Staff Specialists (State) Award 2022
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION OF NEW SOUTH
WALES
This reprint of this award is
published by the authority of the Industrial Registrar under section 390 of the
Industrial Relations Act 1996, and under Rule 6.6 of the Industrial
Relations Commission Rules 2022.
I certify that the form of
this reprint, incorporating the variations set out in the schedule, is correct
as at 1 July 2023.
E. ROBINSON,
Industrial Registrar.
Schedule
of Award and Variations Incorporated
Award/Variation Serial No.
|
Date of Publication
|
Effective Date
|
Industrial Gazette Reference
|
C9659
|
21 July 2023
|
1 July 2023
|
394
|
910
|
AWARD
Arrangement
Clause No. Subject
Matter
1. Title
2. Definitions
3. Issue Resolution
4. Normal Duties
4A. Multiple Assignments
5. Salary
6. Salary Sacrifice - Definition
7. Salary Sacrifice
8. Salary Sacrifice for Superannuation
9. Limitation on the Amount to be
Sacrificed
10. Exclusions
11. Managerial Allowance
12. Performance Agreement
13. Part-time Employment and Arrangements
14. Work Location
15. Outside Practice
16. Postgraduate Fellow
17. Annual Leave
18. Long Service Leave
19. Sick Leave
20. Family and Community Service Leave
20A. Family
Violence Leave
21. Personal/Carer’s Leave
22. Maternity, Adoption and Parental Leave
22A. Lactation Breaks
23. Telephones
24. Office, Secretarial and Administrative
Support
25. Specialist Medical Administrators
26. Labour Flexibility
27. Anti-Discrimination
28. Underpayment and Overpayment of Salaries
29. Monthly Leave Return
30. Consultation
Regarding Change
31. No Extra Claims
32. Area, Incidence and Duration
PART B - MONETARY
RATES
Schedule 1 -
Staff Specialists Salary Rates
Schedule 2 -
Allowances
PART C - OTHER
MATTERS
Schedule 1 - List
of exclusions in relation to clauses 7 - 10 (inclusive)
Schedule 2 - List
of recognised Australasian Specialist Colleges
Schedule 3 -
Specialties undertaking shiftwork
Annexure -
Pro-forma Staff Specialist Performance Agreement
PART A
1. Title
This Award shall be
known as the Staff Specialists (State)
Award 2022.
2. Definitions
"Award"
means the Staff Specialists (State) Award
2022.
"Employer"
means the Secretary of the Ministry of Health exercising employer functions on
behalf of the Government of New South Wales.
"Entitlements"
means entitlements pursuant to this Award as varied from time to time.
"Federation"
means the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (New South Wales).
"Health
System" means the Public Health System of New South Wales.
"Hospital"
means a public hospital as defined in section 15 of the Health Services Act 1997.
"Normal
Duties" means clinical, teaching, research, administrative, quality improvement
or other duties and responsibilities undertaken by the Staff Specialist.
"Part-time
Working Arrangement" means an agreement between a Staff Specialist and the
Employer for the Staff Specialist to provide his/her services on a part-time
employment basis pursuant to clause 13 of this Award.
"Performance
Agreement" is an agreement in accordance with the provisions of clause 12
of this Award.
"Postgraduate
Fellow" means an employee who has completed postgraduate medical training
but who has not yet been appointed as a specialist/senior specialist and who
occupies a position classified as Postgraduate Fellow.
"Practice"
means clinical, administrative, teaching, research, quality improvement or
other duties and responsibilities undertaken by the Staff Specialist.
"Public Health
Organisation" is as defined in section 7 of the Health Services Act
1997.
"Salary"
means the salary set out in Part B, Schedule 1 to this Award as varied from
time to time by clause 5 of this Award.
"Staff
Specialist" means a Specialist, Senior Specialist and Post Graduate Fellow
(except where specifically excluded) employed on either a full-time or a
part-time basis.
"Specialist"
means a person appointed to a position of Specialist by the Employer. To be
eligible for appointment a specialist must be a person who: -
(a) holds a medical qualification that is
registrable in New South Wales; and
(b) after full registration has spent not
less than five years in the practice of medicine in New South Wales in the
Health System or in any other institution, whether in New South Wales or
elsewhere, deemed by the Employer to be of equivalent standing; and
(c) inclusive within the period described in
(b) above has spent not less than three years in supervised specialist training
and/or experience; and
(d)
(i) has obtained a Fellowship of a recognised
Australasian Specialist College (see Part C Schedule 2 for list of recognised
Australasian Specialist Colleges); or
(ii) has proof of recognition as a specialist
by the Specialists Recognition Advisory Committee; or
(iii) has conditional registration with the NSW
Medical Board as an overseas-trained specialists (not including conditional
registration as a general practitioner; or
(iv) does not have a qualification recognised
under (i) (ii) or (iii) above, but has obtained an appropriate higher
qualification in his/her specialty acceptable to the Employer after
consideration by the Medical and Dental Advisory Committee of the Employer.
(e) Any decision made by the Employer in
determining whether any person is eligible to be appointed as a specialist
shall not contravene any applicable provision of the Anti-Discrimination Act
1977
Notwithstanding
the provisions of subclause (d) above, Staff Specialists who are paid pursuant
to this Award in place immediately before the commencement of this Award will
continue to be recognised as Staff Specialists for the purpose of this Award.
"Senior
Specialist" means a person who:
(a) has been employed by the Employer on the
maximum salary provided by this Award or the Award for a Specialist for a
period of at least three years; and/or
(b) has gained such experience and attained
such ability in his/her specialty which is acceptable to the Employer after
consideration by the Medical Appointments Advisory Committee of the employer to
justify appointment to the classification; and
(c) is appointed to a position having such
duties and responsibilities as are deemed by the Employer to require the
services of a Senior Specialist.
3. Issue Resolution
(a) All parties must:
(i) use their best endeavours to co-operate
in order to avoid grievances and disputes arising between the parties or
between the Employer and individual Staff Specialists; and
(ii) abide by the procedures set out in this
clause to resolve any issue which might arise; and
(iii) place emphasis on negotiating a settlement of
any issue at the earliest possible stage in the process.
(b) In this clause, "issue" means
any question, issue, grievance, dispute or difficulty which might arise between
the parties about the interpretation, application or operation of this Award.
(c) The following procedures will be
facilitated by the earliest possible advice by one party to the other of any
issue or problem which may give rise to a grievance or dispute.
(d) Any issue must be discussed in the first
instance by the Staff Specialist and his or her immediate supervisor.
(e) If the issue is not resolved within a
reasonable time it must be referred by the Staff Specialist's immediate
supervisor to the Chief Executive (however called) of the relevant Public
Health Organisation (or his or her nominee). Discussions at this level must
take place and be concluded within a reasonable time or such extended period as
may be agreed.
(f) If the issue remains unresolved the Staff
Specialist may request the Federation to then confer with the Chief Executive
of the Public Health Organisation or his/her nominee. The conclusions reached
by those representatives must be reported to the parties involved in the
grievance/dispute within a reasonable time or such extended period as may be
agreed.
(g) If these procedures are exhausted without
the issue being resolved, either party may seek to have the matter mediated by
an agreed third party being:
(i) by way of preference, a person who is not
employed as a Staff Specialist by the Employer and who has a knowledge of Staff
Specialist arrangements, including this Award; or
(ii) a suitably qualified mediator.
If the matter
remains unresolved either party may then:
refer the
matter to the Secretary of the NSW Ministry of Health; or
refer the
matter in accordance with the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act
1996 (NSW) to the Industrial Relations Commission for its assistance in
resolving the issue.
(h) The parties agree that normal work will
continue and there will be no stoppages of work or any other bans or
limitations on the performance of work while these procedures are being
followed. Unless agreed otherwise by the parties, the status quo before the
emergence of the issue must continue whilst these procedures are being
followed. For this purpose, "status quo" means the work procedures
and practice in place:
(i) immediately before the issue arose; or
(ii) immediately before any change was made to those
procedures or practices which caused the issue to arise.
(i) The Employer must ensure that all
practices applied during the operation of these procedures are in accordance
with safe working practices.
(j) Throughout all stages of these procedures
adequate records must be kept of all discussions.
4. Normal Duties
Part A - General
(a) Normal Duties will be worked for:
(i) Not less than 40 hours per week; or
(ii) 10 sessions per week
over five days
per week.
(b) The Normal Duties hours set out in (a)
above may be averaged over
(i) four days per week; or
(ii) a longer roster period
as agreed
between the Staff Specialist and the Employer, and specified in the Staff
Specialist’s performance agreement.
(c)
(i) With the exception of Staff Specialists
working in accordance with paragraph (d) below, Normal Duties will be worked
within the span of hours of 7.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday inclusive.
(ii) Where Normal Duties hours are averaged
over a roster period longer than 1 week as provided for in (b) above, Normal
Duties may be worked Monday to Sunday inclusive.
(d) Shift Work
(i) Staff Specialists who are employed in a
specialty or category specified in Part C Schedule 3 to this Award may be
required to undertake shiftwork as part of their Normal Duties as specified in
(a) or (b) above. This shiftwork may comprise day or evening shifts.
(ii) For Staff Specialists working shift work,
Normal Duties will be worked within the span of hours of 7.00 am to midnight
Monday to Sunday inclusive;
(iii) For Staff Specialists who undertake
shiftwork, the normal rostered duties hours will be paid at ordinary time plus
the appropriate penalty rate:
hours worked
between 6.00 pm and midnight Monday to Friday - 12.5%;
hours worked
between 7.00 am and midnight Saturday - 50%;
hours worked
between 7.00 am and midnight Sunday - 75%; and
all hours
worked on Public Holidays - 150%.
The penalty
rate will be calculated on the Staff Specialist’s salary as set in Part B
Schedule 1 Rates of Pay of this Award plus the Special Allowance and Level 1
Private Practice Allowance specified in the Salaried Senior Medical
Practitioners Determination, as varied from time to time.
(iv) Additional specialties or categories may be
included in Part C Schedule 3 to this Award from time to time by agreement
between the Federation and the Secretary of the NSW Ministry of Health. If
agreement cannot be reached, either party may make application to the
Industrial Relations Commission for a variation to Part C Schedule 3.
(e) Staff Specialists will be available for
reasonable on call and recall duties outside of Normal Duties.
