Personal Leave Sharing Scheme

What is the Personal Leave Sharing Scheme?

The Personal Leave Sharing Scheme is a voluntary scheme where employees who are members contribute a nominal amount of their personal leave entitlement annually into a shared pool. This pool of contributed leave may be drawn upon by employees who are experiencing a significant health event or emergency and are able to demonstrate a need.

This is a wonderful opportunity for SPCC employees to support their colleagues who are going through a difficult season.

Galatians 6:2 encourages us to ‘Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.’

St Philip’s employees have an amazing legacy of praying, encouraging and supporting our brothers and sisters when life is difficult, but we sometimes find it hard knowing what to do on a practical level. The SPCC Personal Leave Sharing Scheme is one avenue that allows us to serve each other in a practical and helpful way.

How does it work?

For members: Once a year in March, payroll make a deduction to the personal leave balances of scheme members. For full-time employees, 4 hours is deducted from their personal leave balance and for part-time employees the annual deduction is 2 hours. Deductions will only occur if the member has a residual balance remaining. For full-time employees this residual balance should be 76 hours and for part-time employees, 38 hours. The purpose of this is to ensure members are not put at jeopardy by donating. All donated leave is held in a separate pool.

To be a member you must be a permanent (full-time or part-time) employee.

For beneficiaries: Employees who wish to access this pool as a beneficiary of the scheme must apply to do so. The application is reviewed by a committee and following that review, the committee makes a recommendation to the CEO who makes the final decision. The maximum benefit that any one employee can receive from the scheme is 76 hours per year.

When will the scheme be launched?

Membership to the scheme will open to employees on Monday 26 September 2022. The first deductions will occur in the first pay period in March 2023. After that time, the scheme will then be open to applications from beneficiaries who are seeking to benefit from the scheme and access the pool. This initial period between September 2022 and March 2023 will be an opportunity for the scheme to grow, thus maximising the potential value of the pool when the deductions are effected in March.

How do I become a member of the scheme?

Membership application forms are available now in My Pay on MySPCC. You can access the forms via the link below.

What is the role of the Committee?

The scheme is intended to be an instrument of employees that can be used to help our colleagues. A committee of our peers will manage the scheme and assess any applications. The committee will report annually on the scheme to the St Philip’s Executive and to members. Committee members will serve for a limited period (12 months initially, with an option to serve for a subsequent 12 months). The Committee will comprise 6 members:

1 x member of SPELT (St Philip’s Executive Leadership Team)
3 x St Philip’s employees (at least one of whom should be a member of the scheme)
1 x HR representative (could be payroll, school-based HR or Foundation-based HR)
1 x member of school-based Executive Leadership Team

How can I express my interest in serving on the Committee?

If you would like to serve on the committee, please email the Director of People and Culture, Virginia McMurray to express your interest. Virginia’s email address is virginia.mcmurray@spcc.nsw.edu.au

When can beneficiaries apply to access the pool of available leave?

Beneficiaries who would like to access the scheme can do so from Monday 20 March 2023. Application forms for potential beneficiaries will be available in My Pay on MySPCC.

Do I have to be a member of the scheme to benefit from it as a beneficiary?

No. As long as you are a permanent employee of St Philip’s you will be able to apply to access the pool of leave.

Can members donate more leave than the prescribed 4 hours (full-time employees) or 2 hours (part-time employees)?

No. As the scheme is consistent with our values and with our desire to serve one another and build community, our expectation is that it will be a positive initiative. One of the key design elements of the scheme is the value of the cumulative effort, without jeopardising the position of members if they also need to access the scheme at some time in the future.

Where can I find more information?

The guideline document below has been prepared which outlines the details of the scheme. This guideline can also be accessed via My Pay on MySPCC.

If you have any questions about the scheme or wish to provide feedback please contact Virginia McMurray on virginia.mcmurray@spcc.nsw.edu.au or directly via her mobile on 0435 961 188.