QTAD Q&A
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 4, 7 June 2024, page 30.
We have received an email from admin today indicating that staff need to provide a medical certificate if we are away sick on a day before/after a public holiday, and on a day before/after school vacation. Is this accurate?
In accordance with the Public Service Sick Leave Directive and DoE employee leave guidelines, sick leave of more than three days must be supported by sufficient evidence of the illness acceptable to the chief executive’s delegate, e.g. doctor’s certificate, health practitioner’s certificate, statutory declaration.
Employees who are subject to a performance management process in relation to their performance, conduct or attendance may be asked by the department to provide a doctor’s certificate for sick leave of three days or less.
There is no requirement to furnish medical documentation for sick leave where illness results in an absence either side of a public holiday or school vacations.
It is not appropriate for schools to develop their own policy regarding sick leave and when medical certificates are required.
I need to leave early for a medical appointment next week. Is there a minimum amount of sick leave I have to take?
The department’s custom and practice is that the minimum period of deduction is 15 minutes and sick leave can be processed in 15-minute increments in excess of this minimum.
For example, if you need to leave at 2pm and school finishes at 2:50pm, you will need to access 1 hour of sick leave.
You should only be debited sick leave for the period of rostered duty time that you are absent for (i.e. sick leave should not be debited for the unpaid meal break).
Should I be expected to plan lessons if I am on sick leave?
No. Teachers are not required and should not be expected to work while on leave. Teachers are not required to provide their individualised planning (daily/weekly plans) for periods of leave, particularly sick leave. In such circumstances, year/band or broad unit overviews should provide sufficient guidance to manage the teaching of lessons during the teacher’s absence.
Schools should not establish a local “school-based policy” that requires planning to be sent to the school in the case of an absence due to illness.
The QTU will be seeking an amendment to the Joint Statement on Planning and Preparation to provide some guidance to schools in these circumstances.