Part B - Normal Duties Roster Changes
(a) When developing rosters for Normal Duties
in accordance with the provisions of clause 4, Normal Duties of the Award, the
Employer will ensure that:
(i) Staff specialists are consulted and
regard is to be given to any family, carer or other personal and professional
concerns and responsibilities identified by the staff specialist to ensure,
where practicable, that the staff specialist is not adversely affected and that
alternative arrangements can be made if possible (e.g. change of child care or
outside practice arrangements); and
(ii) the principal outcome of changes to
rosters is to maximise the effective delivery of clinical services by ensuring
that senior medical staff are rostered to work Normal Duties at times and at
places that most effectively meet the service delivery needs and operational
requirements; and
(iii) rosters identify the general nature of the
work to be performed on each shift (clinical/direct patient care,
administrative, teaching, research or quality improvement) and the facility at
which the shift is to be worked.
(b) On call rosters and responsibilities
should align with Normal Duties roster days wherever practicable.
(c) Wherever practicable, the usual pattern
of Normal Duties will be consistent from one roster period to the next.
(d) Notice Periods
(i) Wherever possible, the following notice
periods will apply to changes to the Normal Duties roster:
3 months notice
of an ongoing change; or
1 months notice
of short-term change (e.g. to cover a planned absence or one-off event);
(ii) These provisions do not prevent the
Employer from varying the roster of Normal Duties at short notice in an
emergency, in response to an unplanned event or to cover an unplanned absence.
(e) Shifts are to be shared equally amongst
the staff specialists unless otherwise agreed.
Part C - Transition Arrangements for
Implementation of Clause 4 Normal Duties
(a) Staff Specialists employed at the time of
making this Award will continue to work in accordance with the rostering
arrangements in place at that time for a period of 6 months, unless a shorter
transitional period is agreed between the Employer and Staff Specialists.
(b) During this 6-month period, the Employer and
Staff Specialists will work co-operatively to review the existing Normal Duties
rostering arrangements and, where necessary, develop new Normal Duties rosters
in accordance with the principles set out in the Normal Duties Roster Changes
clause.
4A. Multiple Assignments
(a) Multiple assignments exist when an
employee has more than one position under this Award within the NSW Health
Service. Each of these positions are referred to in this clause as
“assignments”.
(b) The employee can only enter into a
multiple assignment where the subsequent assignment is at the same grade and
level within the Award.
(c) Where an employee has multiple
assignments, the employee will progress from one increment (year step) to the
next increment in accordance with Clause 5 (c) and (d) and Clause 13 (f).
Multiple
Assignments within a single Public Health Organisation
(d) The following provisions apply to
employees with two or more assignments within a single Public Health
Organisation:
(i) The work performed in each of an
employee’s assignments shall be aggregated for the purposes of determining all
of the employee’s entitlements under this Award.
Hours of
Duty
(ii) The combined total number of ordinary
hours worked under an employee’s multiple assignments will be in accordance
with the provisions of Clause 4 Normal Duties Part A (General).
(iii) Where the combined total number of ordinary
hours worked under an employee’s multiple assignments is equivalent to those
set out in Clause 4 Normal Duties Part A (General) they will be considered as a
full time employee for the purposes of the Award and:
(iv) Where the combined total number of ordinary
hours worked under an employee’s multiple assignments is less than those set
out in (d)(ii) of this subclause, the provisions of Clause 13 Part Time
Employment and Arrangements shall apply.
Leave
(v) All ordinary hours worked by an employee
in multiple assignments shall count towards determining the employee’s leave
entitlements.
(vi) Employees with multiple assignments shall
be entitled to take all forms of leave in any of their assignments. That is, leave accrued by an employee through
work performed in one assignment, can be taken by that employee in their other
assignment/s. Service in all assignments
will be recognised for the purposes of subclause (b) of Clause 19 - Sick
Leave.
(vii) Where an employee’s combined total number of
ordinary hours worked in their multiple assignments is equivalent to those set
out in (d)(ii) of this subclause, the additional leave shall accrue from both
assignments in accordance with the provisions of Clause 17A - Annual
Leave.
(viii) Service in all assignments will be recognised
for the purposes of entitlements under Clause 22 - Maternity, Adoption and
Parental Leave.
(ix) Where an employee’s assignment is
terminated but the employee remains employed under another full time or part
time assignment, all leave credits will be transferred to the remaining
assignments. The employee shall not be paid out the monetary value of the
annual leave or long service leave accrued in the terminated assignment.
Disclosures,
Notifications and Approvals
(x) Employees must, at the time they apply for
any second or further assignment, disclose in writing that they are already
employed by NSW Health and provide details of that assignment including:
1. the position/s currently held
2. the facility in which the existing
position/s are worked
3. the classification/s under which they
are engaged in each position
4. the number of ordinary hours worked in
each position
5. any regular additional hours that is
worked in each position
6. whether the position/s is worked
according to a set roster and if so, the details of that roster arrangement;
and
(xi) Prior to
accepting an offer for a second or further assignment, employees must provide
to their current manager details of that proposed assignment including:
1. the position
they have applied for
2. the facility in
which the proposed new assignment is to be worked
3. the
classification under which they would be engaged in the new assignment
4. the number of
ordinary hours to be worked in the proposed assignment
5. whether the
position is to be worked according to a set roster and if so, the details of
that roster arrangement.
(xii) A Public Health
Organisation may elect on reasonable grounds to withhold the approval of a second
or further assignment to employees who are already employed in another
assignment.
(xiii) Before accepting
any change in roster or undertaking additional hours that will impact on
another assignment, employees who hold multiple assignments must notify their
current manager of the details of their next shift in either assignment. Managers must not change rosters or require
employees to work additional hours where these will impact on the employee’s
roster in the other assignment without first consulting the manager of the
other assignment/s. (By way of example,
if an employee is requested by Manager 1 in Assignment 1 to undertake
additional hours in Assignment 1 that may impact on the roster in Assignment 2,
the employee must notify Manager 1 of the impact. Manager 1 must not change rosters/hours that
impact on Assignment 2 without first consulting Manager 2.)
Multiple Assignments Across Different Public Health
Organisations
(e) Assignments in
different Public Health Organisations will be regarded as entirely separate for
all purposes under the Award, including the accrual and taking of leave. The
only exceptions are the provisions of subclause (c) of this clause (regarding
incremental progression) and:
(i) At the time an
employee commences an assignment in another Public Health Organisation the
employee’s accrued leave will be apportioned across their assignments (for
example, a 0.6 full time equivalent Staff Specialist who commences another 0.4
full time equivalent assignment in another Public Health Organisation will have
60% of their leave accruals allocated to the former assignment and 40% to the
latter assignment) unless prior to commencing the new assignment the employee
elects that this apportioning does not occur.
After this apportioning, leave accrues separately in each assignment,
based on the hours worked in each assignment.
The employer will notify the employee of their right to make this
election prior to the apportioning taking place.
(ii) Employees who
have multiple assignments across different Public Health Organisations at the
time this clause was inserted into this award may elect to apportion their
accrued leave across their assignments.
(iii) Service in all
assignments will be aggregated for the purposes of calculating long service
leave entitlements under the Award.
(iv) Service in all
assignments will be recognised for the purposes of entitlements under Clause 22
- Maternity, Adoption and Parental Leave.
(v) Service in all
assignments will be recognised for the purposes of entitlements of Family and
Community Services Leave as provided in Clause 20.
(vi) Where an
employee terminates an assignment, any leave credits that are held against that
assignment will be transferred to the remaining assignment/s.
(vii) Where an employee
has three or more assignments, one or more of which are in different Public
Health Organisations, subclause (d) of this clause shall apply to those
assignments which are within a single Public Health Organisation.
Changes to the composition of Public Health Organisations
(f) The employer
and the Union agree to review this clause in the event that the boundaries of
any Public Health Organisation change.
(g) Where any
change to the boundaries of any Public Health Organisation causes an employee’s
multiple assignments to which subclause (d) of this clause previously applied
to then be subject to subclause (e) of this clause, subclause (d) of this
clause shall continue to apply (to the exclusion of subclause (e) of this
clause) to those assignments until one of them is terminated.
5. Salary
(a) A full-time
Staff Specialist will be paid the salary as set out in Schedule 1 of Part B,
Monetary Rates of this Award.
(b) A Postgraduate Fellow
will be paid the salary as set out in Schedule 1 Part B, Monetary Rates of this
Award.
(c) A Staff
Specialist will progress to the next incremental step on the anniversary date
of his/her commencement as a Staff Specialist pursuant to clause 2, Definitions.
(d) This clause
does not preclude the Employer, at the Employer's sole discretion:
(i) initially
appointing a Staff Specialist to a higher step within the Staff Specialist
range; or
(ii) accelerating a
Staff Specialist through the steps within the Staff Specialist range
irrespective of the length service.
Such accelerated progression does not include the
Senior Specialist rate, which can only be accessed by appointment to a Senior
Specialist position, in accordance with the definition in clause 2 of this
Award.
(e) The weekly rate
will be ascertained by dividing the annual salary by 52.17857.
(f) The hourly rate
for calculation of penalty rates will be 1/40th of the weekly rate.
(g) Except as
provided for elsewhere in this Award and other relevant industrial instruments,
the salary set out in Part B Schedule 1, Rates of Pay of this Award will be
full compensation for all aspects and hours of work.
6. Salary Sacrifice -
Definition
For the purposes of
clauses 7, 8, 9, 10 "salary sacrifice" means the reduction in legally
payable salary and allowances in exchange for benefits provided by the
Employer.
7. Salary Sacrifice
In this clause
‘superannuable salary’ means the Staff Specialist’s salary as notified from
time to time to the New South Wales public sector superannuation trustee
corporations as per the relevant superannuation legislation governing the fund,
or, in respect of Staff Specialists who elect to have contributions made to a
non public sector superannuation scheme, ‘superannuable salary’ means the Staff
Specialist’s salary that would have been notified from time to time to the New
South Wales public sector superannuation trustee corporations but for the Staff
Specialist’s election to have contributions made to a non public sector superannuation
scheme.
(a) Subject to the other provisions of this
clause, Staff Specialists may salary sacrifice from the range of benefits the Secretary
of the NSW Ministry of Health and Federation agree upon from time to time.
(b) Salary sacrifice arrangements must be
formalized by an agreement between the Staff Specialist and the employer.
