Working Customs & Absences

Working hours

The key value of flexible working ensures that there are no specific expectations for staff around hours, holiday or time management, rather that:

• All staff should negotiate with their supervisors (and clients where applicable) any periods of absence.
• The GI-TOC will always adhere to relevant legislation and cultural standards and will endeavor to be a sensitive and reasonable employer.
• Everyone manages his or her own workload. Any concerns about workload and/or potential to meet any deadlines should be brought to the attention of your supervisor and any other relevant colleagues as soon as possible.
• Any potential issue that might affect forthcoming attendance should be flagged as quickly as possible with any colleagues and clients that this might impact on.
• This is relevant for any and all forms of leave, for example:
  • Annual leave
  • Official leave
  • Unpaid leave
  • Compassionate leave
  • Special leave
  • Maternity/paternity/adoption leave

Sickness and absence

Staff are expected to be self-managing and organize their own workflow, deadlines and priorities. Given the high level of flexibility that GI-TOC staff enjoy, good communication is essential to proactively manage periods of absence:

• If you are not working, available and contactable, then please inform your colleagues.
• Raise any potential issues that may impact on either your or others’ work as soon as possible.
• If you are concerned about potentially not being able to deliver any of your work to the level expected due to sickness or for any other causes of absence, please contact your supervisor or Tuesday Reitano as soon as possible.
• Repeated cases of failing to meet obligations will be actively managed and will be considered to be a performance issue.

The Global Initiative does not actively manage or monitor day-to-day sickness levels. However, in the case of a longer period of sickness, the Global Initiative has a policy to continue to pay full salary for a maximum period of 3 weeks.

Due to the dispersed nature of our operations, the Global Initiative does not provide any health insurance cover and all staff are expected to make their own arrangements in regards to healthcare provision and insurance.

Annual Leave Entitlement

All full-time employees are entitled to 304 hours (38 days) including public holidays of paid leave within a calendar year. If an employee starts or leaves the organization in the course of a calendar year, vacation entitlement will be calculated on a a pro-rata basis. Annual leave entitlement for part time employees is calculated on a pro-rata basis as well.

GI-TOC Leave Policy

Maternity Leave Entitlement

All full-time employees are entitled to 4 months of paid maternity leave. The same applies for adoption.

Paternity Leave Entitlement

All full-time employees are entitled to 2 weeks of paid leave within 1 year of when the baby is born. Leave must be taken in one go. The same applies for adoption.