ANZ introduces paid gender affirmation leave. What is it and what other types of leave are there?

ANZ recognises any social, medical and legal aspects of gender affirmation in its newly announced leave. (ABC RN: Fiona Pepper)

ANZ announced it will allow employees based in Australia and New Zealand to take paid leave while they are affirming their gender.

Its newly created gender affirmation leave will allow employees to take six weeks of paid leave and up to 12 months of unpaid leave as they undergo any aspect of gender affirmation.

ANZ said these aspects include social, medical and legal gender affirmation. 

The bank stated there are various ways an individual can affirm their gender, and provided the below examples (that are not limited to):

Social

• Adopting the dress and style of presentation that better aligns with their gender identity and expression
• Changing their pronouns and/or name

Medical

• Surgery, hormone therapy or both
• Medical appointments
• Rest and recovery from medical procedures

Legal

• Legally changing their name and/or gender marker on personal identification documents such as passport, birth certificate, driver's licence or bank card

The big four bank says this new leave means employees won't have to exhaust their annual or sick leave. (Supplied: Unsplash)

"People who are affirming their gender do not need to exhaust their annual or sick leave entitlements, while also easing some of the financial pressures," ANZ’s Diversity and Inclusion Lead, Fiona MacDonald said.

The announcement by ANZ comes after major companies took steps to make their workplaces more inclusive for trans and gender diverse people.

In 2018, Woolworths introduced a gender affirmation policy that entitles employees to up to two weeks of paid leave, and two weeks of unpaid leave, to support them as they take steps to affirm their gender. 

Allianz Insurance introduced paid gender affirmation leave in 2021, allowing employees to take four weeks of paid leave and up to 12 months of unpaid leave. 

Telstra's 2021 gender affirmation leave policy allows eligible permanent employees based in Australia to access eight weeks of paid leave to affirm their gender. 

Just last month, Coles announced it would give up to 10 days of leave to staff undergoing gender affirmation. 

What other types of leave are there?

Leave doesn't just stop at annual, sick and long service.

These are the types of leave available to part-time and full-time employees in Australia that you might not have known about.

Family and domestic violence leave 

All employees, including casuals, are entitled to five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave each year. 

The Fair Work Act 2009 states family and domestic violence means violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by an employee’s close relative that:

• Seeks to coerce or control the employee
• Causes them harm or fear

Full-time, part-time and casual employees are entitled to five days of unpaid family and DV leave. (Supplied: Pexels)

Fair Work Act 2009 defines a close relative as:

An employee's:	A person:
Spouse or former spouse Current or former de facto partner Child Parent Grandparent Grandchild Sibling	Related to the employee according to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship rules

Fair Work also defines a close relative as a current or former spouse or de facto partner's child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling

Compassionate and bereavement leave

Fair Work states full-time and part-time employees are entitled to two days of paid compassionate leave.

These employees can take compassionate leave if:

• A member of their immediate family or household dies, or contracts or develops a life-threatening illness or injury
• A baby in their immediate family or household is stillborn
• They have a miscarriage
• Their current spouse or de facto partner has a miscarriage

Full-time and part-time employees receive paid compassionate leave based on the hours they would have worked during the leave. (Supplied: Unsplash)

Immediate family includes:
The immediate family of the employee's spouse or de facto partner – or former spouse or de facto partner Step-relations e.g. step-parent or step-child Adoptive relations

Casual employees receive unpaid compassionate leave.

Community service leave

Full-time, part-time and casual employees are entitled to community service leave for activities such as voluntary emergency management or jury duty. 

Fair Work states community service leave is unpaid and there is no limit on the amount an employee can take.

Voluntary emergency management activity

An employee engages in a voluntary emergency management activity if:

• The activity involves dealing with an emergency or natural disaster
• The employee engages in the activity on a voluntary basis 
• The employee was requested in an activity
• The employee is a member of, or has a member-like association with, a recognised emergency management body 

State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers are entitled to  (Supplied: Fire and Emergency Services)

Recognised emergency management body

A recognised emergency management body is: a body that has a role or function under a plan that is for coping with emergencies / natural disasters, fire-fighting, civil defence or rescue body.

This includes bodies such as:
The State Emergency Service  Country Fire Authority  the RSPCA – animal rescue during emergencies or natural disasters