(c) The salary sacrifice agreement must be
prospective, that is, the agreement must be made prior to the commencement of
the period of service to which the earnings relate.
(d) Subject to Australian Taxation Law, the
sacrificed amount of superannuable salary will reduce the Staff Specialist’s
remuneration subject to appropriate PAYE taxation deductions by the amount
sacrificed.
(e) The fringe benefits tax on the benefits
chosen by the Staff Specialist that would have been payable except for the
public hospital fringe benefit exemption status, will be calculated for each
Staff Specialist who enters into a salary sacrifice arrangement. This amount
will be divided equally between the Employer and the Staff Specialist.
(f) Any fringe benefits tax applicable to the
benefits packaged by a Staff Specialist will be deducted from the total amount
sacrificed in that Staff Specialist’s salary sacrifice agreement.
(g) The administration cost of each salary
sacrifice agreement will be shared equally by the Employer and the
participating Staff Specialist. The Staff Specialist’s share will be deducted
from the total amount sacrificed in that Staff Specialist’s salary sacrifice
agreement.
(h) Subject to clause 9, the total amount
sacrificed in any salary sacrifice agreement may be up to 100% of the Staff
Specialist’s superannuable salary.
(i) Any allowance, payment for unused leave
entitlements, weekly workers’ compensation or other payment, other than any
payment for leave taken in service, to which a Staff Specialist is entitled
under this Award or applicable Act or statute which is expressed to be
determined by reference to a Staff Specialist’s salary, shall be calculated by
reference to the salary and allowances which would have applied to the Staff
Specialist in the absence of any salary sacrifice arrangements made pursuant to
this Award.
(j) Any pre-tax or post-tax payroll
deductions must be taken into account prior to determining the amount of
available salary to be sacrificed. Such payroll deductions may include but are
not limited to superannuation payments, HECS payments, child support payments,
judgement debtor/garnishee orders, union fees, and private health fund
membership fees.
8. Salary Sacrifice for Superannuation
(a) In this clause ‘superannuable salary’
means the Staff Specialist’s salary as notified from time to time to the New
South Wales public sector superannuation trustee corporations as per the
relevant superannuation legislation governing the fund, or, in respect of Staff
Specialists who elect to have contributions made to a non public sector superannuation
scheme, ‘superannuable salary’ means the Staff Specialist’s salary that would
have been notified from time to time to the New South Wales public sector
superannuation trustee corporations but for the Staff Specialist’s election to
have contributions made to a non public sector superannuation scheme.
(b) Consistent with the provisions of clause
7. Salary Sacrifice, a Staff Specialist may elect, subject to the agreement of
the Staff Specialist’s employer, to sacrifice a part or all of his/her superannuable
salary to additional employer superannuation contributions. Such election must
be made prior to the commencement of the period of service to which the
earnings relate. Subject to clause 9, the amount sacrificed may be up to 100%
of the superannuable salary.
(c) Where the Staff Specialist has elected to
sacrifice a part or all of that superannuable salary to additional employer
superannuation contributions:
(i) Subject to Australian Taxation Law, the sacrificed
amount of superannuable salary will reduce the Staff Specialist’s remuneration
subject to appropriate PAYE taxation deductions by the amount sacrificed; and
(ii) Any allowance, payment for unused leave
entitlements, weekly workers’ compensation, or other payment, other than any
payment for leave taken in service, to which a Staff Specialist is entitled
under this Award or any applicable Act or statute which is expressed to be
determined by reference to a Staff Specialist’s salary, shall be calculated by
reference to the salary and allowances which would have applied to the Staff
Specialist in the absence of any salary sacrifice arrangements made pursuant to
this Award.
(d) The Staff Specialist may elect to have
the amount of superannuable salary which is sacrificed to additional
superannuation contributions:
(i) paid into the superannuation scheme
established under the First State Superannuation Act 1992 as optional
employer contributions; or
(ii) subject to the employer’s agreement, paid
into a private sector complying superannuation scheme as employer
superannuation contributions.
(e) Where a Staff Specialist elects to salary
sacrifice in terms of subclause (d) above, the employer will pay the specified
amount into the relevant superannuation fund.
(f) Where the Staff Specialist is a member of
a superannuation scheme established under:
(i) the Police Regulation (Superannuation)
Act 1906;
(ii) the Superannuation Act 1916;
(iii) the State Authorities Superannuation Act
1987;
(iv) the State Authorities Non-contributory
Superannuation Act 1987; or
(v) the First State Superannuation Act
1992.
The Staff
Specialist’s employer must ensure that the amount of any additional employer
superannuation contributions specified in subclause (a) above is included in
the Staff Specialist’s superannuable salary which is notified to the New South
Wales public sector superannuation trustee corporations.
(g) Where, prior to electing to sacrifice a
part or all of his/her superannuable salary to superannuation, a Staff
Specialist had entered into an agreement with the employer to have
superannuation contributions made to a superannuation fund other than a fund
established under legislation listed in subclause (f) above, the employer will
continue to base contributions to that fund on the superannuable salary to the
same extent as applied before the Staff Specialist sacrificed that amount of
salary to superannuation. This clause applies even though the superannuation
contributions made by the employer may be in excess of the superannuation
guarantee requirements after the salary sacrifice is implemented.
(h) Any pre-tax and post-tax payroll
deductions must be taken into account prior to determining the amount of
available salary to be sacrificed. Such payroll deductions may include but are
not limited to superannuation payments, HECS payments, child support payments,
judgement debtor/garnishee orders, union fees and private health fund membership
fees.
9. Limitation on the Amount to be Sacrificed
If a Staff
Specialist sacrifices under both clauses 7 and 8, the total amount to be
sacrificed may be up to 100% of the superannuable salary.
10. Exclusions
For the individuals
named in Part C Schedule 1 to this Award, the provisions of clauses 6, 7, and 9
will be applied with certain modifications, while they remain in the positions
they occupy as at 22 October 1999. The details of the modifications are set out
in Schedule 1 of Part C, Other Matters of this Award. Those individuals who
move to new positions or who elect to be removed from Schedule 1, Part C Other
Matters will be entitled to the provisions of clauses 6, 7, and 9 without
modification and will have no right of reversion to the previous provisions.
11. Managerial Allowance
(a) It is an expectation that a certain level
of management responsibility is an essential part of the duties of a Staff
Specialist.
(b) In addition to the salaries prescribed by
this Award, a Staff Specialist required by the Employer to undertake additional
responsibilities specifically associated with the management of a unit,
department or service shall be paid an additional allowance as set out in
Schedule 2 of Part B to this Award.
(c) To be eligible for payment of this
allowance, the additional management responsibilities will include direct line
responsibility for a unit, department or service and involvement in a number
of, but not necessarily all, of the following:
(i) cost centre management including budget
preparation and management of allocated budget
(ii) participation in planning and policy
development
(iii) responsibility for the co-ordination of
research, training or teaching programs
(iv) membership and participation in senior
executive management teams
(d) The Managerial Allowance at the Level 1
rate is payable to Staff Specialists who satisfy the criteria in (c) and who
are specifically required by the Employer to undertake these additional
managerial responsibilities. It is expected that a Staff Specialist receiving a
Level 1 allowance will as a minimum perform human resource management
responsibilities which include the direct supervision of staff (including other
Staff Specialists, Career Medical Officers and Junior Medical Officers where
staff from these classifications are in the unit, service or department being
managed), allocation of duties, approval of staff rosters, implementation of
the provisions of clause 12 Performance Agreement in respect of other Staff
Specialists in the unit, service or department being managed, monitoring of
hours worked and other performance management matters. It is also expected that
a Staff Specialist receiving a Level 1 allowance will be responsible for
ensuring that quality improvement and clinical governance activities are
implemented.
(e) The Managerial Allowance at the Level 2
rate is payable to those Staff Specialists satisfying the criteria in (c) and (d)
who, in the assessment of the Employer, have significant additional managerial
responsibilities involving multiple units, services or departments, e.g.
Divisional responsibility.
(f) The Managerial Allowance at the Level 3
rate is payable to those Staff Specialists who, in addition to satisfying the
criteria in (e), have a level of managerial responsibility deemed by the
Employer to require an allowance at the Level 3 rate, e.g. Area-wide
responsibility. It is recognised that managerial responsibilities at this level
may not involve the duties at a Department or unit level outlined in (d).
(g) The Managerial Allowances are not
cumulative and are only payable for the period in which the Staff Specialist
has been allocated the additional managerial responsibilities by the Employer.
(h) Managerial allowances may be withdrawn
with one month’s notice by the Employer if it determines that it no longer
requires the Staff Specialist to undertake the relevant managerial
responsibilities. This subclause does not apply to Staff Specialists who have
been appointed to a position where the managerial duties for which the
allowance is paid are an intrinsic part of the substantive position.
(i) The Managerial Allowances shall be paid
during paid absences on approved leave, on termination of employment including
voluntary redundancy (on the basis of pro rata the annual amount for each week
of paid leave) and for superannuation.
(j) The Employer may direct a Staff
Specialist, as a condition of receiving the managerial allowance, to attend
training intended to support and improve management skills and competencies.
12. Performance Agreement
(a) Each full-time and part-time Staff
Specialist will have a written annual Performance Agreement developed jointly
by the Staff Specialist and his/her designated supervisor and signed by the
Chief Executive (however called) of the relevant Public Health Organisation or
his or her nominee. The standard format to be used for performance agreements
is annexed to this Award.
(b) The Performance Agreement will be
developed and completed within one month of the offer of a draft performance
agreement. A Staff Specialist who at the time of making of this Award does not
have a written Performance Agreement, will develop and complete a Performance
Agreement within one month of the offer of a draft performance agreement.
(c) In the event that agreement is not
reached within a further 2 weeks, the matter must be resolved in accordance
with the provisions of clause 3, Issues Resolution of this Award.
(d) The Staff Specialist and his/her
designated supervisor will jointly review the Staff Specialist’s performance
under the Performance Agreement once in each 12 month period. Each review is to
include an evaluation of the Staff Specialist’s level of achievement of any
specified service improvement objectives which are agreed between the Staff
Specialist and his/her supervisor.
(e) A Performance Agreement will include, but
not necessarily be limited to, the following:
Details of the
time and place that the normal duties are to be worked.
The nature of
work to be performed during normal duties, (whether that is clinical, teaching,
administrative, research, quality improvement or other activities).
The anticipated
on call frequency and roster.
