Mental Health Leave Guidelines

Background

Mental health problems in Australia are relatively common, with one in five adult Australians experiencing mental health problems in any year. Despite its prevalence, mental health is still stigmatized in the workplace, preventing employees from talking openly about any mental health problems, and posing a barrier to people getting the help they need. 

The pandemic and working from home has further impacted the mental health of the workforce. With employees finding loneliness, depression from a lack of socialisation, burnout, lack of work-life balance and added stress as factors which have negatively affected their well-being. 

As a response to the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, we provided temporary Mental Health Leave entitlements to all permanent employees. The introduction of this initiative proved to be a meaningful benefit for the team and their workplace engagement. 

Mental Health Leave will now be accessible for all permanent employees at Future Group, on an ongoing basis. 

These Guidelines aim to support the mental health and well-being of our employees by providing additional time off periodically, solely for the purpose of self-care. 

Protecting the mental health of our team is paramount. Future Group is committed to creating an open and supportive culture where employees can bring their whole selves to the workplace.  

Principles

• These Guidelines are designed to promote positive mental health in the workplace and are intended to provide FG’s employees an additional day off to self-care on a regular basis.

• Permanent employees who typically work four to five days per week (or 30 - 37.5 hours per week) are entitled to a maximum of up to six paid Mental Health days per financial year. Mental Health Leave can be taken as a half day every month (3.25 hours), or a full day every two months (7.5 hours). 

• Permanent employees who typically work a total of 3 days or less per week (or 22.5 hours or less per week) are entitled to a maximum of up to three paid Mental Health days per financial year. Mental Health Leave can be taken as a half day every two months (3.25 hours), or a full day every four months (7.5 hours). 

• Mental Health Leave entitlements expire every two months for permanent employees who usually work four-five days per week (or 30 - 37.5 hours per week), and do not accrue. 

• Mental Health Leave entitlements expire every four months for permanent employees who usually work three days or less per week (or 22.5 hours or less per week), and do not accrue. 

• Mental Health Leave is designed to encourage employees to take a day for self-care, and is not intended to extend periods of existing leave. As such, Mental Health Leave must not be taken in conjunction with annual leave, purchased leave or public holidays e.g. it cannot be taken immediately before or after annual leave, purchased leave or a public holiday, even if separated by a weekend.

• The balance of any unused Mental Health Leave will not be paid out upon an employee’s departure from Future Super.

Mental Health Leave is available to permanent Future Group team members only.

If you have any questions, please email us at peopleandculture@futuregroup.com.au