Cultural Leave for First Nations employees

Future Group is strongly committed to reconciliation with First Nations peoples and communities. As a business that exists to build a future free from climate change and inequality, it is vital we pursue equity for our staff and stay true to our purpose.

This Cultural Leave policy is a key milestone in the pursuit of our purpose.

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to promote the values of reconciliation and equity through the provision of Cultural Leave for First Nations people at Future Group.

2.0 Scope

This policy applies to all First Nations employees. Certain parts of the policy may be applicable to different people based on their role at Future Group, such as managers and independent contractors.

3.0 Background

What is Reconciliation?

Reconciliation involves “strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples” and non First Nations peoples. This includes creating equity between First Nations Peoples and other people in Australia, and addressing the opportunity and outcome gaps in health, education, employment, wellbeing, and various aspects of life. Reconciliation Australia uses five dimensions to encapsulate various aspects of reconciliation: historical acceptance; race relations; equality and equity; institutional integrity and unity.

Meaningful reconciliation requires effort across all five dimensions. This policy aims to be one of the many tools the Future Group will employ to pursue reconciliation.

Why is it important?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are often underrepresented and marginalised throughout their lives. Australia’s history is rooted in colonisation, exploitation, and injustice.

Unfortunately, our current systems and norms are a product of historical inequalities and continue to foster unfair outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A 2020 survey commissioned by Reconciliation Australia found that 52% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experienced racism in a period of 6 months preceding the survey. This number was also higher than that of previous surveys in 2018 (43%), 2016 (46%), and 2014 (39%).
Systemic inequalities lead to worse outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in all aspects of life, including work. In 2018, 49.1% of working age First Nations peoples were in some form of employment, compared to 75.9% for non-Indigenous people in Australia. Additionally, only 0.7% of senior leadership was First Nations in companies that track relevant data, despite making up 3.2% of the total population.

Unfortunately, the study also found that many First Nations employees feel culturally unsafe at work, meaning they cannot practice their cultural identity without discrimination, ridicule or denunciation. Similar to the Reconciliation Australia report, 55% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees reported experiencing direct or indirect racism. These numbers highlight why it is incredibly important to break the cycle of systemic barriers and negative outcomes for First Nations peoples in Australia.

Reconciliation and the workplace

Future Group is strongly committed to the principles of reconciliation with First Nations peoples. Our purpose of building a future free from climate change and inequality requires the recognition of racism and colonialism in Australian workplaces and society. The current system can and has caused significant damage in the lives of staff who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Beyond recognition, we commit to actively finding ways to decolonise the workplace. Having a strong Cultural Leave policy is crucial for true reconciliation and celebration of a diverse workforce. This policy formalises and legitimises the significance of First Nations occasions and practices. We do this by acknowledging the limitations of the current Australian calendar, which has predominantly Anglo-centric celebrations and observances. The policy allows for dedicated time for First Nations staff to conduct Sorry Business, NAIDOC Week or participate in other cultural practices.

While this policy is not a solution to deep-rooted problems in Australia, it aims to play a part in our journey towards a more equal workplace and society.

3.0 Cultural Leave for First Nations Employees

Permanent and fixed-term Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees are entitled to paid Cultural Leave days per financial year, at a rate dependent on their hours of work:

• Eligible employees who typically work 30 hours or more per week are entitled to a maximum of 4 paid Cultural Leave days per financial year.

• Eligible employees who typically work less than 30 hours per week are entitled to a maximum of up to 3 paid Cultural leave days per financial year.

Paid Cultural Leave:

• Does not accrue. Any unused paid Cultural Leave will lapse on 30 June every year and reset on 1 July every year;

• Should be requested with at least 2 weeks’ notice, wherever practicable;

• Can be accessed at any point in a financial year;

• Will not be paid out upon an employee’s departure from Future Group; and

• Can be combined with other types of leave offered by Future Group, except for Self-Care Leave.