Any specific
call back requirements.
Private billing
expectations for Level 1 Staff Specialists.
Any agreement
on the amount of time that the Staff Specialist will be released from Normal
Duties e.g. to undertake college and other professional association activities.
Where
appropriate, any financial, activity targets or health targets.
Specific
commitments and standards from the Employer for the provision of clinical
support, including staff, equipment, facilities and billing.
Expectations in
respect of management responsibilities, quality improvement and clinical
governance activities, post graduate and undergraduate teaching activities,
continuing education, research, health outcomes.
Any part-time
working arrangement in accordance with clause 13 of this Award or outside
practice approvals in accordance with clause 15 of this Award.
(f) The parties agree that clinical,
research, teaching, administrative, quality improvement and managerial duties
are important aspects of the Normal Duties of a staff specialist. The
allocation of time to perform these duties will form part of the performance
agreement process and be reviewed as part of the performance agreement review
process.
13. Part-time Employment and Arrangements
(a) Staff Specialists covered by this Award
may, with the approval of the Employer, work part-time with the Employer by
entering into a written Part-time Working Arrangement which may be varied from
time to time by agreement.
(b) The minimum period of work under a
part-time working arrangement is 0.1 full-time equivalent (FTE).
(c) Part-time Working Arrangements can either
be on an on-going basis or for a fixed term (with subsequent return to
full-time hours for permanent Staff Specialists). The type of working
arrangement must be specified in the Part-time Working Arrangement and if the
arrangement is for a fixed term, then the period of time must also be
specified.
(d) Transfer from an on-going Part-time
Working Arrangement to full-time employment, or early termination of a fixed
term Part-time Working Arrangement (with consequential return to full-time
employment for permanent Staff Specialists) must be by agreement between the
Staff Specialist and the Employer and recorded in writing.
(e) A Staff Specialist employed under a
Part-time Agreement pursuant to this clause will be entitled to accrue all
entitlements including salary on a proportionate basis to a Staff Specialist
employed on a full-time basis.
(f) A Staff Specialist who works pursuant to
a Part-time Agreement will progress to the next incremental step every 12
months from the date of the Staff Specialists commencement of employment,
provided the work performed by the Staff Specialist extraneous to the Part-time
Agreement is commensurate with the experience of a full-time Staff Specialist
and is acceptable to the Employer. This subclause does not preclude accelerated
progression.
(g) Staff Specialists employed pursuant to a
Part-time Working Arrangement must participate in the on-call roster to a
reasonable extent. The on-call obligations of part-time Staff Specialists will
be, wherever practicable, aligned to the part-time Staff Specialist’s normal
duties.
(h) In determining reasonable on-call rosters
for part-time Staff Specialists, consideration should be given to the level of
on-call participation applicable to full-time and part-time Staff Specialists
on the same on-call roster.
(i) A Staff Specialist is required to provide
a minimum notice period of three months when requesting the Employer’s approval
to reduce from full-time to part-time employment, or to reduce a fractional
appointment. The Employer may consider a lesser period of notice of the request
where pressing personal circumstances apply.
14. Work Location
(a) Subject to the provisions of this clause,
a Staff Specialist may be required by the Employer to work at any of the
hospitals, institutions or other health services conducted by the relevant
public health organisation.
(b) Before a requirement under subclause (a)
above is made, the Employer will ensure that:
(i) the Staff Specialist is consulted in
regard to the proposal to require work at another location;
(ii) the duties are consistent with the Staff
Specialist’s area of specialty, expertise and seniority and the Labour
Flexibility clause of this Award;
(iii) the travel requirements are reasonable
having regard to:
(1) the number of work locations,
(2) the frequency of attendance at each work
location,
(3) the distance of those work locations from
the Staff Specialist’s place of residence at the time the Staff Specialist
accepted his/her offer of appointment as a Staff Specialist, and
(4) the travelling time normally involved in attending
the place of work at the time of making this Award;
(iv) while it is generally expected that Staff
Specialists will not be required to provide services at more than two
locations, in particular specialties, geographic circumstances or networking
arrangements, Staff Specialists may be required to provide services at more
than two locations;
(v) a Staff Specialist required to work at
another location will have access to the same parking arrangements as those
provided to other Staff Specialists at that location and shall be reimbursed by
the Employer for any additional parking fees or road tolls paid as a
consequence of working at more than one location;
(vi) where on call duties are rostered, the
Staff Specialist is capable of returning to the workplace within a reasonable
timeframe for an emergency call back (a change of the Staff Specialist’s place
of residence does not exempt the Staff Specialist from the on call obligations
established at the time of his or her appointment or the obligations in place
at the time of the making of this Award);
(vii) wherever practicable, on-call obligations
are aligned to the Staff Specialist’s normal duties. There shall be no
additional on call obligations placed upon a Staff Specialist by reason of any
requirement arising from this clause. In determining on-call rosters,
consideration should be given to the level of on-call participation of other
Staff Specialists on the same on-call roster;
(viii) the letter of appointment and/or the
performance agreement will specify the locations where the Staff Specialist
will be required to provide services. Where the Employer requires a Staff
Specialist to commence work at an additional location not specified in the
letter of appointment/annual performance agreement, the Employer will give 3
months notice;
(ix) regard is given to any family, carer or
other personal responsibilities identified by the Staff Specialist so as to
minimise any potential adverse impacts on those responsibilities;
(x) a Staff Specialist required to work at
another location will not be financially disadvantaged in regard to drawings,
accounting fees for partnerships and reimbursement of medical indemnity
payments made from the No.1 Account, as a result of any such requirement;
(xi) the relevant factors for determining
financial disadvantage will be:
(1) Drawings - percentage of maximum drawings
paid to the Staff Specialist averaged over the last three full financial years
(or for Staff Specialists where three years comparison is not available, such
lesser periods as may be available by way of comparison) prior to the date on
which the requirement to work at another location came into effect;
(2) Accounting fees for partnerships - the
accounting fees for partnerships reimbursement received by or paid on behalf of
the Staff Specialist, relative to her/his partnership share, averaged over the
last three full financial years (or for Staff Specialists where three years
comparison is not available, such lesser periods as may be available by way of
comparison) prior to the date on which the requirement to work at another
location came into effect; and
(3) Medical indemnity payments - percentage
of indemnity reimbursement received by or paid on behalf of the staff
specialist relative to the amount claimed where any differential is as a result
of insufficient funds available in the No.1 Account, averaged over the last
three full financial years (or for Staff Specialists where three years
comparison is not available, such lesser periods as may be available by way of
comparison) prior to the date on which the requirement to work at another
location came into effect.
Where financial disadvantage occurs in relation to
drawings, accounting fees for partnerships and medical indemnity reimbursement
in accordance with these comparators, the Employer will provide supplementary
funding to fully alleviate the financial disadvantage.
The supplementary funding, when provided, will be for
an initial period of five years. At the conclusion of the five year period, the
supplementary funding may be continued by approval of the Secretary of the NSW
Ministry of Health.
(xii) adequate resources
are made available to the Staff Specialist at the additional work location;
(xiii) the next annual
performance review process will be the means of determining whether
non-clinical time should be changed as a result of the requirement to work at another
location;
(xiv) reporting lines
are clearly specified for each location at which the Staff Specialist is
required to work;
(xv) the requirement
for a staff specialist to work at another location will not impose an
unreasonable workload on the staff specialists remaining at the primary work
location.
(c) In the event that a Staff Specialist is
required to work at an additional location and the Staff Specialist contends
that the requirement is unreasonable and/or would have a harsh or unfair impact,
the Staff Specialist may invoke the Issue Resolution clause of this Award.
(d) These arrangements in no way proscribe
the Employer’s capacity to direct a Staff Specialist to temporarily work at a
location other than the Staff Specialist’s primary work location or locations
where there is an emergency situation, subject to the Employer considering any
personal circumstances that may be raised by the Staff Specialist.
15. Outside Practice and Other Business
Activities
(a) A full-time Staff Specialist must seek
the Employer’s approval to engage in medical practice, paid employment or other
business activities otherwise than with the Employer.
(b) Any such approval must be in writing, may
be time limited, and must not conflict with the Staff Specialist’s commitments
to the Employer or obligations under the Code of Conduct issued by the Ministry
of Health as varied from time to time.
(c) Details of the proposed outside practice
commitments, including the location, employer (if any), working times, duration
of work, and any on-call commitments must be included in the request for
approval.
(d) Part-time staff specialists must notify
the Employer of any outside practice (including services provided for another
public health organisation or Division of the NSW Health Service). Where the
Employer has identified a conflict of interest, or a significant risk of a
conflict of interest or conflict with the employer’s duty of care arising, and
the staff member refuses to cease, or to make necessary adjustments to, his or
her outside practice, the Employer may take action to resolve the conflict
consistent with any applicable Ministry policies and the Code of Conduct as
varied from time to time.
(e) Subject to any commercial arrangement, a
Staff Specialist is not to use any of the Employer’s staff or property for
activities associated with any outside practice they may undertake.
(f) No outside practice is to be performed by
a Staff Specialist during the span of hours designated for the performance of
normal duties as applicable to him or her.
16. Postgraduate Fellow
(a) Appointment as a post-graduate fellow
will be limited to one year with eligibility for re-appointment on an annual basis
for a maximum of 3 years unless there is specific agreement between the
individual and the Employer for a lesser period.
(b) Remuneration will be as outlined in
Schedule 1 of Part B Monetary Rates of this Award.
(c) Post-graduate fellows will be entitled to
all other provisions of this Award as if they were appointed as a Staff
Specialist, except for salary.
17. Annual Leave and Annual Leave Loading
A. Annual Leave
(a) All Staff Specialists shall be allowed 5
weeks annual leave on full pay in respect of each 12 months service with the
Employer plus 1 day on full pay in respect of each public holiday occurring
within the period of such leave.
(b) Staff Specialists who are employed in a
specialty or category specified in Part C Schedule 3 to this Award and who are
required to work on Sundays during a qualifying period of employment for annual
leave purposes shall be entitled to receive additional annual leave in respect
of each shift so worked as follows:
if 30 or more
Sunday shifts have been worked - one week;
if less than 30
have been worked - leave proportionately calculated on the basis of 40 hours
leave for 30 such shifts worked.
