Managing Leave Handbook

Knowing your obligations as an employer, as well as communicating employee responsibilities, is essential in ensuring that the various forms of leave available to employees is managed effectively.

Navigating the different forms of entitlements can be daunting, especially given that leave can be governed by a combination of legislation, awards, enterprise agreements and contracts of employment.

This Handbook provides helpful and practical information on how to manage all the different forms of leave in the workplace and explains the interaction of the National Employment Standards with modern awards, enterprise agreements, contracts and any relevant state legislation.

The different types of leave that are covered in this publication include:

• Annual leave
• Personal/carer's leave
• Compassionate leave
• Parental leave, including the government Paid Parental Leave Scheme
• Family and domestic violence (FDV) leave
• Community service leave, including jury service leave
• Public holidays
• Long Service Leave.

The Handbook also offers guidance on the implementation and management of leave policies and procedures, as well as a comprehensive 'frequently asked questions' section, including answers to questions such as:

• How do I manage the return of an employee after maternity leave?
• Does an employee have a right to work part-time if they request this?
• Do I have to provide paid sick leave to an employee who becomes ill during a period of annual leave?
• What are the notice and evidentially requirements of employees taking leave?

View the table of contents for a greater understanding of what topics the Managing Leave Handbook covers. 

Updating service

To keep our Workplace Relations Handbooks current and with the latest information, we provide an annual updating service. 

Complimentary updating till 30 June 2026!

All purchases of the Managing Leave Handbook include a free subscription to the corresponding updating service until 30 June 2026 (this is valued at $140 for Ai Group Members and $220 for non-Members).

Continuing your updating service

In May 2026 we will send you an invoice inviting you to continue your updating service into the 2026/2027 financial year.

The annual prices for a subscription to our updating service for 2025/2026 are shown below.