Voluntary emergency management activity

This involves individuals voluntarily contributing their time and effort in situations like floods, fires, or other natural disasters, under the guidance of official organisations like emergency services or disaster relief agencies. These activities can include rescue operations, providing medical assistance or helping with recovery efforts. It's a way for community members to actively participate in emergency response and aid efforts.

Leave for emergency volunteers

Under the National Employment Standards, an employee can take unpaid community service leave for a voluntary emergency management activity, plus reasonable travel and rest time, if they are a member of, or have a member-like association with, a recognised emergency management body, and the body asked for their help or it would be reasonable to expect that it would. The activity must involve dealing with an emergency or natural disaster. There is no fixed limit on the leave, but the employee must give notice as soon as practicable. For example, a volunteer firefighter called to a bushfire can take leave for the deployment.

Read our guide to community service leave.