Qantas Super merger information hub. Learn more.

Growing your super

What happens to your super when you take leave without pay?

Sometimes life throws us different challenges or opportunities that mean we need to take some time away from work. If you decide to take leave without pay (LWOP), the arrangements with your super may change.

Taking up another role internally

An Australia-based role

Your new employer’s super contributions will be paid in a new account in Qantas Super’s Gateway Division. Your new employer will pay your contributions to this account. You will get a new pin to log into your account. You may be able to choose to combine your accounts in Qantas Super. Call us.

A role overseas

Your new employer will give you information about where your super will be paid. When you’re back, call us.

Taking an opportunity outside the Qantas Group

An Australia-based role

Your new employer can pay your superannuation contributions into your Qantas Super account by giving your employer this form. This saves you having more than one super fund.

A role overseas

Your employer will provide information about where super contributions, if any, will be paid. When you’re back, give us a call.

If you take a break from work

Although you won’t be receiving contributions from your employer, you can still choose to top up your super.

You can top up your super while you’re away from your job via BPay, by logging in online.

What happens to your existing super?

Your Qantas Super account will remain in place and your super will continue to remain invested. When you return to your original job, your employer will start contributing to your original Qantas Super account again.

What happens to your super account in...

Divisions 1, 3A, 5, 6, 7, 10, and Gateway

Your current employer will stop paying contributions into your Qantas Super account.

Divisions 2, 3, 15

Your defined benefit component is put on hold, or frozen.

Your super includes a defined benefit component. This is based on a formula that uses two major elements:

  1. Your years of service. While you’re on leave without pay, your years of service freeze – the time you’re on leave without pay will not count in the formula.
  2. Your superannuation salary. The super salary used to calculate your benefits will be your super salary just before you went on leave.

This means the defined benefit component of your super will largely stay the same while you are on leave without pay.

Division 2

You also have an accumulation component. Your current employer will stop paying contributions into your Qantas Super account.

What happens to your contributions?

Compulsory contributions will stop while you’re on leave without pay.

Division 3 and on maternity leave? You may have the option to keep making compulsory contributions, so that the period you are on leave without pay will be included in the formula for the defined benefit component. Call People Services on 1300 303 411.

All Divisions

You can continue to make voluntary contributions via BPay, or through your new employer if you are working in Australia.

What happens to your insurance?

We use your salary to calculate your insurance cover.

Since your super account is technically “on hold”, your cover will be calculated using your:

  • Superannuation Salary – for Divisions 1, 2, 3, and 15
  • Salary for Insurance Purposes – for other Divisions

before you went on leave.

Divisions 3A, 6, 7, 10, or Gateway

Death and Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD)

If you are in Division 3A, 6, 7, 10, or Gateway, you will continue to be covered for death and TPD after you commence unpaid leave, provided that:

  • you do not join the armed forces (excluding Australian Defence Force Reservists not deployed overseas);
  • premiums continue to be paid; and
  • you remain a member of Qantas Super.

Your cover will cease 16 months from the date of the last contribution or rollover to your account, unless you elect to maintain your cover by completing the form here.

If you are in Division 3A, 6, 7, 10, or Gateway and we receive an employer contribution from a Qantas Group employer after your cover has ceased due to inactivity, your Basic Cover for death, TPD will recommence automatically at the appropriate amount given your age and salary if you are At Work. If you are not At Work, Limited Cover will apply until you return to being At Work for 30 consecutive days.

If you opt in, cover will continue until you ask to cancel it, as long as your account balance has enough to cover your premiums and you remain otherwise eligible.

Income protection

The income protection cover provided to you while on LWOP changed on 1 August 2020.

What were the arrangements before 1 August 2020?

Income protection cover continued while you were on LWOP, including insurance premiums being paid from your account. This cover stopped after 16 months, unless you made super contributions or requested to keep the cover. If you were ill or injured while on LWOP and eligible to make claim, you could only start receiving your benefit from the later of your nominated return to work date or the end of the waiting period.

What are the new arrangements?

From 1 August 2020, any income protection cover you have through Qantas Super ceases while you’re on LWOP from your job at Qantas Group. This includes if you commenced LWOP prior to 1 August 2020. You won’t pay premiums for the period your cover has stopped.

This means you won’t have income protection cover through Qantas Super while you’re on LWOP, even if you have a second job outside Qantas Group.

Your income protection cover will re-commence automatically on your nominated return to work date, if you are at work for the normal daily hours of work and are actively performing the full, unrestricted or unmodified duties of the job you had before you went on LWOP (At Work).

If you are not At Work on your nominated return to work date, you will not be covered for any pre-existing conditions. You will only be covered for an illness which became apparent, or any injury which occurred, on or after your nominated return to work date (Limited Cover). Limited Cover will apply until you have returned to being At Work for 30 consecutive days, at which point, full cover will apply.

If you would like income protection cover while you are on LWOP, you may wish to consider alternative options with other providers.

Divisions 1, 2, 3

Death and TPD

If you are in Division 1, 2, or 3, you will continue to be covered for death and TPD for:

  • Secondment: 5 years
  • Unpaid leave which is not a secondment: 2 years
Income protection

Any income protection cover you have through Qantas Super ceases while you’re on LWOP from your job at Qantas Group. This means you won’t have income protection cover through Qantas Super while you’re on LWOP, even if you have a second job outside Qantas Group.

This is because income protection is designed to cover you if you can’t work due to illness or injury. Because you’re not working for Qantas Group while on LWOP, this means you can’t claim during this time.

If you would like income protection cover while on LWOP, you may wish to consider alternative options with other providers.

Division 5

Death and TPD

Your cover for death and TPD will continue for 2 years of unpaid leave which is not a secondment.

Income protection

If you are in Division 5, your cover will continue for up to two years.

When your cover is close to expiring, we’ll send you a reminder and you’ll be able to apply for an extension, subject to the approval of your employer and the insurer.

However, if you make a successful claim for temporary disability while on LWOP, your benefits will not be paid until your nominated return to work date, once you have gone through the 90 day waiting period.

Division 15

As a member of Division 15, your cover for death and TPD will continue for 1 year.

Your Voluntary Cover

Your voluntary cover won’t change while you’re on LWOP.

We're here to help

If you want to learn more or need help with making a decision about your super, you can get simple advice over the phone or face-to-face. It's included as a part your membership so there's no extra cost.