Leave from employment

If you take a period of ordinary LWOP, you must continue to pay your personal contributions to PSS for the first three months. Any period in excess of three months does not count as service for benefit purposes and you must cease to make contributions for that period. Any Additional Employer Contribution (AEC) that you may be eligible to receive does not accrue during periods of ordinary LWOP.

If you take a period of special leave that includes unpaid sick leave or maternity leave, contributions are payable for the full period of the leave, subject to a maximum payment period of two years. The period of special leave during which contributions are payable counts as service. Any Additional Employer Contribution (AEC) that you may be eligible to receive continues to accrue at the normal full time rate during periods of special leave.

Please refer to PSS Fact Sheet 2: Contributions and superable salary for more information.

Superannuation contributions payable during a period of part-time employment are based on your actual part-time salary. For benefit purposes, service accrues on a pro rata basis and takes into account the difference between your period of part-time service and your potential full-time service. This is measured by the difference between your part-time and equivalent full-time salaries.

Please refer to PSS Fact Sheet 2: Contributions and superable salary for more information.

If you take LWOP on a part-time basis, superannuation contributions are deducted from your part-time salary at the rate of 6% of your:

• equivalent full-time salary (attributed salary) during the first three months, and
• part-time salary during the remainder of the leave.

The first three months are treated as a period of full-time service for benefit purposes. Your service for the remaining period of part-time leave without pay accrues on a pro rata basis.

Any Additional Employer Contribution (AEC) that you may be eligible to receive will accrue at a reduced rate based on the salary ratio during periods of part time ordinary LWOP. During periods of part time special leave your AEC benefit will continue to accrue at the normal full time rate.

Please refer to PSS Fact Sheet 2: Contributions and superable salary for more information.

Male or female PSS members on authorised LWOP for the purpose of raising children may retain their membership in PSS for up to seven years, even if they are not paying contributions.

Authorised LWOP is leave approved by your employer or authorised by an Industrial Award or agreement. You must ensure you have a statutory or contractual right to resume employment at the end of authorised leave if you wish to retain your PSS membership.

Any Additional Employer Contribution (AEC) that you may be eligible to receive will not accrue during periods of authorised LWOP.

Please refer to PSS Fact Sheet 2: Contributions and superable salary for more information.

Purchased leave is a voluntary arrangement between employees and their employers where employees may 'purchase' additional leave by reducing their annual salary. The conditions under which such agreements can be made are generally set out in your Award or employment contract.

Before you take a period of purchased leave, we recommend you read PSS Fact Sheet 9: Purchased leave.

If you take a period of long service leave on a full-time basis, contributions are payable for the full period of the leave, up to a maximum of two years. The period of long service leave during which contributions are payable counts as service.

However, if you take long service leave on a part-time basis, contributions are payable for the whole period of the leave but are deducted at the rate of 6% of your part-time salary. Service accrues on a part-time basis.

Any SANCS basic benefit and Additional Employer Contribution (AEC) that you may be eligible to receive will accrue at the normal full time rate during periods of long service leave.