General Assistant’s Newsletter

General Assistant’s Bulletin February 2014 (PDF Version)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

SAS Staffing Operational Procedures Nominated Transfers

Permanent members who have had a reduction in hours or their permanent positions abolished may apply.

Note: Nominated transfers have priority over service transfers.

Compassionate Transfers:
Please contact the PSA.

Service Transfer:
Permanent employees may apply for a transfer at any time. Each application should indicate the classification, locations, and hours per week desired. Applications remain current for a period of 12 months.

Long Term Temporary Expression of Interest:
Forms can be accessed through the DEC portal.

• A –Z directories

• Human Resources

• Non-teaching staff in schools

• Employee forms

Leave Without Pay (LWOP)

LWOP may be granted to a permanent or long-term temporary employee if good and sufficient reason is shown. Leave may be granted on a full-time or a part-time basis.

Family and Community Services Leave

Family and Community Services (FACS) leave shall be granted for unplanned and emergency family responsibilities or other emergencies described below:

• Compassionate grounds

• Emergency accommodation matters

• Emergency or weather conditions

• Unplanned or unforeseen family responsibilities

• Attendance at court

Family and community Service leave accrues as follows for full time employees:

• Two and a half days in the first year of service

• Two and a half days in the second year of service, and

• One day per year thereafter.

Carers Leave

Carers leave can be used when FACS leave is either exhausted or not appropriate. An employee may use available sick leave to care for a family member to provide care and support when a family member is ill.

Carers leave shall initially be taken from sick leave accumulated over the previous 3 years. In special circumstances additional sick leave may be granted from accumulated sick leave.

Purchase Leave

Purchase leave is a voluntary arrangement where employees may purchase additional leave. You may apply to enter into an agreement with the Department to purchase either 10 days (2 weeks) or 20 days (4 weeks) additional leave in a 12 month period.

Purchase leave is funded through the reduction of your ordinary rate of pay. To calculate the purchased leave rate of pay, your ordinary salary rate will be reduced by the number of weeks of leave purchased, and then annualized at a pro rata rate over the 12 month period.

For further information contact Employee Services Bathurst on 1300 338 003.

Overtime

Should General Assistants be required and directed to work overtime, the following overtime rates apply:

Weekdays:

• Payment at time and one half for the first twohours, and for the third and subsequent hourspayment is at double time

Saturdays:

• Payment at time and one half for the first twohours, and for the third and subsequent hourspayment is at double time.

Sundays:

• Payment for all hours worked is at the doubletime rate.

Public Holidays:

• Payment for overtime worked on a public holidayis at the rate of double time and one half.

On-Call Allowance

If a General Assistant is directed to be ‘on-call’ for a possible recall to the school because of an emergency or break-in, an ‘on-call’ allowance must be paid for each hour the General Assistant is available for recall to duty.

A General Assistant recalled to work overtime after leaving the premises must be paid for a minimum of three hours of work at the appropriate overtime rates. The General Assistant is not required to work the full three hours if the job can be completed within a shorter time period.

If recalled to the school premises again on the same day within the first three hours of the paid overtime period, and the job isn’t completed until after the three hours have elapsed, then the overtime is calculated and paid as one continuous period.

The General Assistant and Principal can negotiate time- in- lieu instead of overtime payments. Please ensure that a time sheet is kept and the Principal is informed of the time- in- lieu accumulated.

Permission must be obtained from the Principal before any overtime is performed as there are Work Health and Safety implications if overtime permission is not obtained.

Please contact the PSA Schools Team on or 9220 0900 if you have any questions.

Recreation leave

General Assistants working full-time are entitled to four weeks per year, or five weeks per year if working at a school in the Western Region of NSW. Part-time General Assistants accrue recreation leave on a pro rata basis.

Risk Management Plan and Working Alone

In our December General Assistants Newsletter, the PSA made members aware of the Principal’s responsibility to ensure a Risk Management Plan was in place for staff working alone.

The PSA would like to encourage members to submit their feedback by clicking the Survey Monkey link listed below. This will ensure that any concerns or issues can be addressed at the upcoming General Assistants Advisory Group. The survey will remain active until COB 10 February.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PSAWorkingAloneProceduresGeneralAssistantsSurvey

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Principal (or their nominated delegate on the Executive or teaching staff) is responsible for supervision of GAs. Responsibility to supervise any staff, apart from School Administrative Officers, cannot be delegated to School Administrative Managers.

Health & Safety Representative (HSR) Courses

The PSA would like to encourage members who are interested in attending training to contact Greg Adnum for further information.

Under the Work Health and Safety Act, Section 72, HSRs can choose their training provider following consultation with the employer PCBU (Person Conducting Business Undertaking).

Work Ban

Members are asked to continue supporting the work ban on:

• FM Web

Onsite Information Sessions

PSA Organisers are always keen to visit your school to run an information session at a time that is convenient for members. If you are not sure who the Organiser is for your area, please contact the PSA Schools Team.

The PSA values your feedback

If there are topics that you would like reported in future bulletins, please contact the Schools Team

Create a PSA email folder and save all correspondence for future reference.