All staff and line managers are advised that, as the University was closed from Wednesday 21 October 2015-Friday 23 October 2015, both days inclusive, staff members are not expected to fill in leave applications for these days. No deductions will be made for these days from the applicable annual leave entitlements.

Further a University notice was issued on Monday 26 October 2015, advising staff that they could leave the workplace if necessary. Although the University was not closed, members of staff were entitled to exercise discretion to leave if they deemed it appropriate. Accordingly no staff member may be compelled to apply for leave if they opted to leave the workplace on Monday 26 October 2015. If any staff member has been requested to apply for leave for any of the aforementioned days, they should immediately contact their assigned HR Business Partner to arrange for cancellation.

Members of staff are further advised that in order to fulfill academic obligations for 2015, it may be necessary for some staff to defer their leave in November and December. In this regard, staff members are assured that if they have leave days which will expire at the end of December and they are unable to take those days before expiry due to the extended academic calendar, the requisite leave days will be carried forward until 30 June 2016. Affected staff should discuss their leave with their line managers and if it is not operationally feasible to take leave before closure in December, the line manager must inform the assigned Business Partner to enable HR to make provision for the carryover of the leave days. This only applies to leave days expiring on 31 December 2015.