Under a proposed enterprise bargaining agreement released on Thursday, teachers and non-teaching staff at hundreds of Catholic schools across Queensland would be entitled to a maximum of five days of reproductive leave per year. The leave is only available to employees suffering from chronic symptoms of one of eight approved conditions or procedures: endometriosis, adenomyosis, dysmenorrhea, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), hysterectomy, menopause, perimenopause, or prostate disease. Additionally, staff members must have fewer than 10 days of personal leave remaining to access the entitlement.
By contrast, Queensland's state school system provides 10 days of reproductive health leave, awarded in September 2024, covering four categories including chronic conditions, fertility treatments such as IVF, preventative screenings, and treatments like vasectomies or hysterectomies. The Independent Education Union has been championing reproductive leave entitlements for private schools across the country since the public sector gained this benefit. In a statement to a federal review last year, the union said workplace protections for reproductive health, including IVF, were essential, arguing that the lack of support contributes to gender inequality, economic disadvantage, and workplace discrimination.
The Catholic Archdiocese's offer, covering schools including All Hallows', St Joseph's Gregory Terrace and Marist College Ashgrove, does not include IVF or other fertility treatments in its list of eligible conditions, leaving the union dissatisfied. The proposal is part of broader wage negotiations under a new enterprise bargaining agreement.