We are currently reviewing how annual leave accumulates and is deducted under the Pilots Award.

We encourage you to review this article regularly for updates.

Accumulation of annual leave

Full-time employees get 42 days of annual leave each year, which includes weekends and public holidays. If an employee works less than a year they get a pro-rata amount of the 42 days.

Part-time employees get a pro-rata amount of annual leave based on their hours worked.

Example: Pro-rata annual leave

Max was employed as a full-time pilot from 1 July until 31 December, a total of 184 days.

Max didn’t use any of his annual leave during his employment.

For each completed day of employment, Max accumulated 1/365th of his entitlement to 42 days of annual leave.

When Max resigned, his employer calculated his entitlement, and paid him for 21.17 days of annual leave.

Taking annual leave

Annual leave must start on a Monday, or on another day by agreement. Weekends and public holidays during a period of leave are also counted as annual leave days.

An employee can take 2 rostered days free of duty with their annual leave. The 2 days can be taken immediately before or after their annual leave, or one day before and one day after.

Annual leave is taken by agreement between the employee and employer. It can be taken in one but not more than 2 periods within the year unless agreed with the employee.

Example: Taking annual leave that includes a public holiday

Alexia is a pilot in Tasmania.

Alexia took 17 days of annual leave from Monday 20 January to Wednesday 5 February 2020. The weekend and Australia Day public holiday are deducted from Alexia’s annual leave balance as part of the 17 days.

Alexia won’t get public holiday pay while she’s on annual leave.