Changes to annual leave

Effective from 29 July 2016, most awards have been amended to incorporate new provisions as to annual leave.

The new provisions include:

1. a right for employers to direct employees to take annual leave if they have accruals exceeding eight weeks;
2. the ability for employees to take leave in advance with agreement from their employer (and where an employee's employment is terminated before they have accrued the leave taken in advance, the right for an employer to make an appropriate deduction from the employee's final pay); and
3. the inclusion of a cashing out provision which will permit employers to agree with an award employee to cash out accrued annual leave if they:
4. • have a signed written agreement with their employer;