Office of State Revenue Position regrading – August 2016 (PDF version)

Request for regrading of 1/2 positions, predominantly located at Maitland

For quite some time now the PSA has been providing support to members in the Maitland office regarding a request to review the grading of positions. It has been difficult to get management to the table on this issue but finally we feel that they are listening.

Many of you attended a meeting late last year in which the PSA heard your concerns and undertook to pursue potential upgrading of the 1/2 staff. We are very aware members want to pursue this only on the basis that they are not forced to apply again for their own job.

In the first meeting with management this year they confirmed that, should it be agreed an upgrade was warranted, the appropriate mechanism for upgrade would be to apply the job evaluation allowance outlined in Public Service Circulars
1997-35 and 1998-50.

These make provision for the employee to elect to be paid at the higher grade by way of allowance and negates the need to re-advertise positions at the higher rate. This mechanism is traditionally used in circumstances just such as yours, where the positions have evolved over time to require more and more work at a higher level.

A very lengthy submission was given to DFSI in February 2016, which provided detail supporting an upgrade of 1/2s to 3/4: a very big thank you to your delegates for all their hard work in pulling this together and thank you to all those members who contributed to make it possible. After more frustrating delays we finally have engaged in meaningful discussion with DFSI. They are now in the process of considering the information we have provided.

We are hopeful this matter will be finalised within the next couple of months and hopeful that DFSI will agree with what is obvious to us all – that the 1/2 staff have been performing 3/4 work for a long time.

We hope to arrange a members meeting soon to discuss things face to face but in the meantime if you have any questions please raise them with your delegates or call the PSA on 1300 772 679.