As a result of concerns raised by members in relation to non-payment of meal allowances to staff who had worked overtime, the PSA met with the Department Customer Service to pursue the matter.
Management claimed there was an issue with the way entitlements had been set up in GovConnect. However, we insisted that in fact clauses 93 and 94 of the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009 were being interpreted incorrectly by GovConnect, which was only considering a meal allowance payable if overtime started after 6:00pm.
This is not the provision contained within the Award, which states, amongst other criteria, that a meal break (and associated allowance) applies when an employee is required to work overtime on a weekday beyond 6:00pm. Please note SafeWork Inspectors are eligible for a dinner allowance when working directed overtime after 6:30pm under their Award.
As a result of the PSA’s advocacy on behalf of members, meal allowances will now be paid appropriately.
If you have worked overtime and were not paid a meal allowance, PSA recommends you email your manager to apply for a retrospective payment. There may have been occasions where you were not entitled, but management should clarify why. And if you were entitled, you should be paid. The PSA will assist our members if difficulties arise in this process.
We are stronger together. Without the advocacy of the PSA, employees would still be missing out on entitlements that are rightfully theirs.
Please pass on this bulletin to your colleagues who may not be members and remind them of the benefits of belonging to the PSA. Non-members can join today at www.psa.asn.au/join.