Casual employees and independent contractors do not have any paid leave entitlements. However, Future Group recognises the need for all to observe events of cultural significance. Thus, all First Nations casual employees and contractors are entitled to the flexibility to swap out days they usually work where they need to observe events of cultural significance to days not usually worked.

3.1 Reasons for Utilising Cultural Leave

Future Group acknowledges the importance of customary and cultural obligations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. Cultural leave may be taken for the following purposes:

• Observance, attendance, or celebration of culturally significant ceremonies or events (e.g. Sorry Business); and

• Observance, attendance, or celebration of historically significant days or events (NAIDOC week, National Apology Anniversary).

The diversity of First Nations cultures, histories, and experiences means there are numerous cultural, ceremonial, and significant dates eligible employees might want to participate in. Therefore, this policy does not have a prescriptive list of days or events when employees can use their paid Cultural Leave entitlement. The above examples are a guide only and are a non-exhaustive list of days or events.

First Nations employees might seek paid leave to observe, attend, or celebrate culturally significant days to them. Managers should not expect employees to justify the importance of events when applying for Cultural Leave. Certain traditions and customs may be extremely sensitive, personal or private, and employees might not be comfortable discussing these details with their manager(s) or the company.

Additionally, what is and is not culturally significant to employees is rooted in the intersectionality of their identities and should not require any justification. A requirement to “prove” the significance of certain days, dates or events risks additional stigmatisation, with the potential to create an undue psychological burden on employees.

This policy will be effective and inclusive only when employees don’t face barriers or stigma when seeking out Cultural Leave. To reduce these barriers, this policy puts the responsibility on managers to encourage and facilitate Cultural Leave uptake. In case a manager wants to deny a Cultural Leave request from an employee, they’re required to justify this denial to the employee as well as the People & Sustainability team.

4.0 Responsibilities

4.1 Management Responsibilities

Future Group Directors, managers, supervisors and the People & Sustainability Team have a responsibility to:

• Ensure that all employees and independent contractors are made aware of this policy;

• This policy remains easily accessible at all times;

• Uptake of this leave type is monitored and any barriers to people utilising the leave are identified and – where possible – rectified;

• Actively support and contribute to the implementation of this policy, including Future Group’s commitments to provide an equitable and supportive environment for all employees

4.2 Team Member Responsibilities

Team Members are required to:

• Understand this policy and seek clarification from People & Sustainability or management where required;

• Consider this policy while completing work-related duties and at any time while representing Future Group;

• Support fellow team members in their awareness of this policy;

• Support and contribute to Future Group’s aim of providing an equitable and supportive environment for all team members; and

• Seek assistance from their leader, supervisors and/or the People & Sustainability Team if they have any concerns or are having difficulties.

4.3 Leader Responsibilities

Leaders at Future Group are responsible for:

• Facilitating flexibility for any First Nations employees or independent contractors to observe events significant to their culture and/or faith;

• Not expecting employees to justify the importance of events when applying for Cultural Leave. Certain traditions and customs may be extremely sensitive, personal or private, and employees might not be comfortable discussing these details with their leader or the company;

• Encouraging and facilitating Cultural Leave uptake; and

• Where seeking to deny a Cultural Leave request from an employee, justifying this denial to the employee as well as the People & Culture team.

5.0 Additional Support

All culturally diverse employees are invited to join SuperGlobal, an employee resource group on Slack. Reach out to the People and Sustainability team if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback (the People and Sustainability team will be able to get support from SuperGlobal where appropriate).

If employees have any questions around this leave entitlement or think they have been denied leave they are entitled to, please speak to your manager or contact a People and Sustainability team member for next steps.

6.0 Policy Breaches

Non-compliance with this policy may result in disciplinary action (up to and including the termination of employment). To the extent that this policy imposes and obligation on Future Group, it does not form a contractual term, condition or representation.

7.0 Related Policy Documents and Supporting Documents

Policies and Guidelines:

• Leave Policy

Other Relevant Documents:

• Information for managers to better understand these requests

• DEI principles

• Anti-racism resources