Corrective Services NSW Sick Leave Policy Dispute
On Wednesday 29 January 2025, POVB members statewide voted unanimously to reject the proposed Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) Sick Leave Policy. Members demanded the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Leave Policy & Procedures apply to all CSNSW employees for sick leave. The proposed policy is a stand-alone policy that has been written by CSNSW Senior Management. The POVB State Executive and PSA Industrial Staff feel the proposed CSNSW policy is punitive and less flexible than DCJ Leave Policy & Procedures, which covers all other workers in DCJ.
The DCJ Leave Policy & Procedures went through extensive consultation with the PSA before being implemented in March 2021. CSNSW employees have been included in the DCJ Leave Policy & Procedures for all other types of leave, except for sick leave. CSNSW currently has its own policy, business rules and managers’ guide for sick leave. CSNSW now proposes to combine those into one CSNSW Policy & Procedures.
Acting Commissioner Leon Taylor wrote to the PSA on the 19 December 2024 to present the proposed CSNSW Sick Leave Policy & Procedures. In the letter he states, “Please note the wider Department of Communities and Justice sick leave policy is not suitable for use as CSNSW is a stand-alone agency.”
PSA Industrial Manager David Bartle replied on 17 January 2025 and stated, “The PSA does not agree. It is inconsistent for the DCJ Leave Policy & Procedures to be considered unsuitable for CSNSW employees, whereas other policies apply across all of the CSNSW and DCJ workforce.”
After CSNSW was notified on 29 January 2025 of the POVB motion, Mr Taylor wrote to the PSA on 30 January 2025 and stated, “I understand that the PSA has provided feedback that its preference is for the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) Sick Leave Policy to apply to CSNSW. A meeting is being scheduled shortly with the PSA to discuss this feedback and to continue the consultation process. CSNSW has delayed its anticipated implementation date of 3 February 2025 whilst this consultation period continues.”
The delay in implementing the CSNSW Sick Leave Policy & Procedures on 3 February 2025 is a positive step in our campaign. No meeting has been scheduled for consultation so far. We will keep POVB members updated when consultation commences. We have provided the proposed CSNSW Sick Leave Policy & Procedures (Click Here), the DCJ Leave Policy (Click Here) and DCJ Leave Procedures (Click Here) for members to read.
The POVB State Executive thanks all POVB Sub-Branches for your support in our fight for fair and equitable Sick Leave Policy and Procedures that is currently applied to all other areas of DCJ.
POVB State Executive
Keith Smith
Chair
Mobile: 0410-310-632
Cameron Kennedy
Vice Chair
Mobile: 0448 962 961
Andrew Brown
Secretary
Mobile: 0422 890 159
Darren King
Country
Vice Chair
Mobile: 0407-935-039
Trevor Clark
Country Vice Chair
Mobile: 0447-282-778
Gareth Ballard
Overseer Vice Chair
Mobile: 0422 883 400
Greg Clark
Assistant Secretary
Mobile: 0415 929 105
POVB Industrial Staff
Jason Charlton
Industrial Officer
Email:
Mobile: 0408 780 616
David McCauley
Senior Industrial Officer
Email:
Mobile: 0419 022 767