sudden illness or injury which is not foreseeable. The illness or injury must be of a substantial nature such as to require your immediate and unavoidable presence. As such, minor injuries, foreseeable illnesses, prior medical appointments and pre-existing conditions will not entitle you to Force Majeure Leave. Also there is no entitlement to Force Majeure Leave following the death of a close family member. H. Compassionate Leave Compassionate leave is generally granted at the Academy s discretion in the event of a death in your family. Entitlement Upon the death of a close relative, which includes a mother, father, husband, wife, sister, brother child or domestic partner, employees are entitled to one week s paid leave, at the Academy s discretion. One day of paid leave may be granted upon the death of other relatives, i.e. grandparents, aunt, uncle, nephew or niece, brother or sister in law. Extended (unpaid) compassionate leave may be granted by your Manager depending on the circumstances. Procedure You should notify your Manager if you wish to avail of compassionate leave as soon as is reasonably practicable explaining the circumstances. Scope I. Jury Service The purpose of our jury leave policy is to facilitate, in line with statutory requirements, your taking paid time off work for jury duty. Set out below are some of the main entitlements as provided for under Irish Juries legislation. Therefore, this policy applies to employees based in Ireland. The rights and entitlements of employees based outside of Ireland will be in accordance with local laws. If you are called for jury duty you will be entitled to time off with pay for the necessary length of time. If, during the period of jury duty, your presence in court is not required for a significant part of the working day, you are required, if possible, to report for work. If you are called for jury duty, you must advise your Manager immediately and provide a copy of the summons. While you are absent from work to comply with a jury summons you will not lose any other employment entitlements or rights. So, for example, the time spent on jury service will not mean any loss of annual leave entitlement. J. Career Break and Study Leave See unpaid leave policy. K. Unpaid Leave Requests for unpaid leave will be considered on a case by case basis at the discretion of the Academy subject to consideration of business demands. 13
L. Medical and Dental Appointments/Treatments You should, wherever possible, arrange your appointments outside normal working hours. For employees who work part-time, time off for appointments will only be granted in an emergency situation. For full-time employees, where appointments cannot be made outside of working hours then they should be made at the beginning or end of the working day. Time off for these appointments will be unpaid. M. Time off in Lieu In order to meet business requirements, overtime working is sometimes necessary but this will always be kept to a minimum and in line with the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. Overtime work is work outside of, and in addition to, your normal working hours. An average week should be no more than 48 hours including overtime. Where possible adequate notice will be given. It is expected that you will exhibit a degree of goodwill and flexibility where short notice of overtime is given. All overtime must be pre-approved by your Manager and you may be entitled to time off in lieu for any such pre-approved overtime worked in certain circumstances at the discretion of your Manager. No overtime payment is payable. No time off in lieu will be granted unless it is approved by your Manager in writing prior to the overtime being worked. One hour overtime may entitle you to one hour of time off in lieu irrespective of when the overtime is worked. A maximum of 5 days time off in lieu can be accrued within the calendar year, unless you are given prior authorisation by the CEO. Additional time off in lieu may be granted at the discretion and with the consent of the CEO. The timing of your accrued time off work must be agreed in advance with your Manager. Time off in lieu must normally be taken within the business quarter in which it is incurred. On an exceptional basis, where business requirements preclude taking time off in lieu in the quarter in which it is incurred, it may be carried over to the following quarter with the prior written approval of your Manager. An element of travel is an integral part of some roles within the Academy and as such will not generally give rise to an entitlement to time off in lieu. However, where you are travelling with work over a weekend and are required to work during that weekend, you will be entitled to time off in lieu in respect of such working time, subject to the above conditions. Time spent in transit will not generally give rise to an entitlement to time off in lieu. 14