Excursions, especially overnight excursions, often require staff to work outside their normal hours.
School Administrative and Support Staff are entitled to be paid for additional hours and/or overtime for any work undertaken outside of their normal hours.
Failure to pay overtime to any School Administrative and Support (SAS) Staff, including School Learning Support Officers (SLSOs) is a breach of the Crown Employees (School Administrative and Support Staff) Award. Clause 20 of the award entitles SAS Staff to overtime.
Where an SLSO is required to accompany students and teachers on an excursion the Principal must ensure that their overtime is approved, prior to their departure, to enable them to claim their legislated entitlements.
The PSA realises that school excursions can provide educational advantages to students and our members are, in most cases, happy to participate in these excursions. They should not, however, be disadvantaged by doing so.
The following steps must be followed prior to attending the camp.
- Ensure that approval for the camp has been obtained from the Director
- Payment is made for time worked outside normal school hours where the SLSO are engaged in assisting the students.
- A detailed itinerary should be developed to indicate the SLSO’s role on each excursion/camp and take into account the health care plans, behaviour plans, risk assessments, and learning plans of individual students.
- Payment for travel should be included when assisting the student with any activity or support linked to the plans eg; supporting students with sensory or behaviour needs.
If members require further information, please contact the PSA.