Sick leave for teachers and principals
All employees are entitled to a minimum of ten days sick leave in each twelve-month period under the Holidays Act 2003. The sick leave entitlement for teachers and principals is accumulated based on service in a State or State-integrated school.
ACC leave is handled differently. For details, see ACC Claim - Starting a Claim.
Important:
Ensure you read the employee's employment agreement carefully for full details of their leave provisions.
See the Ministry of Education's website: Employment agreements
Contact NZ School Trustees Association if you need help to interpret employment agreement details.
Accumulation of entitlements
Employees accumulate sick leave entitlements as specified in their employment agreement.
See Leave entitlements for details.
The sick leave entitlement is carried over when they transfer between State or State-integrated schools (unless they have received a severance or long service payment under surplus staffing provisions).
Anticipated sick leave
If a teacher or principal on Table B has used up their sick leave, they may, if agreed to by their employer, anticipate up to five days in any following twelve-month period under the Holidays Act 2003.
In addition, boards may apply to the Ministry of Education on behalf of the employee to anticipate further sick leave over and above the five days they have already anticipated in a twelve-month period.
EdPay will deduct anticipated sick leave taken from the next entitlement when it falls due.
Sick leave for short-term relievers
If a short-term reliever has signed on to relieve at your school on a specific day and they then take sick leave on that day, they are entitled to paid sick leave if they have entitlements accrued. In this case, complete a EP12 form for the leave booking and advise the hours and funding code in your email request. Do not enter a time sheet.
Disregarded sick leave
Teachers and principals can apply for disregarded sick leave in certain specific circumstances.
See the Ministry of Education's website:
Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement Clause 4.3
Primary Principals' Collective Agreement Clause 7.5
Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement Clause 6.2.7
Secondary Principals' Collective Agreement Clause 5.2.6
Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement Clause 5.1
Area School Principals' Collective Agreement Clause 5.2.7
Book sick leave
To book sick leave for teachers and principals, use the correct leave type code, as described in the following table.
See Book leave for instructions.
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Sick leave codes
Paid sick leave codes
| Code |
Description |
When to use |
| SL |
Sick Leave
This code requires a leave reason code.
See Leave codes and reasons.
|
Use when the employee has a positive sick leave balance.
This code can also be used for leave for family reasons, if this is a provision of the employment agreement. In this case, use Reason code DOMDE.
|
| SANTS |
Anticipated Sick Leave - Statutory |
Use only for a teacher or principal on sick leave Table B, if they have used all of their sick leave entitlement and have not received any entitlement in the current year.
If a teacher or principal has received an entitlement in the current year, anticipated sick leave must be approved by the Ministry, in which case use the SANTC code.
|
| SANTC |
Anticipated Sick Leave of future entitlement - MOE |
Use for Ministry-approved anticipated sick leave in addition to five days in an entitlement year. This only applies to teachers and principals.
Attach the Ministry approval with the EP12 form.
|
| DISSK |
Disregarded Sick Leave Secretary for Education approved |
Use when time off for sickness or injury is not to be deducted from a teacher's or principal's sick leave balance. See the links above to appropriate collective agreements on the Ministry of Education website.
Attach the Ministry approval with the EP12 form.
|
Unpaid sick leave codes
| Code |
Description |
When To use |
| SLWOP |
Sick Leave Without Pay
This code requires a leave reason code.
See Leave codes and reasons.
|
Use when the employee's sick leave balance is zero or negative, and they have not requested anticipated sick leave, or they have exhausted their anticipated sick leave entitlement.
|
Related links
How to:
Other websites: