Guidelines on Granting Special Leave for
Decision makers
Special Leave Directive
Directive 09/13 Special Leave provides the head of power for decision makers to grant discretionary
and non-discretionary special leave. The Department’s delegation manual provides Principals and
other decision makers with the delegation to approval special leave requests up to five days per year
per reason.
As the decision maker, you need to balance priority strategies when determining if to grant
discretionary special leave, ensuring you look after your people and exercise good governance in
administering public resources while delivering quality educational outcomes to the people of
Queensland.
Good Decision Making
The Queensland Ombudsman’s office publishes a “Good Decision Making Guide”
The guide outlines in detail all aspects of good public sector decision making and is useful in
ensuring all decisions are appropriate to the circumstances.
The guide suggests that you should understand the legislative and policy framework you are making
decisions within, take advice if you require it, and reasonably exercise your discretion.
The guide also suggests that you should consider all relevant issues of the case about which you are
making a decision. The guide goes on to say that “…Consistency is an important attribute of good
decision making”. This does not mean that you will make an identical decision on every occasion as
another case may have differing facts. If you are going to follow a previous decision, you should
ensure “that its circumstances are sufficiently similar to those of the decision you have to make”.
The Strategic Plan
The Department’s Strategic Plan 2014-18 identifies four targeted strategies aimed at Successful
Learners, Engaged Partners, Great People and High Standards. All of these areas are equally
important, but two (Great People and High Standards) are of particular relevance when determining
whether to grant discretionary special leave.
The plan articulates our Great People strategies as:
 Promote a high performance culture to attract, retain and develop a quality, agile, skilled and
professional workforce
 Empower leaders to be customer focused, high performing, innovative and accountable
The plan goes on to explain the High Standards strategies as:
 Drive improved performance through a focus on business improvement and innovation
Uncontrolled copy. Refer to the Department of Education and Training Policy and Procedure Register at http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au
to ensure you have the most current version of this document.
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Strengthen evidence-informed decision making using performance data, research, review and
evaluation
Promote accountability through good governance and ethical decision making
Provide safe, healthy and inclusive work environments
Further, our Strategic Workforce Plan aligns with the Department’s Strategic Plan to:
 Attract, retain and develop a high-quality, agile, skilled and professional workforce
 Create a strong performance culture in all workplaces
 Empower leaders to be customer focused, high performing, innovative and accountable
As a leader, you can create an environment where your team gives their best discretionary effort over
and above “just doing a job”. While there is no one single factor that creates high performing teams,
there is fulsome evidence that taking care of the human resource “hygiene factors” such as ensuring
a safe workplace, correct pay and leave and workplace fairness are the foundations upon which all
other strategies must be built. The small decisions you make every day are part of building great
foundations.
Special Leave Entitlements
The six forms of special leave (paid and unpaid) that are an “entitlement” (as in, they are nondiscretionary) under the Directive are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Election Leave
Local Government Leave
Australian Volunteers International
Employee directed to assist in Declared Emergency Situation or Declared Disaster Situation
Defence Reserve Forces Leave
Bereavement Leave (additional discretionary Bereavement Leave may also be granted)
Discretionary Special Leave
There are numerous other reasons why the decision maker may grant discretionary special leave.
Some reasons could include but are not limited to:
 Compassionate situations
 Representation of state or national sporting teams
 Blood or blood product donation
 Situations where an employee is precluded from attending or remaining at work due to natural
disasters
 Work related study
 Following deployment for critical incidents
 Domestic or family violence
The decision maker can also consider applications for discretionary special leave for reasons other
than those listed above. The Directive states that discretionary leave may be approved …”for
employees for any purpose, with duration appropriate to the purpose of the leave”.
Uncontrolled copy. Refer to the Department of Education and Training Policy and Procedure Register at http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au
to ensure you have the most current version of this document.
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Enquiries? Email WorkforceRelations.HUMANRES@dete.qld.gov.au or call 07 35136512
Matters to consider when determining an application for Discretionary Special
Leave
The Directive states that when determining an application for leave, the following matters should be
considered:
 Consider the reason the leave is requested (i.e. how compelling is the matter?)
 Consider the duration of the requested leave (i.e. is duration requested relevant to reason?)
 Are alternative forms of leave available / more appropriate? (e.g. sick special responsibility)
 If worker is temporary or casual, consider their length of service and end date (loyal /
longstanding)
 What impact will the absence have on the role / team output?
 What impact would declining the leave have on the employee?
 Consider the demands of this situation versus opportunity for leave to be taken at
departmental convenience (i.e. is the matter beyond the employee’s control?)
Uncontrolled copy. Refer to the Department of Education and Training Policy and Procedure Register at http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au
to ensure you have the most current version of this document.
Page 3 of 3
Enquiries? Email WorkforceRelations.HUMANRES@dete.qld.gov.au or call 07 35136512