Purchased leave arrangements changed
Post has unilaterally decided to introduce new requirements around the taking of Purchased Leave (48/52).
Initially, Post was proposing that an employee must have less than 20 days recreation leave and long service leave (combined) to be eligible for purchased leave.
The CWU successfully negotiated long service leave out of it completely and changed the 20 days to 40 days so that an employee may have 40 days accrued recreation leave and still be eligible for purchased leave.
Purchased leave provides 4 weeks unpaid leave per year to help Postal workers balance their work and family and private lives. A worker accessing 48/52 receives their normal base wage but with an automatic deduction for a 12 months period to cover the 4 weeks leave without pay. Tax is calculated on the reduced amount. All permanent full-time and part-time employees can apply for 48/52 mode of employment. Applications should be submitted by 31 October for the following year.
Purchased leave is an initiative negotiated by the CWU to help meet the individual needs of members.
