QTAD Q & A: Which student free days (SFDs) am I required to attend?

There are six staff professional development days (student free days) throughout the year.
The mandated student free days at the end of the summer vacation (22-23 January 2015) and on the third Monday after the spring vacation (19 October 2015) are fixed and cannot be changed, except by the Minister.

Schools have the flexibility to position the remaining three flexible SFDs that fall during the Easter vacation period during any school vacation period, or at any time outside of school hours.

Mandated SFDs

All permanent teachers (including part-time) are required to attend the three mandated SFDs and will be paid in full for their attendance.

Temporary teachers (full-time and part-time) engaged for all of term one must attend and are paid for the SFD held on the last day of the summer vacation (23/01/2015). If a teacher has been requested to attend prior to this date, we would suggest they discuss payment with the principal and seek payment confirmation in writing.

Flexible SFDs

Permanent full-time teachers will be paid for all three flexible SFDs (dates yet to be advised) and will be required to undertake 15 hours of professional development scheduled by the school. All permanent part-time teachers will be paid for the final two flexible SFDs and will be required to undertake 10 hours of professional development. Only those permanent part-time teachers rostered to work the first flexible SFD will be paid for all three flexible SFDs and therefore will be required to undertake 15 hours of professional development as scheduled by the school.

Temporary teachers employed up to the end of term one and from the beginning of term two will be paid for the Easter vacation, including the flexible SFDs. These temporary teachers will be required to attend the SFDs or up to 15 hours of flexible professional development where scheduled by the school during their temporary engagement.

Temporary teachers will be paid the flexible SFDs under the same provisions as permanent full-time and part-time teachers.

Temporary teachers who are not paid for the three Easter holiday staff professional development days do not have to attend these three days or the 15 hours of flexible professional development scheduled by the school. Temporary teachers may attend flexible professional development on a voluntary basis without pay.

In terms two, three or four, where a flexible staff professional development day is scheduled for:

• the final day of the school holiday before a new school term, or
• the first day of the school holiday at the end of a school term

a temporary teacher is entitled to be paid for attendance, as long as they were engaged for the whole of that term.

If you are a temporary teacher and you are unsure of what SFDs you are entitled to attend, you should seek advice from your principal in the first instance.

The QTU would recommend getting any advice about payment of SFDs in writing.

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 119 No 8, 14 November 2014, p29