SAS Staff Welcome back to school

SASS Staff Bulletin, Welcome back to school – March 2016 (PDF version)

The PSA would like to welcome all our schools members back to work. Shortly before Christmas last year, we updated members on the latest news in the schools portfolio. Since then a lot has happened.

Pay and leave simplification

The Department is seeking to change the way hourly rates are paid due to a new HR and payroll system due to come on board in 2017. Currently, to be eligible for stand- down pay, SAS staff must work the full term before and after each school holiday break to be paid at half pay for that term break. Please note this does not apply during any period of recreation leave. The Department is trying to change this entitlement so that the stand-down pay is accrued as staff work, which they say will not affect SAS staff pay but simply make their calculation system more efficient.

Officers of the PSA have asked the Department to investigate whether the new system would allow for the accrual of this leave to be shown on pay slips, similar to sick leave, annual leave and extended leave accruals. This would allow PSA members to monitor this leave.

If the system is able to note this on pay slips, it will allow SAS staff to see the accumulation of this leave balance as they work.

The Department accepted this suggestion and will report back if this is possible at future meetings.

Health Care Procedures Manual for School Learning and Support Officers (SLSOs)

The PSA has been working closely with the Special Education Working Group and the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association in providing the Department with feedback on the draft Health Care Procedures Manual, which was recently up for review. The PSA submitted feedback from members on this issue in September last year but it took until January for the Department to provide a response.  A more detailed update will be sent out to SLSO members shortly.

Pay equity update

The investigation into the viability of a Pay Equity case is continuing as we compile data. PSA staff are continuing to review the submissions made by our members to determine whether we have a cross section of classifications and schools. Where any gaps are identified you may be contacted by an Organiser from the PSA to help us with the case. The PSA would like to thank all the members that have provided evidence.

Review of first aid procedures

As previously reported, the PSA received an updated version of the Draft First Aid Procedures and Defibrillator Information and Support Program from the Department in early December 2015.

The PSA submitted feedback on the above document on 20 January 2016.

If you would like to see a copy of the feedback we provided, or the Department’s response please email us at .

Consultation is continuing and the PSA is reviewing the Department’s response and considering our options for further action.

Learning Management and Business (LMBR) Reform

There have been a few developments in the LMBR space as the PSA continues to advocate for members around the implementation of LMBR.

The PSA has developed a template form to capture member feedback on your experience of the LMBR program and roll out which will then be compiled and submitted to the Department.

KPMG LMBR report

Through our member contacts, the PSA became aware the Department of Education commissioned KPMG to review the implementation of LMBR in a selection of the 229 schools in 2015.

In October last year, we wrote to the Department seeking that a copy of the report be provided to the PSA. The Department declined to provide the report. Consequently, the PSA was forced to put in a Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA) application. It was through this process that we have now obtained a partial release of the report.

Having a copy of this report is a great win for the PSA and our membership. The PSA is having this report reviewed by our lawyers.

Getting in touch with the PSA

If you have any comments, would like to read through any of the correspondence or policies related to the issues in this bulletin or you have feedback on any of the issues please contact the PSA Schools Team on