Home
Help for Boards
Board as the Employer
Board as Employer of Principals
Annual leave for principals

Annual leave for principals

As part of your board’s employment relationshipopen_in_new with the principal, your discussions should include annual leave. Part of these discussions should ensure the principal is taking regular annual leave for rest and relaxation.

Unlike other school staff, principals' annual leave cannot be booked and recorded through the EdPay systemopen_in_new. This means your board and principal must do it at the school level.

Work with your principal to ensure the process works for both parties and meets your obligations under the applicable principal collective agreement and Section 81 of the Holidays Act 2003open_in_new.

This process will complement your policy framework around leave.

What are the annual leave entitlements for principals?

Secondary principals get 30 days' worth of annual leave each year (unless they have taken a period of leave without pay).

Primary principals get an annual leave entitlement based on 30% of their salary each year to use as annual leave (unless they have taken a period of leave without pay).

Annual leave should be taken in the year it falls due unless your board and principal agree in writing that the unused portion will be carried over into the following year.

Generally, they will take their leave during the term breaks. However, the principal can:

  • Take leave during the term

  • Decide, or be required, to work during the term break (or when your school is closed for instruction).

What is a “holiday and leave record”?
open_in_new

Section 81 of the Holidays Act 2003open_in_new requires your board to maintain a holiday and leave record. It documents when the principal takes annual leave and keeps track of their annual leave balance.

The holiday and leave record will, among other things, contain:

  • The principal’s name, start date, and employment agreement.

  • The date on which annual leave has been taken.

  • A running balance of your principal's annual leave entitlement.

This record should be kept securely but also readily accessible if needed.

This annual holiday and leave record templateopen_in_new can be used as a basis for such a record.

How do you manage the principal taking annual leave during term time?

There should be an established way for the principal to request annual leave during term time so your board can consider it. This could be by email or by filling out a form and submitting it to your board for consideration.

Your board will need to consider any requests in good faith and only decline if it would unreasonably interfere with the performance of the principal’s duties and responsibilities. The request must be processed and considered against the school’s policies and the principles of the applicable principals’ collective agreement.

If you are considering declining an application but are unsure, please contact our Advisory and Support Centre so we can advise you further on your specific situation.

Once approval is given, the nominated person must note the leave in the principal’s holiday and leave record.

How do you manage the principal taking annual leave outside of term time or when the school is closed for instruction?

There should be an established way for the principal to report which days they take as annual leave during term breaks (or when the school is closed for instruction) so it can be noted in the holiday and leave record. This could be through a confirmation email or by filling out a form and submitting it to your board (and then your board noting it).

A principal may work during term break (or when the school is closed for instruction) if such work is reasonably related to the duties and responsibilities of their role.

However, your board should try to arrange workflow so the principal does not have to do so unnecessarily. Proactive discussions should occur so arrangements can be made if it looks like work needs to be done during the term break (or when the school is closed for instruction). 

If you have questions about work during the term break (or when the school is closed for instruction), please contact our Advisory and Support Centre.

What is “cashing up” of annual leave?

Section 28A of the Holidays Actopen_in_new allows an employee to request that a portion of annual leave be paid out.

Please contact our Advisory and Support Centre if you receive a request from your principal.  

What about other forms of leave?

Other forms of leave are provided for in your principal’s collective agreement:

These can be booked and processed through EdPayopen_in_new. There should be an established way for your principal to, as appropriate, notify or request these other forms of leave.

Questions your board could ask:

  • Are we working with our principal to manage workload so to avoid unnecessarily requiring them to work during the term breaks?

  • Is there a clear way for our principal to request annual leave during the term time?

  • Is there a clear way for our principal to record their annual leave taken during the term breaks or when the school is closed for instruction?

  • Is our record keeping complying with the Holidays Act 2003?

Templates, resources, and references

Click on the link(s) below to access this topic’s templates, resources, and references.

Depending on your device, these may download or open in a separate browser. 

Links from us

Collective Agreements

Education Payroll

Employment New Zealand

Holidays Act 2003