The ACT government will give its employees free leave to fulfil Defence reservist duties under a new agreement signed on Thursday.
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The deal struck between the ACT government and Department of Defence means ACT public servants will not need to use their annual leave when participating in the reserves.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the ACT government was one of the biggest employers of reserves in the territory.
"This is a further way that we can support volunteerism and community engagement, and a very important part of public life," he said.
"We're very pleased to have reached this agreement, it's a big step forward for many in our workforce."
Head of cadet, reserve and employer support division, Major-General Iain Spence was "absolutely delighted" with the memorandum of understanding, saying reserves played a crucial role on deployments overseas and within Australia.
Major-General Spence said the deal ensured Defence did not draw too many reservists at peak times.
"It's a really good deal for the ACT government and for reserves," he said.
He thanked the Defence Reserves Support Council for its efforts in securing the agreement.
The agreement will be signed on Thursday night at the annual ACT Employer Support Awards at the Australian War Memorial.
