PSA members in the Crimes Scene Services Branch (CSSB) have advised the PSA that they have not been in receipt of the evening meal allowance which is provided for under cl 31.1.2 of the Crown Employees (NSW Police Force Administrative Officers and Temporary Employees) Award 2009 (Police Admin Award) despite meeting the necessary requirements.

Clause 31.1 provides the following:

31. Meal Expenses on One-Day Journeys

31.1    A staff member who is authorised by the Commissioner to undertake a one-day journey on official business which does not require the staff member to obtain overnight accommodation, will be paid the appropriate rate of allowance set out in Item 1 – Allowances of Table 2 of Part B, Monetary Rates for: –

31.1.1 Breakfast when required to commence travel at or before 6.00 a.m. and at least 1 hour before the prescribed starting time;

31.1.2 An evening meal when required to travel until or beyond 6.30 p.m.; and

31.1.3 Lunch when required to travel a total distance on the day of at least 100 kilometres and, as a result, is located at a distance of at least 50 kilometres from the staff member’s normal headquarters at the time of taking the normal lunch break.

The effect of cl 31.1.2 is that if a staff member meets the following requirements, they are entitled to be paid the dinner meal allowance:

1. The staff member was authorised to undertake a one-day journey on official business;
2. The travel did not require the staff member to obtain overnight accommodation; and
3. The staff member was required to travel until or beyond 6.30 pm.

It is the PSA’s understanding that a vast majority of employees within the CSSB, including Scene of Crime Officers (SOCOs) and Crime Scene Officers (CSOs) would meet the above requirements when undertaking an evening shift and that there may be other employees within the CSSB which may also meet these requirements.

The PSA has been advised by its members in the CSSB that the NSWPF is not actioning applications for the dinner meal allowance under cl 31.1.2 until there is an agreement reached with the PSA. We understand that a number of applications have also been rejected ostensibly on the basis that all applications had to be dealt with before the end of the financial year.

It is the PSA’s position that any employee who meets the above requirements is entitled to the dinner meal allowance. The PSA wrote to the NSWPF on 5 July 2024 to advise them of its position and requested the following in respect of all employees within the CSSB:

1. The NSWPF undertake an audit of its records, including rosters and job sheets stored on the Exhibits Forensic Information Management System and Computer Aided Dispatch system to determine employees’ entitlements to the dinner meal allowance for the past 6 years from the date of this correspondence.
2. The NSWPF reimburse its employees all outstanding allowances identified as part of the audit, as soon as reasonably practicable upon completion of the audit and by no later than 26 July 2024.
3. The NSWPF commence approving and paying the dinner allowance in accordance with the above interpretation with effect from the date of this correspondence.

If you are an employee within the CSSB and believe you would be entitled to dinner meal allowance, please take the time to complete this short survey HERE. This survey should only take a few minutes to complete and will greatly assist the PSA in advancing this matter.

We understand that there may be issues with the payment of the lunch meal allowance, however, this survey is directed solely at the issue of payment of the dinner allowance. If you require any specific assistance, please contact the MSC on 1800 772 679.