Department of Justice confirms pre-election hiring freeze – March 2019 (pdf version)
The Department of Justice has confirmed a NSW Government hiring freeze on all “non-essential” jobs in the lead up to the 23 March state election.
While the extent of the job freeze remains unclear, the Department has sought to assure the PSA that recruitment activity for “front line, client service and critical roles”, including:
- Custodial Corrections – Correctional Officers/Senior Correctional Officers/Overseers
- Youth Officers
- Sheriff’s Officers
- Psychologists
- Court Officers
- Frontline client service roles including Registry staff (Courts, CSNSW, JJ BDM and NSWTG, etc)
remains unaffected, and agencies can continue to recruit to these roles.
All other roles including “offender services and programs, community corrections, Juvenile Justice, Courts & Tribunal Services, infrastructure, finance and corporate service roles” appear subject to the job freeze and may require agencies to demonstrate jobs are “business critical” and “necessary to deliver on [our] corporate objectives.”
No explanation has been offered for the government’s job freeze decision which will inevitably impact on service delivery as “front line” and remaining staff are forced to take on extra work to fill gaps in agency structures.
The PSA will meet with departmental officials on 21 March for further discussions, however we remained concerned the Berejiklian Government is preparing the cluster for additional job cuts if re-elected to office.
New PSA Legal Fund open for members
The PSA has launched a new legal fund for members working in the Justice sector.
The legal fund, modelled on a similar scheme already available to Prison Officers, provides a range of enhanced legal services for members commonly exposed to difficult and dangerous situations in the course of their employment, including:
- Alleged criminal offenses arising out of or in the course of employment
- Making a claim under the Victims Right and Support Act 2013 which arises out of or in the course of employment
- Any Coronial Enquiry where the interests of the member and their employer diverge
- Any commission of enquiry or tribunal conducting an enquiry whose findings could have an adverse effect upon the member of the Legal Fund
Membership of the PSA Justice Sector Legal Fund is available to PSA Members for as little as $2 a week.
Not a member? Join today HERE
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