(c) Annual leave shall be given and shall be
taken within a period of 6 months after the date when the right to the annual
leave accrued; provided that the giving and taking of the whole or any separate
period of such annual leave may, by mutual agreement between the Employer and
the Staff Specialist be postponed for a further period not exceeding 6 months.
(d) If the Staff Specialist and the Employer
so agree, the annual leave or any such separate period may be taken wholly or
partly in advance, before the Staff Specialist has become entitled to that
leave, but where leave is taken in such circumstances a further period of
annual leave shall not commence to accrue until the expiration of the 12 months
in respect of which the annual leave or part thereof has been so taken.
(e) Except as provided by this clause,
payment shall not be made by the Employer to a Staff Specialist in lieu of any
annual leave or part thereof nor shall any such payment be accepted by the
Staff Specialist.
(f) Subject to the provisions of the New
South Wales Annual Holidays Act 1944, the Staff Specialist and the
Employer should determine a mutually agreeable date from which annual leave is
to be taken and unforeseen circumstances excepted, agreement should be reached
two months prior to the commencement of the annual leave.
(g) The Employer shall pay each Staff
Specialist before entering upon annual leave his/her salary for the period of
leave if requested by the Staff Specialist, otherwise, the payment will be made
in the usual pay period.
(h) Where the employment of a Staff Specialist
is terminated, the Staff Specialist shall be entitled to receive proportionate
payment for each completed month of service at the salary which such Staff
Specialist is entitled under this Award.
(i) Where the annual holiday under this
clause or any part thereof has been taken in advance by a Staff Specialist
pursuant to subclause (d) of this clause, and
(i) the employment of the Staff Specialist
terminates before he/she has completed the year of employment in respect of
which such annual holiday or any part was taken; and
(ii) the sum paid by the Employer to the Staff
Specialist as ordinary pay for the annual holiday or any part so taken in
advance exceeds the sum which the Employer is required to pay to the Staff
Specialist under subclause (g) of this clause;
the Employer shall not be liable to make any payment to the Staff
Specialist under the said subclause (g), and shall be entitled to deduct the
amount of such excess from any remuneration payable to the Staff Specialist
upon the termination of the employment.
B. Entitlement to Annual Leave Loading or
Shift Allowances and Weekend Penalties
(a) Staff Specialists who become entitled to
and take annual leave pursuant to Part A of this clause, shall be paid ordinary
salary plus either:
(i) an annual leave loading in respect of
that entitlement equivalent to 17.5% of four weeks ordinary salary, not
exceeding the amount equivalent to 17.5% of four weeks ordinary salary for
maximum salary of Clerk Grade 12 under the provisions of the Crown Employees (Administrative and Clerical
Officers - Salaries 2007) Award varied from time to time; or
(ii) in the case of a Staff Specialist employed
in a specialty or category specified in Part C Schedule 3 to this Award who
would have earned shift allowances and/or weekend penalties in excess of the
amount of annual leave loading indicated in subclause (a) (i) above, had he/she
not taken annual leave; those shift allowances and weekend penalties relating
to the ordinary time the Staff Specialist would have earned had he/she not
taken annual leave (provided that shift allowances and weekend penalties shall
not be payable for public holidays which occur during a period of annual
leave).
(b) In respect of a Staff Specialist who
becomes entitled to take annual leave pursuant to subclause (a) of Part B of
this clause, and takes that annual leave in broken periods; both the annual
leave loading and the maximum amount referred to in subclause (a) (i) of Part B
of this clause are to calculated pro rata for the broken period being taken in
the same proportion as the period being taken bears to four weeks. The
resultant amount of annual leave loading calculated for the broken period of
annual leave, not exceeding the maximum amount calculated for the same broken
period, is to be paid to the Staff Specialist in addition to ordinary salary
for the period.
(c) In respect of a Staff Specialist employed
in a specialty or category specified in Part C Schedule 3 of this Award, who
becomes entitled to take annual leave pursuant to Part A of this clause, and
who takes that annual leave in broken periods, the entitlement to annual leave
loading and the maximum amount are to be calculated in the same way as
indicated in subclause (b) of Part B of this clause, for the period of annual
leave being taken compared with the ordinary time shift allowances and weekend
penalties the Staff Specialist would have earned had he/she not taken the
annual leave (provided that shift allowances and weekend penalties shall not be
payable for public holidays which occur during the period of annual leave), and
the greater of either the calculated annual leave loading (not exceeding the
calculated maximum amount) or ordinary time shift allowances and weekend
penalties is to be paid to the Staff Specialist in addition to ordinary salary
for the period.
(d) The entitlement to annual leave loading or
shift allowances and weekend penalties referred to in subclauses (a) (b) and
(c) of Part B of this clause are to be calculated and paid at the same time as
the annual leave is paid.
(e) Annual leave loading is to calculated at
the rate of ordinary salary payable when the annual leave is taken (except
provided for in subclause (f) of Part B of this clause), and excludes
allowances, penalty or disability rates, commission, bonuses or incentive
payments etc. Where the ordinary rate payable changes effective from a date
falling within a period of annual leave, the changed rate is to be taken into
account, and if necessary, adjustments calculated and corrections to pay made.
(f) No annual leave loading is payable to a
Staff Specialist who takes annual leave wholly or partly in advance of becoming
entitled to such annual leave, except if his/her employment continues until the
day he/she would have become entitled to take such annual leave, in which case
the loading then becomes payable on that day (calculated on rates applicable on
that day) in respect of the period/s of annual leave already taken wholly or
partly in advance. Staff specialists employed in a specialty or category specified
in Part C Schedule 3 of this Award already paid ordinary time shift allowances
and weekend penalties in respect of annual leave taken wholly or partly in
advance are not eligible to be paid annual leave loading under this subclause.
(g) No annual leave loading or shift
allowances and weekend penalties are payable to a Staff Specialist who is paid
the monetary value of annual leave to his/her credit on resignation (not
including retirement).
(h) Upon retirement of a Staff Specialist or
upon termination by the Employer of a Staff Specialist for any reason other
than misconduct, the Staff Specialist shall be paid annual leave loading on
that annual leave which he/she had become entitled to take that the loading
would have applied to had the annual leave been taken.
(i) In respect of that additional annual
leave accrued by virtue of being rostered to work and working ordinary hours
shifts on Sundays pursuant to subclause (b) of Part A of this clause, no annual
leave loading is payable. Staff specialists employed in a specialty or category
specified in Part C Schedule 3 of this Award are to be paid, in addition to
ordinary salary for such annual leave period/s the ordinary time shift
allowances and weekend penalties the Staff Specialist would have earned had
he/she not taken the annual leave (provided that shift allowances and weekend
penalties shall not be payable for public holidays which occur during the
period of annual leave).
C. Pay out of Additional Accrued Annual
Leave
(a) The provisions
of subclauses 17(A)(a) and 17(A)(b) above entitle Staff Specialists to paid
annual leave additional to that available under clause 3(1)(b) of the Annual Holidays Act 1944, which is four
weeks paid leave per annum. A Staff Specialist entitled to such additional paid
annual leave can elect at any time to be paid an amount equivalent to the value
of accrued additional annual leave in lieu of taking the additional leave. This
can include additional annual leave accrued through recognised prior service in
a classification other than as a Staff Specialist, provided that such leave is
additional to that available under clause 3(1)(b) of the Annual Holidays Act 1944.
(b) Such salary for
the period of additional leave paid out will be calculated in the manner detailed
at subclause (g) below.
(c) A Staff
Specialist electing to be paid an amount equivalent to the value of such
accrued additional annual leave in lieu of taking the additional leave shall
make such request in writing, which for this purpose can include electronic
requests.
(d) Each election
for cashing in additional leave shall be by way of a separate request. Payment shall be made provided the request is
received by the employer with a minimum of four weeks’ notice, with the payment
being effected on the next usual pay day for that employee following the
conclusion of such minimum notice.
(e) An election to
cash in additional leave is purely at the volition of the Staff Specialist.
(f) The amount of accrued additional annual
leave to be cashed in will be at the discretion of the requesting Staff
Specialist, who may nominate a number of hours or days or weeks. Such
nomination will be for a minimum of 40 hours/ five days/one week of additional
annual leave.
(g) Payment of
accrued additional annual leave shall occur as follows:
(i) Staff Specialists Level 1
Cashing in is
at the rate that would have been otherwise payable if the annual leave was
actually taken. This rate is the applicable salary as set out in Part B
Schedule 1 ‘Salary Rates’ of this Award, plus the Special Allowance and the
Level 1 Private Practice Allowance specified in the Staff Specialists
Determination, as varied from time to time.
Such payment
will include those additional components considered salary for all purposes
e.g. Managerial Allowance; Emergency Physician Allowance where payable to the
Staff Specialist.
(ii) Staff Specialists Levels 2 and 3
Cashing in is at
the rate determined by the applicable salary as set out in Part B Schedule 1
‘Salary Rates’ of this Award, plus the Special Allowance, and the relevant
Level 2 or Level 3 Private Practice Allowance specified in the Staff
Specialists Determination, as varied from time to time, but does not include
any drawing rights payable pursuant to the rights of private practice
provisions of the Staff Specialists Determination.
Such payment
will include those additional components considered salary for all purposes e.g.
Managerial Allowance, where payable to the Staff Specialist.
(iii) Staff Specialists Levels 4 and 5
Cashing in is
at the rate determined by the applicable salary as set out in Part B Schedule 1
‘Salary Rates’ of this Award, plus the Special Allowance, as varied from time
to time, but does not include any drawing rights payable pursuant to the rights
of private practice provisions of the Staff Specialists Determination.
Such payment
will include those additional components considered salary for all purposes
e.g. Managerial Allowance, where payable to the Staff Specialist.
18. Long Service Leave
(a) Entitlement and Accrual
(i) After service for 7 years or more but not
more than 10 years, a Staff Specialist is entitled to Long Service Leave,
proportionate to his or her length of service, calculated at the rate of 2
months on full pay for 10 years served.
(ii) After service for more than 10 years, a
Staff Specialist is entitled to Long Service Leave under subclause (i) above in
respect of the first 10 years and additional long service leave, proportionate
to his or her length of service, calculated at the rate of 5 months on full pay
for each 10 years served after the first 10 years.
