In this update
- SSO Survey Results
- PSA Consultative Meetings with DoE
- School Holidays – Flexible Working Arrangements
- Purchased Leave
- Recreational Leave during School Term
PSA Student Support Officer survey results
Thank you to our members who completed the recent PSA Student Support Officer (SSO) survey. We received a high response rate and it has greatly assisted the PSA and your PSA Delegates in understanding the workplace issues that matter to SSOs across NSW.
The top three issues highlighted by members in the survey were:
- Professional Supervision
- Professional Standing among school colleagues
- School Holiday leave including flex/purchased
What’s next? PSA consultative meetings with the Department of Education
The PSA will now be setting up formal regular consultative meetings with your employer, the Department of Education, so we can progress these matters on behalf of members. Your PSA SSO Delegates will attend these meetings. Members will be kept updated as to the outcomes and progress of our advocacy.
School holidays: Flexible working arrangements
DoE employees have access to flexible work arrangements; read more HERE. SSOs can utilise the DoE’s “If not, why not?” policy to request to “work from home” or a DoE office location during school holidays. The “If not, why not?” policy stipulates that if an employee’s request to work flexibly is denied, the employee must be provided with the reasons “why not”.
If an SSO is working at school during school holidays, a “working alone” risk assessment should be conducted which considers the Work, Health and Safety implications of working alone.
Purchased Leave
Did you know that you can request either two weeks (10 days) or four weeks (20 days) of “Purchased Leave” in a 12-month period?
This is where you enter into an agreement with your employer to “purchase” the additional leave. Your ordinary salary is reduced by the number of weeks purchased and then annualised at a pro rata rate over the 12-month period.
See clause 76. Purchased Leave of your Award HERE and a PSA fact sheet HERE.
The benefit of Purchased Leave is that it will count as service for all purposes (you still accrue leave).
Recreational Leave during the school term
The PSA understands SSOs may have been informed applications for Recreational Leave will not be approved during school term.
The PSA would like to inform members there is no blanket rule against the application of Recreational Leave for SSOs during school term. Your workplace rights and entitlements as SSOs are governed by your industrial instruments as outlined HERE. These contain no provision for the blanket denial of Recreational Leave during school term.
While Recreational Leave can be denied on “operational requirements”, the employee must be provided with genuine, reasonable and a specific explanation of why the leave cannot be accommodated by the school. The specific ‘operational requirements” must be outlined in writing to the employee.
Your SSO PSA Delegates
Callum Baillie Regional North Delegate (Tomaree HS)
Nicholas Tucknott Regional Southern and West Delegate (Canobolas Rural Technology High School)
Lauren Dibiasi Metropolitan Delegate (Homebush Boys HS)
Need assistance at work?
As your union, the PSA is here to support you. If you have any questions or concerns you can contact us for support, advice and advocacy on 1300 772 679, Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
Know an SSO who isn’t a member?
The more members the union has, the more influential we become! Encourage your SSO colleagues to JOIN the PSA today.