Taking time away

We know that often you need to take time away from members, whether for uni, travel or health reasons! Here's everything you need to know about how much time you can take away, and how to manage it with the members or programs to which you're committed.

Away Policy (Casual Employees)

If you need to take time away from Lively, you are able to retain your position with us for up to two months. During this time, the Matching Team will make arrangements for fill-ins for your members as needed, and you will be able to resume with members on your return. Please note that, on occasion, members may choose to remain with the replacement helper.

If you will be away for more than two months, or are unable to provide a return date for work, unfortunately we will have to end your employment with Lively. If you wish to, you will be able to reapply for the position on your return as part of our regular intake process. You will be re-onboarded as a new helper, to ensure you are up-to-date with our latest policies, processes and systems.

Of course, you are warmly encouraged to reapply, and your previous experience working with us will be taken into consideration by the Hiring Team.

Process for going away

If you will be away for less than 2 months, please follow this process:

1. Discuss with your members the dates when you plan to be away, and find out what their preferred arrangements are for your absence. These may be:

   • To have another helper fill in at the same time while you are away.

   • To suspend their sessions until you return.

   • To have another helper fill in, but for fewer sessions.

2. Note the members' preferences as notes in their profile, alongside the dates when you will be away.

3. Notify the Matching Team and Helper Coordinator of your leave and return dates, either via email or in your matching preferences notes, and point the team to the members who need temporary rematching. The Matching Team will review your session notes to ensure that the members' rematching preferences are respected.

If you have any questions about this process, chat to the Helper Coordinator!

When a member wants to keep their replacement helper

From time to time, a member might decide that they want to continue working with their replacement helper after the return of their original helper, and communicate this to the replacement helper. This can put everyone in a bit of a tricky position; however, ultimately if this is the member's preference it is important to respect this.

If you are the replacement helper, and a member says that they would like to continue working with you, here's what you should do!

1. Consider whether you would like to continue working with the member or not. If you do not want to continue working with the member, you can tell them that you are not available to keep working with them.

2. If you are open to continuing with the member, they must formally request that they retain you, either through their case manager, or by contacting the Matching team directly on matching@lively.org.au. To avoid conflicts of interest, as replacement helper you cannot pass on the request on the member's behalf.

3. The Matching team will do their best to grant the formal request from a member. In some circumstances, we may request a hybrid option in which both helpers are engaged, if we believe the change will have a significant negative impact on the original helper.