QTAD Q&A

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 8, 1 November 2024, page no. 22

I plan to retire at the end of this year. Am I entitled to receive summer vacation pay? Do I need to attend the student free days? 

If you are completing the teaching year, you should terminate employment as of the last day of the summer vacation, i.e. 22 January 2025, in order to ensure payment for the entire summer vacation. 

Attendance at the student free days in January is not necessary as your summer vacation pay is calculated on the preceding year. 

I have been on parental leave this year. My paid leave ended in August, with the rest of the year unpaid while receiving the Commonwealth Parental Leave. Will I receive any pay over the summer vacation?

Paid parental leave counts as service (even if taken at half-pay). So, the portion of year on paid leave will count towards pro-rata payment over the summer vacation period. 

Having unpaid leave prior to the summer vacation period will mean that the pro-rata entitlement will be paid to you in a lump sum. 

DoE payroll information confirms the following for permanent teachers. 

Entitlement for the summer vacation period is based on the number of school days worked during the school year. Remote schools attract an entitlement of 33 days’ vacation. All other schools are entitled to 28 days’ vacation.

Departmental policy precludes payment to teaching staff for the full summer vacation in the following circumstances. 

• They have been admitted/re-admitted after the commencement of the school year. Temporary engagements immediately prior to re-admission are included in the entitlement calculation. Any lump sum on termination payments previously made for these engagements are recovered from the summer vacation entitlement.
• Any period of unpaid special leave (special, study, maternity, etc) without pay for a continuous period of more than 30 working days within the school year.
• Any fraction changes during the year.

Formula:  Number of days teaching service x 28 or 33 days’ vacation / number of days in school year

Teachers on extended leave with no pay over the summer vacation will be paid their entitlement as a lump sum. 

I’m a temporary teacher − what should I expect over the Christmas vacation period? 

Three types of payments apply to temporary teachers: 

• full summer vacation (28/33 days)
• lump sum summer payment (LSSP) 
• lump sum on termination payment (LSOT).

Depending on the length of your contract this year, whether you have a contract for 2025 or not determines your entitlement. Due to the various scenarios, temporary teachers are encouraged to contact payroll for confirmation of their entitlements. 

For any enquiries relating to your summer vacation pay entitlements, please contact your local payroll office, or call QTAD on 1300 11 7823.