(b) Definition of Service
(i) For the purposes of this clause:
(1) service shall mean continuous service
with the Employer (as defined by this Award),
(2) continuous service shall have the same
meaning as in Schedule 2 of the Government
Sector Employment Regulation 2014 as varied from time to time,
(3) prior government service will be
recognised in accordance with the provisions outlined in Schedule 2 of the Government Sector Employment Regulation
2014 as varied from time to time.
(ii) Broken periods of service with the Employer
in one or more public health organisations shall count as service.
(iii) Service shall not include any period of
leave without pay except in the case of Staff Specialists who have completed at
least ten years service (any period of absence without pay being excluded there
from) in which case service shall include any period of leave without pay not
exceeding 6 months taken after 22 August 1972.
(c) Taking Long Service Leave
(i) A staff specialist with an entitlement to
long service leave may elect to access such entitlement:
(1) on full pay;
(2) on half pay; or
(3) on double pay.
(ii) When a Staff Specialist takes long service
leave, the leave entitlement will be deducted on the following basis:
(1) a period of leave on full pay - the number
of days so taken;
(2) a period of leave on half pay - half the
number of days so taken; or
(3) a period of leave on double pay - twice
the number of days so taken.
(iii) If a public holiday occurs whilst a Staff
Specialist is taking long service leave and the Staff Specialist would have
otherwise worked on that day but for the public holiday, the amount of long
service leave to be deducted is to be reduced by the public holiday.
(iv) Long Service Leave shall be taken at a time
mutually arranged between the Employer and the Staff Specialist.
(d) Payment on Termination
(i) On the termination of employment of a Staff
Specialist with an entitlement to long service leave, otherwise than by his/her
death, the Employer will pay the Staff Specialist the monetary value of all
long service leave accrued and not taken at the date of such termination and
such monetary value shall be determined according to the salary payable to the
Staff Specialist at the date of such termination.
(ii) Where a Staff Specialist who has acquired
a right to long service leave, or after 5 years and less than seven years
service, dies, the Staff Specialist’s estate shall be entitled to receive the
monetary value of the leave not taken or which would have accrued to such Staff
Specialist had his/her services been terminated as referred to in subclause
(d)(i) of this clause, and such monetary value shall be determined according to
the salary payable to the Staff Specialist at the time of his/her death.
(iii) Where the services of a Staff Specialist
with at least 5 years service but less than seven years service, are terminated
by the Employer for any reason other than the Staff Specialist's serious and
wilful misconduct, or by the Staff Specialist on account of illness, incapacity
or domestic or other pressing necessity, he/she shall be entitled to be paid a
proportionate amount for long service leave on the basis of 2 months long
service leave for 10 years service.
(e) Preservation of Rights to Long Service
Leave
(i) Rights to long service leave under this
clause shall be in replacement of rights to long service leave, if any, which
at the commencement of this Award may have accrued or may be accruing to a
Staff Specialist and shall apply only to persons in the employ of the Employer
on or after the date of commencement of this Award.
(ii) Where a Staff Specialist has been granted
long service leave or has been paid its monetary value prior to the date of
commencement of this Award, the Employer shall be entitled to debit such leave
against any leave to which the Staff Specialist may be entitled pursuant to
this clause.
(f) Accrual of other entitlements whilst on
long service leave
(i) During a period of long service leave on
half pay, a Staff Specialist will continue to accrue at the full-time
equivalent rate except for annual leave that will accrue at the rate of 50%.
(ii) During a period of long service leave on
double pay, a Staff Specialist will continue to accrue at the full-time
equivalent rate including annual leave which will accrue at the single time
rate.
19. Sick Leave
A full-time Staff
Specialist shall be entitled to sick leave on full pay calculated by allowing
ten working days for each year of continuous service less any sick leave on
full pay already taken, subject to the following conditions;
(a) the Employer may require the sickness to
be certified to by a legally qualified medical practitioner approved by the
Employer or may require other satisfactory evidence of the sickness.
(b) a Staff Specialist shall not be entitled
to sick leave until after 3 months' continuous service.
(c) a Staff Specialist shall not be entitled
to sick leave on full pay for any period in respect of which such Staff
Specialist is entitled to workers' compensation; provided, however, that the
Employer shall pay to a Staff Specialist who has a sick leave entitlement under
this clause the difference between the amount received as workers' compensation
and full pay. The Staff Specialist's sick leave entitlement under this clause
shall, for each week during which such difference is paid, be reduced by that
proportion of 1 week which the difference paid bears to full pay.
(d) for the purposes of this clause
"service" means service in any of the positions covered by this Award,
provided that any person who was employed by the Employer immediately prior to
becoming a Staff Specialist in any position covered by this Award shall be
entitled to add to his/her service under this Award the service that he/she has
had under any other award/agreement covering his/her employment by the Employer
provided that Staff Specialists who are employed by the Employer at the date of
the commencement of this Award shall retain to their credit until exhausted,
any accumulation of sick leave to their credit immediately prior to such date,
and provided further that such credit is not less than the entitlement
otherwise prescribed by this clause.
(e) The Employer shall not terminate the
services of a Staff Specialist, except on the grounds of misconduct, during the
currency of any period of paid sick leave unless an agreed independent
registered medical practitioner certifies that a Staff Specialist is fit to
continue in employment and the Staff Specialist refuses to resume duty.
(f) If a dispute arises as to whether a Staff
Specialist is fit to continue in employment, such dispute shall be addressed in
accordance with clause 3, Issue Resolution.
(g) An employee who ceases employment in one
public health organisation and within two months of the last day of service
commences employment in another public health organisation does not lose any
accrued but untaken sick leave.
20. Family and Community Services Leave
(a) General
(i) For the purpose of this clause relating
to FACS leave:
"relative"
means a person related by blood, marriage or affinity;
"affinity"
means a relationship that one spouse because of marriage has to blood relatives
of the other; and
"household"
means a family group living in the same domestic dwelling.
(ii) The appropriate Chief Executive or
authorised delegate may grant FACS leave to a Staff Specialist:
(1) to provide care and/or support for sick
members of the Staff Specialist’s relatives or household; or
(2) for reasons related to the family
responsibilities of the Staff Specialist (e.g. to arrange and or attend a
funeral of a relative; to accompany a relative to a medical appointment where
there is an element of emergency; parent/teacher meetings; education week
activities; to meet elder-care requirements of a relative); or
(3) for reasons related to the performance of
community service by the Staff Specialist (e.g. in matters relating to
citizenship; to office holders in local government, other than as a mayor, for
attendance at meetings, conferences or other associated duties; representing
Australia or the State in major amateur sport other than in
Olympic/Commonwealth Games); or
(4) in a case of pressing necessity (e.g. where
a Staff Specialist is unable to attend work because of adverse weather
conditions which either prevent attendance or threaten life or property; the
illness of a relative; where a child carer is unable to look after their
charge).
(iii) FACS leave replaces compassionate leave.
(iv) A Staff Specialist is not to be granted
FACS leave for attendance at court to answer a criminal charge, unless the
Chief Executive or authorised delegate approves the grant of leave in the
particular case.
Applications for
FACS leave to attend court, for reasons other than criminal charges, will be
assessed on an individual basis.
(b) Entitlement
(i) The maximum amount of FACS leave on full
pay that may be granted to a Staff Specialist is:
(1) 3 working days during the first year of
service, commencing on and from 1 January 1995, and thereafter 6 working days
in any period of 2 years; or
(2) 1 working day, on a cumulative basis
effective from 1 January 1995, for each year of service after 2 years’
continuous service, minus any period of FACS leave already taken by the Staff
Specialist since 1 January 1995,
whichever method provides the greater entitlement.
(ii) FACS leave is available to part-time Staff
Specialists on a pro rata basis, based on the percentage of the full-time
salary the Staff Specialist receives.
(c) Additional FACS leave for bereavement
purposes
Where FACS
leave has been exhausted, additional FACS leave of up to 2 days for bereavement
may be granted on a discrete, "per occasion" basis to a Staff Specialist
on the death of a relative or member of a household as defined in subclause
(a)(i) of this clause.
(d) Use of other leave entitlements
The appropriate
Chief Executive or authorised delegate may grant a Staff Specialist other leave
entitlements for reasons related to family responsibilities or community
service of the Staff Specialist.
A Staff
Specialist may elect, with the consent of the Employer, to take annual leave; long
service leave; or leave without pay.
20A. Family Violence
Leave
(a) For the purpose of this clause, family
violence means domestic violence as defined in the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 as varied from
time to time. The violence may have been reported to the police and/or may be
the subject of an Apprehended Violence Order.
(b) An employee experiencing family and
domestic violence can utilise Award leave entitlements provided for in Sick
Leave and Family and Community Services Leave provisions of the Award.
(c) Where leave entitlements to Sick Leave
and Family and Community Services Leave are exhausted, the employer will grant
up to five days per year of paid special leave to attend legal proceedings,
counselling, appointments with a medical or legal practitioner and relocation
and safety activities directly associated with alleviating the effects of
family and domestic violence. This leave entitlement does not accumulate from
year to year.
(d) Upon exhaustion of the paid leave
entitlement, an employee may request further periods of unpaid leave, for the
same activities for which paid leave would be available.
(e) To access paid and unpaid leave, the
employee must provide the employer with evidence, to the employer’s satisfaction,
substantiating the purpose of the leave and that the leave is related to
alleviating the effects of family violence. The employer may accept a variety
of agreed documentation in support of an application for leave. Supporting
documentation may be presented in the form of an agreed document issued by the
Police Force, a Court, a doctor, a Family Violence Support Service or a lawyer.
(f) Matters related to family violence can be
sensitive. Information collected by the employer will be kept confidential. No
information relating to the details of the family violence will be kept on an
employee’s personnel file without their express permission. However, records
about the use of family violence leave will need to be kept.
(g) The employer, where appropriate, may
facilitate flexible working arrangements subject to operational requirements.
This may include changes to working times and locations, telephone numbers and
email addresses.
(h) The employer will co-operate with all
legal orders protecting an employee experiencing domestic violence.
