Frequently asked questions
What do I have to do to attend a Maki tika course?
1. Talk to your branch chair.
2. Apply for employer-paid employment relations education leave from your employer. You must give 14 days’ notice.
3. Register for the course with your local PPTA Field Office.
Who pays?
You don’t. There are no course fees. Your employer will grant you paid employment relations education leave to attend. PPTA will reimburse you for transport and other actual and reasonable costs. Claim forms are available at each course.
Can my employer refuse me leave to attend a Maki tika course?
Generally no, as long as the branch has not used up its entitlement of employment relations education leave and you give 14 days’ notice. Your employer can only say no if your absence from work would unreasonably interfere with the operation of the school.
How many days of paid employment relations education leave are available?
The Employment Relations Act provides an annual entitlement in your school based on the number of PPTA members.
1 – 5 members 3 days total
6 – 50 members` 5 days total
Every additional 8 members over 50 1 more day
Note that this entitlement runs from March 1 to February 28. In February each year PPTA National Office notifies the branch chair and the employer of the number of days of entitlement that will become available on March 1.
Who allocates the paid leave entitlement available to PPTA members in my school?
Your PPTA branch controls the use of this entitlement. If you want to attend a Mahi tika course talk to your PPTA Branch Chair.
The school has no more money in its professional development budget. Is that a reasonable basis for refusing to give me paid employment relations education leave?
No. The school is required by the Employment Relations Act to grant paid leave up the number of days of PPTA’s entitlement. Make sure you notify your employer more than 14 days before the course date.
I want to go to a Mahi tika course but our branch has exhausted this year’s leave entitlement. What happens now?
Many PPTA Regions will meet your Leave With Pay costs in this situation. You must have gained your Regional Committee’s approval before you apply for paid leave under STCA 6.8.1/ASTCA 5.8.1.
NZEI members in my school have used paid leave to attend NZEI Te Riu Roa employment relations courses. Does that affect PPTA members’ entitlement to paid leave?
No. Each union generates its own separate entitlement to paid employment relations education leave based on the number of members it has within each worksite. It is great that NZEI members are also getting access to union education.
I am both a PPTA member and a member of the school’s Senior Management Team. Is PPTA’s Mahi tika programme relevant to me?
Yes. Senior managers need a good knowledge of collective agreements and legislative provisions that impact on employment relations. Many schools have sent their senior managers to PPTA’s courses as part of their professional development programme.
I am an elected health and safety representative. What training is available for me?
The Health and Safety in Employment Act 2002 (HSE) gives elected health and safety representatives an entitlement to two days of employer-paid leave to attend training each year. Training for health and safety representatives is provided by NZ Council of Trade Unions through an approved three-stage programme. This leave entitlement is called Health and Safety Education Leave and is a different entitlement from employment relations education leave. Health and Safety representatives should contact their local PPTA Field Office, who will assist them to register for training.
Employment Relations Education Leave (EREL) - forms
The form to apply for EREL is supplied by the Field Office that is organising each Mahi Tika course. It is issued with the invitation to register for each course. Contact the Field Office if you require a replacement form.
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