Your rights at the State Library - Public Service Association

Your rights at the State Library

Your rights at the State Library – August 2017 (PDF version)

SAP

The PSA has received numerous reports about the SAP system.

The problem

SAP has been sending automated messages that provide incorrect industrial requests around sick leave entitlements. These messages have been informing workers they must provide evidence of illness in situations where certificates are not necessary.

The facts

State Library employees are covered by the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009. Clause 80.2 of this Award specifically states:

“…a staff member may absent themselves for a total of 5 working days due to illness without the provision of evidence of illness to the Department Head. Staff members who absent themselves in excess of 5 working days in a calendar year may be required to furnish evidence of illness to the Department Head for each occasion absent for the balance of the calendar year.”

This means that you may be asked to provide evidence after you have taken a total of five working days of illness without a doctor’s certificate over the course of a year. You are not required to provide evidence before that five-day cap is exceeded.

The only other instance where you must provide evidence of illness is when you have been absent for more than two consecutive working days, an instance which is clearly explained in Clause 80.1.

What we are doing about it

The PSA is bringing this to the attention of management at the next Joint Consultative Committee. We will be demanding management rectifies this situation as soon as possible by sending out a clarification statement providing staff with accurate advice.

What you can do about it

You can take three actions as a union member:

  1. If you are informed by your manager to provide evidence of illness outside of the two previously mentioned situations, show your manager this bulletin and inform them you do not need to provide evidence unless you have gone over the five-day limit or taken sick leave for more than two days consecutively.
  2. If you receive incorrect automated advice from SAP, forward the message onto your PSA Committee Chair, Trish Leen at .
  3. The best way to fight for your rights is to join a colleague up to the PSA. The easiest way for non-members to join the PSA is to visit our website at psa.asn.au and follow the join link.

If you are having any difficulties around this issue, feel free to speak to your local delegate or to contact your PSA organiser, Harry Wall, at .

Next steps

If this, or any other, issues are affecting you, come to the next PSA meeting on 23 August at 12:30 in the Unaipon Room. This will be a safe space for all members to talk, to hear each other and to plan actions to make your workplace and your world a better place.

Your local delegates are:

Trish Leen

Shauna Miller

Stephanie Volkens

Kathleen Miller

Julie Sweeten

Alison Wishart

Amy McKenzie

David Berg

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