21. Personal/Carer’s Leave
(a) Use of sick leave to care for the person
concerned - definitions
A person who
needs the Staff Specialist’s care and support is referred to as the
"person concerned" and is:
(i) a spouse of the Staff Specialist; or
(ii) a de facto spouse, who, in relation to a
person, is a person of the opposite sex to the first mentioned person who lives
with the first mentioned person as the husband or wife of that person on a bona
fide domestic basis although not legally married to that person; or
(iii) a child or an adult child (including an
adopted child, a step child, a foster child or an ex nuptial child), parent
(including a foster parent and legal guardian), grandparent, grandchild or
sibling of the Staff Specialist or spouse or de facto spouse of the Staff
Specialist; or
(iv) a same sex partner who lives with the Staff
Specialist as the de facto partner of that Staff Specialist on a bona fide
domestic basis; or
(v) a relative of the Staff Specialist who is
a member of the same household, where for the purpose of this clause relating
to Personal/Carer’s Leave:
"relative"
means a person related by blood, marriage or affinity;
"affinity"
means a relationship that one spouse because of marriage has to blood relatives
of the other; and
"household"
means a family group living in the same domestic dwelling.
(b) Use of sick leave to care for the person
concerned - entitlement
(i) The entitlement to use sick leave in
accordance with this subclause is subject to:
(1) the Staff
Specialist being responsible for the care and support of the person concerned;
and
(2) the person
concerned being as defined in subclause (a) of this clause.
(ii) A Staff Specialist with responsibilities
in relation to a person who needs their care and support shall be entitled to
use the untaken sick leave, from that year’s annual sick leave entitlement, to
provide care and support for such persons when they are ill.
(iii) Sick leave accumulates from year to year.
In addition to the current year’s grant of sick leave available under (ii)
above, sick leave untaken from the previous 3 years may also be accessed by a
Staff Specialist with responsibilities in relation to a person who needs their
care and support.
(iv) The Chief Executive or authorised delegate
may, in special circumstances, make a grant of additional sick leave. This
grant can only be taken from sick leave untaken prior to the period referred to
in subclause (iii) above.
(v) The Staff Specialist shall, if required,
establish, either by production of a medical certificate or statutory declaration,
that the illness of the person concerned is such as to require care by another
person.
(vi) The Staff Specialist has the right to
choose the method by which the ground for leave is established, that is, by
production of either a medical certificate or statutory declaration.
(vii) The Staff Specialist is not required to
state the exact nature of the relevant illness on either a medical certificate
or statutory declaration.
(viii) The Staff Specialist shall, wherever
practicable, give the Employer notice prior to the absence of the intention to
take leave, the name of the person requiring care and that person’s
relationship to the Staff Specialist, the reasons for taking such leave and the
estimated length of absence. If it is not practicable for the Staff Specialist
to give prior notice of absence, the Staff Specialist shall notify the Employer
by telephone of such absence at the first opportunity on the day of absence.
(ix) In normal circumstances, the Staff
Specialist must not take leave under this part where another person has taken
leave to care for the same person.
(c) Use of other leave entitlements
A Staff
Specialist may elect, with the consent of the Employer, to take:
(i) annual leave, including annual leave not
exceeding 10 days in single day periods or part thereof, in any calendar year
at a time or times agreed by the parties. A Staff Specialist and the Employer
may agree to defer payment of the annual leave loading in respect of single day
absences, until at least 5 consecutive annual leave days are taken. A Staff
Specialist may elect with the Employer’s agreement to take annual leave at any
time within a period of 24 months from the date at which it falls due.
(ii) long service leave; or
(iii) leave without pay for the purpose of
providing care and support to the person concerned as defined in subclause (a)
of this clause.
(d) Use of make-up time
(i) A Staff Specialist may elect, with the
consent of the Employer, to work "make-up time". "Make-up
time" is worked when the Staff Specialist takes time off during ordinary
hours for family or community service responsibilities, and works those hours
at another time, during the spread of normal duties hours defined in clause 4
of this Award, at the ordinary rate of pay.
(ii) A Staff Specialist on shift work may
elect, with the consent of the Employer, to work "make-up time"
(under which the Staff Specialist takes time off during ordinary hours and
works those hours at another time) at the applicable shift work rate which
would have been applicable to the hours taken off.
22. Maternity, Adoption and Parental Leave
A. Maternity Leave
(a) Eligibility
To be eligible for
paid maternity leave a full-time or part-time Staff Specialist must have
completed at least 40 weeks continuous service prior to the expected date of
birth.
A Staff
Specialist who has once met the conditions for paid maternity leave will not be
required to again work the 40 weeks continuous service in order to qualify for
a further period of paid maternity leave, unless-
(i) there has been a break in service where
the Staff Specialist has been re-employed or re-appointed after a resignation,
medical retirement, or after her services have been otherwise dispensed with;
or
(ii) the Staff Specialist has completed a
period of leave without pay of more than 40 weeks. In this context, leave
without pay does not include sick leave without pay, maternity leave without
pay, or leave without pay associated with an illness or injury compensable
under the Workers' Compensation Act (NSW) 1987 as varied
from time to time.
(b) Portability of Service for Paid Maternity
Leave
Portability of
service for paid maternity leave involves the recognition of service in
government sector agencies for the purpose of determining a Staff Specialist's
eligibility to receive paid maternity leave. For example, where a Staff
Specialist moves between a public service department and a public hospital,
previous continuous service will be counted towards the service prerequisite
for paid maternity leave.
When
determining a Staff Specialist's eligibility for paid maternity leave,
continuous service with an organisation that is part of the government sector
as defined in the Government Sector Employment Act 2013, as varied from time to time, will be
recognised, provided that:
(i) service was on a full-time or part-time
basis:
(ii) cessation of service with the former
government sector agency was not by reason of dismissal on any ground, except
retrenchment or reduction of work;
(iii) the Staff Specialist commences duty with
the Employer within two months of ceasing employment with the former government
sector agency. Where there is such a break in service, such break will not be
counted as service for the purpose of calculating any prior service
prerequisite for paid maternity leave.
(c) Entitlement to Paid Maternity Leave
An eligible
Staff Specialist is entitled to fourteen weeks at the ordinary rate of pay from
the date maternity leave commences. This leave may commence up to fourteen
weeks prior to the expected date of birth.
It is not compulsory
for a Staff Specialist to take this period off work. However, if a Staff
Specialist decides to work during the nine weeks prior to the date of birth it
is subject to the Staff Specialist being able to satisfactorily perform the
full range of normal duties.
Paid maternity
leave may be paid:
on a normal
fortnightly basis; or
in advance in a
lump sum; or
at the rate of
half pay over a period of twenty-eight weeks on a regular fortnightly basis.
Annual and/or
long service leave credits can be combined with periods of maternity leave on
half pay to enable a Staff Specialist to remain on full pay for that period.
(d) Unpaid Maternity Leave
(i) Full-time and part-time Staff Specialists
who are entitled to paid maternity leave are entitled to a further period of
unpaid maternity leave of not more than 12 months after the actual date of
birth.
(ii) Full-time and part-time Staff Specialists
who are not eligible for paid maternity leave are entitled to unpaid maternity
leave of not more than 12 months.
(e) Applications
A Staff
Specialist who intends to proceed on maternity leave should formally notify the
Employer of such intention as early as possible, so that arrangements
associated with her absence can be made.
Written notice
of not less than eight weeks prior to the commencement of the leave should
accordingly be given. This notice must include a medical certificate stating
the expected date of birth and should also indicate the period of leave
desired.
(f) Variation after Commencement of Leave
After
commencing maternity leave, a Staff Specialist may vary the period of her
maternity leave once only without the consent of the Employer by giving the
Employer notice in writing of the extended period at least fourteen days’
before the start of the extended period. The Employer may accept less notice if
convenient.
A Staff
Specialist may extend the period of maternity leave at any time with the
agreement of the Employer.
The conditions relating
to variation of maternity leave are derived from Section 64 of the Industrial
Relations Act 1996.
(g) Staffing Provisions
In accordance
with obligations established by the Industrial Relations Act 1996
(Section 69) any person who occupies the position of a Staff Specialist on
maternity leave must be informed that the Staff Specialist has the right to
return to her former position. Additionally, since a Staff Specialist has the
right to vary the period of her maternity leave, offers of temporary employment
should be in writing, stating clearly the temporary nature of the contract of
employment. The duration of employment should be also set down clearly; to a
fixed date or until the Staff Specialist elects to return to duty, whichever
occurs first.
(h) Effect of Maternity Leave on Accrual of
Leave, Increments etc.
When the Staff
Specialist has resumed duties, any period of full pay leave is counted in full
for the accrual of annual leave, sick leave and long service leave and any
period of maternity leave on half pay is taken into account to the extent of
one half thereof when determining the accrual of annual leave, sick leave and
long service leave.
Except in the
case of Staff Specialists who have completed ten years' service the period of
maternity leave without pay does not count as service for long service leave
purposes. Where the Staff Specialist has completed ten years' service the
period of maternity leave without pay shall count as service provided such
leave does not exceed six months.
Maternity leave
without pay does not count as service for incremental purposes. Periods of
maternity leave at full pay and at half pay are to be regarded as service for
incremental progression on a pro-rata basis.
Where public
holidays occur during the period of paid maternity leave, payment is at the
rate of maternity leave received i.e., public holidays occurring in a period of
full pay maternity leave are paid at full rate and those occurring during a
period of half pay leave are paid at half rate.
(i) Illness Associated with Pregnancy
If, because of
an illness associated with her pregnancy a Staff Specialist is unable to
continue to work then she can elect to use any available paid leave (sick,
annual and/or long service leave) or to take sick leave without pay.
Where a Staff
Specialist is entitled to paid maternity leave, but because of illness, is on
sick, annual, long service leave, or sick leave without pay prior to the birth,
such leave ceases nine weeks prior to the expected date of birth. The Staff
Specialist then commences maternity leave with the normal provisions applying.
(j) Transfer to a More Suitable Position
Where, because
of an illness or risk associated with her pregnancy, a Staff Specialist cannot
carry out the duties of her position, the Employer is obliged, as far as
practicable, to provide employment in some other position that she is able to
satisfactorily perform. This obligation arises from Section 70 of the Industrial
Relations Act 1996. A position to which a Staff Specialist is transferred
under these circumstances must be as close as possible in status and salary to
her substantive position.
(k) Miscarriages
In the event of
a miscarriage any absence from work is to be covered by the current sick leave
provisions.
(l) Stillbirth
In the case of
a stillbirth, (as classified by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages) a
Staff Specialist may elect to take sick leave, subject to production of a
medical certificate, or maternity leave. She may resume duty at any time
provided she produces a doctor's certificate as to her fitness.
