Work / Life Balance

The University offers its staff a wide and impressive range of conditions and entitlements to ensure a healthy work/life balance.  Here is a short summary of some of our great benefits:

Holidays

  • Annual leave- 4 weeks every year (plus 17.5% leave loading paid in December)
  • University holidays- 4 days every year (3 days at Christmas and 1 day at Easter)
  • Public holidays- 10 days every year (approximately)

Hours of Work

Hours of work for most full-time professional staff are 35 hours per week - 7 hours per day, Monday to Friday.

Flexible Working Arrangements

  • Flextime- allows you to vary your starting, lunch break and finishing times, subject to the requirements of your area.  It involves working an average of 35 hours per week (professional staff) within a defined 4-week period with the opportunity to take one day off every month. 
  • Job sharing - involves sharing a position with another staff member to allow both of you to work part-time.
  • Alternative Working Arrangements - the high level of flexible working arrangements at the University means that alternative working rosters can be arranged that suit yourself, your supervisor, and your work colleagues, for example 9-day fortnights.

Parental Leave

  • Primary carer leave- 26 weeks leave on full pay (eligible to men and women employed for more than 12 months caring for a newborn or adopted child).  This can also be taken as 52 weeks at half-pay.
  • Partner leave- 2 weeks paid leave for the partners of primary carers

Other Leave Available

  • Personal leave - 5 weeks paid leave every 12 months (includes sick leave, carers leave, bereavement leave, cultural leave, unforseen emergency, compassionate needs and moving day)
  • Long Service Leave - 3 months leave at full pay after 10 years service. (This can also be taken as 6 months leave on half pay or 1.5 months on double pay.) 
  • Sabbatical (known as Special Studies Program) - academic staff are eligible to apply for six months leave on full pay every three years.
  • Study leave - 35 hours per semester or trimester for a program of study relevant to your employment and of benefit to the University

Child-Care Centres

There are three child-care centres located at the University’s Callaghan campus in Newcastle and one centre located at our Ourimbah campus on the Central Coast. Visit the child-care website for more information.