Applying for leave combined with official international travel procedure

Audience

Department-wide

Purpose

To specify the criteria and process for approvals that apply when taking leave while travelling overseas for departmental purposes.

Overview

Official Travel

Employees/departmental officers (except departmental officers engaged offshore on Department of Education international projects) cannot apply for leave while on official travel unless:

• overseas business activity is for a period of four weeks or more; and
• employee applies for leave accrued during the period of overseas travel only (i.e. leave accrued prior to overseas travel cannot be included).

An employee on official travel is entitled to access two (2) rest days following every five (5) work days.

Employees/departmental officers employed on Department of Education international projects for 6 months or more may apply for leave while on official travel in accordance with Employee Leave.

Courses paid by the employee while overseas on leave

Employees/departmental officers who attend a course at their own expense while on leave may have this activity recognised as relating to their employment.  Recognition will occur in the form of a letter from the Department to be used by the employee to support any taxation deductions.  This letter, however, does not guarantee acceptance of the claim on the part of the Australian Taxation Office.

Responsibilities

Employees/departmental officers (excluding employees engaged on international projects):

• understand the criteria to apply for leave while on official travel
• include details of leave in the Application for International Travel
• once overseas travel has been approved, apply for leave through the delegated officer in accordance with departmental procedure

Principals:

• consider the relative merits of any application requesting departmental recognition of an overseas professional development event to the individual’s work and role within the department

Processing officer:

• on receipt of appropriately supported application, prepare letter of recognition
• maintain records in accordance with departmental requirements

Process

Please see above in Responsibilities.

Definitions

Legislation

• Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld)   
• Public Service Act 2008 (Qld)  

Delegations/Authorisations

• Nil

Other resources

• Queensland Government Air Travel Policy 
• Code of Conduct for the Queensland Public Service 
• Employee leave procedure  
• Guidelines for international travel for official purposes - Business and professional development (DoE employees only)
• International travel (DoE employees only)
• Retention, disposal and destruction of records, Queensland State Archives

Superseded versions

Previous seven years shown. Minor version updates not included.

3.0 Applying for leave combined with official international travel (HRM-PR-039)