• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Section 5 - Non-Compliance

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) Each year, Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) identifies a period during December and January in which the University will close down.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This procedure outlines Clause 41 University Closedown of the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022 and sets out the requirement for employees to access leave during this period.

(3) This procedure also outlines the circumstances in which employees will remain on duty during this period. 

Section 3 - Scope

(4) This procedure applies to CDU employees covered by the Enterprise Agreement, excluding those employed on a casual basis.

Section 4 - Procedure

(5) By 1 April each year, the Vice-Chancellor will provide dates of the closedown for the coming December/January period to allow time for leave planning.

(6) The closedown period is to be no more than 10 paid Annual Leave days.

(7) All employees are required to access their paid Annual Leave during this period.

(8) A member of the Senior Executive Team (SET) may vary these arrangements for an organisational unit to meet essential operational or research requirements.

(9) When the closedown requires the utilisation of more than 5 days paid Annual Leave, employees who receive the lower Annual Leave entitlement in accordance with clause 41.3 of the Enterprise Agreement will be granted up to 5 days concessional leave to compensate for their lower entitlement.

Application 

(10) Accessing leave over this period is mandatory, unless arrangements are varied by the relevant SET member to approve working during the closedown period.

(11) No application is required to utilise this leave. People and Culture will automatically deduct the relevant leave from the employees’ existing Annual Leave balance.

(12) If the employee is approved to remain at work and on duty during this period, they are required to lodge a leave request for approval to cancel the Annual Leave. Once the request is approved the leave will be adjusted.

Responsibilities

(13) It is the responsibility of the relevant SET member to:

1. Assess and determine which, if any, of their employees are required to remain at work and on duty.
2. Maintain a list of employees who will remain on duty both on campus and externally during the close down period, including their physical work locations.
3. Prior to close down, provide a copy to Security to ensure the safety of employees working throughout this period.
4. Confirm all employees who remain on duty are aware of their work health and safety obligations while working on campus with a reduced workforce.

Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(14) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees or the Code of Conduct – Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022 and the Code of Conduct – Students.

(15) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students.

(16) All employees have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.