(m) Effect of Premature Birth on Payment of
Maternity Leave
A Staff
Specialist who gives birth prematurely and prior to proceeding on maternity
leave shall be treated as being on maternity leave from the date leave is
commenced to have the child. Should a Staff Specialist return to duty during
the period of paid maternity leave, such paid leave ceases from the date duties
are resumed.
(n) Right to Return to Previous Position
In accordance
with the obligations set out in Section 66 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996,
a Staff Specialist returning from maternity leave has the right to resume her
former position.
Where this
position no longer exists the Staff Specialist is entitled to be placed in a
position nearest in status and salary to that of her former position and to
which the Staff Specialist is capable or qualified.
(o) Further Pregnancy While on Maternity Leave
Where a Staff
Specialist becomes pregnant whilst on maternity leave a further period of
maternity leave shall be granted. If a Staff Specialist enters on the second
period of maternity leave during the currency of the initial period of
maternity leave, then any residual maternity leave from the initial entitlement
ceases
A Staff
Specialist who commences a subsequent period of maternity leave while on unpaid
maternity leave under subclause (d)(i) of Part A of this clause or subclause (a)(ii)
of Part D of this clause is entitled to be paid at their normal rate (i.e. the
rate at which they were paid before proceeding on maternity leave).
A Staff
Specialist who commences a subsequent period of maternity leave during the
first 12 months of a return to duty on a part-time basis as provided under
subclause (a)(iii) of Part D of this clause is entitled to be paid at their
substantive full-time rate for the subsequent period of maternity leave.
A Staff
Specialist who commences a subsequent period of maternity leave more than 12
months after returning to duty on a part-time basis under subclause (a)(iii) of
Part D of this clause, will be entitled to paid maternity leave for the
subsequent period of maternity leave at their part-time rate.
B. Adoption Leave
(a) Eligibility
All full-time
and part-time Staff Specialists who are adopting a child and are to be the primary
care giver of the child are eligible for unpaid adoption leave.
To be eligible
for paid adoption leave a full-time or part-time Staff Specialist must also
have completed at least 40 weeks continuous service prior to the date of taking
custody of the child.
A Staff
Specialist who has once met the conditions of paid adoption leave, will not be
required to again work the 40 weeks continuous service in order to qualify for
further periods of paid adoption leave, unless
(i) there has been a break in service where
the Staff Specialist has been re-employed or re-appointed after a resignation,
medical retirement, or after their services have been otherwise dispensed with;
or
(ii) the Staff Specialist has completed a
period of leave without pay of more than 40 weeks. In this context, leave
without pay does not include sick leave without pay, maternity leave without
pay, or leave without pay associated with an illness or injury compensable
under the Worker's Compensation Act (NSW) 1987 as varied from time to time.
(b) Portability of Service for Paid Adoption
Leave
As per
maternity leave conditions.
(c) Entitlement
(i) Paid Adoption Leave
Eligible Staff
Specialists are entitled to paid adoption leave of fourteen weeks at the
ordinary rate of pay from and including the date of taking custody of the
child.
Paid adoption leave may be paid: -
on a normal fortnightly basis; or
in advance in a lump sum; or
at the rate of half pay over a period of twenty-eight weeks on a
regular fortnightly basis.
Annual and/or long service leave credits can be combined with periods
of adoption leave at half pay to enable a Staff Specialist to remain on full
pay for that period.
(ii) Unpaid Adoption Leave
Eligible Staff
Specialists are entitled to unpaid adoption leave as follows:
where the child
is under the age of 12 months - a period of not more than 12 months from the
date of taking custody;
where the child
is over the age of 12 months and under 18 years old - a period of up to 12
months, such period to be agreed upon by both the Staff Specialist and the
employer.
(d) Applications
Due to the fact
that a Staff Specialist may be given little notice of the date of taking
custody of a child, Staff Specialists who believe that, in the reasonably near
future, they will take custody of a child, should formally notify the employer
as early as practicable of the intention to take adoption leave. This will
allow arrangements associated with the adoption leave to be made.
(e) Variation after Commencement of Leave
After
commencing adoption leave, a Staff Specialist may vary the period of leave,
once without the consent of the employer and otherwise with the consent of the
employer. A minimum of fourteen days’ notice must be given, although the
Employer may accept less notice if convenient.
(f) Staffing Provisions
As per
maternity leave conditions.
(g) Effect of Adoption Leave on Accrual of Leave,
Increments, etc
As per
maternity leave conditions.
(h) Right to return to Previous Position
As per
maternity leave conditions.
C. Parental Leave
(a) Eligibility
To be eligible
for parental leave a full-time or part-time Staff Specialist must have
completed at least 40 weeks continuous service prior to the expected date of
birth or to the date of taking custody of the child.
A Staff
Specialist who has once met the conditions for paid parental leave will not be
required to again work the 40 weeks continuous service in order to qualify for
a further period of paid parental leave, unless -
(i) there has been
a break in service where the Staff Specialist has been re-employed or
re-appointed after a resignation, medical retirement, or after their services
have been otherwise dispensed with: or
(ii) the Staff
Specialist has completed a period of leave without pay of more than 40 weeks.
In this context, leave without pay does not include sick leave without pay,
maternity leave without pay, or leave without pay associated with an illness or
injury compensable under the Workers' Compensation Act (NSW) 1987
as varied from time to time.
(b) Portability of Service for Paid Parental
Leave
As per
maternity leave conditions.
(c) Entitlements
Eligible Staff
Specialists whose spouse or partner (including a same sex partner) is pregnant
or is taking custody of a child, are entitled to a period of leave not
exceeding 52 weeks, which includes one week of paid leave, and may be taken as
follows:
(i) an unbroken period of up to one week at
the time of the birth of the child, taking custody of the child or other
termination of the pregnancy (short parental leave), and
(ii) a further unbroken period in order to be
the primary caregiver of the child (extended parental leave).
(iii) The entitlement of one week’s paid leave
may be taken at anytime within the 52 week period and shall be paid:
at the Staff
Specialists ordinary rate of pay for a period not exceeding one week on full
pay, or
two weeks at
half pay or the period of parental leave taken, whichever is the lesser period.
(iv) Extended parental leave cannot be taken at
the same time as the Staff Specialist’s spouse or partner is on maternity or
adoption leave except as provided for in subclause (a)(i) of Part D Right to
Request of this clause.
Annual and/or
long service leave credits can be combined with periods of parental leave on
half pay to enable a Staff Specialist to remain on full pay for that period.
(d) Applications
A Staff
Specialist who intends to proceed on parental leave should formally notify
their employer of such intention as early as possible, so that arrangements
associated with their absence can be made.
(i) In the case of extended parental leave,
the Staff Specialist should give written notice of the intention to take the
leave.
(ii) The Staff Specialist must, at least four
weeks before proceeding on leave, give written notice of the dates on which
they propose to start and end the period of leave, although it is recognised in
situations of taking custody of a child, little or no notice may be provided to
the Staff Specialist. In such an instance, the Staff Specialist should notify
the employer as early as practicable.
(iii) The Staff Specialist must, before the start
of leave, provide a certificate from a medical practitioner confirming that
their spouse or partner is pregnant and the expected date of birth, or in the
case of an adoption, an official form or notification on taking custody of the
child.
(iv) In the case of extended parental leave, the
Staff Specialist must, before the start of leave, provide a statutory
declaration by the Staff Specialist stating:
(1) if applicable, the period of any
maternity leave sought or taken by his spouse, and
(2) that they are seeking the period of
extended parental leave to become the primary care giver of the child.
(e) Variation after Commencement of Leave -
After
commencing parental leave, a Staff Specialist may vary the period of her/his
parental leave, once without the consent of the employer and otherwise with the
consent of the employer. A minimum of fourteen days’ notice must be given,
although the Employer may accept less notice if convenient.
(f) Effect of Parental Leave on Accrual of
Leave, Increments etc.
As per
maternity leave conditions.
(g) Right to Return to Previous Position
As per
maternity leave conditions.
D. Right to Request
(a) A Staff Specialist entitled to maternity,
adoption or parental leave may request the Employer to allow the Staff
Specialist:
(i) to extend the period of simultaneous
maternity, adoption or parental leave use up to a maximum of eight weeks;
(ii) to extend the period of unpaid maternity,
adoption or extended parental leave for a further continuous period of leave not
exceeding 12 months;
(iii) to return from a period of maternity,
adoption or parental leave on a part-time basis until the child reaches school
age;
to assist the
Staff Specialist in reconciling work and parental responsibilities.
(b) The Employer shall consider the request
having regard to the Staff Specialist’s circumstances and, provided the request
is genuinely based on the Staff Specialist’s parental responsibilities, may
only refuse the request on reasonable grounds related to the effect on the
workplace or the Employer’s business. Such grounds might include cost, lack of
adequate replacement staff, loss of efficiency and the impact on customer
service.
(c) The Staff Specialist’s request and the Employer’s
decision made under subclauses (a)(ii) and (iii) must be recorded in writing.
(d) Where a Staff Specialist wishes to make a
request under subclause (a)(iii):
(i) the Staff Specialist is to make an
application for leave without pay to reduce their full-time weekly hours of
work;
(ii) such application must be made as early as
possible to enable the Employer to make suitable staffing arrangements. At
least four weeks’ notice must be given;
(iii) salary and other conditions of employment
are to be adjusted on a basis proportionate to the Staff Specialist’s full-time
hours of work i.e. for long service leave the period of service is to be
converted to the full-time equivalent and credited accordingly.
(iv) Staff Specialists who return from leave under
this arrangement remain full-time Staff Specialists.
E. Communication During
Leave
(a) Where a Staff Specialist is on maternity,
adoption or parental leave and a definite decision has been made to introduce
significant change at the workplace, the Employer shall take reasonable steps
to:
(i) make information available in relation to
any significant effect the change will have on the status or responsibility
level of the position the Staff Specialist held before commencing the leave;
and
(ii) provide an opportunity for the Staff
Specialist to discuss any significant effect the change will have on the status
or responsibility level of the position the Staff Specialist held before
commencing the leave.
(b) The Staff Specialist shall take reasonable
steps to inform the Employer about any significant matter that will affect the
Staff Specialist’s decision regarding the duration of the leave to be taken,
whether the Staff Specialist intends to return to work and whether the Staff
Specialist intends to request to return to work on a part-time basis.
(c) The Staff Specialist shall also notify
the Employer of changes of address or other contact details which might affect
the Employer’s capacity to comply with subclause (a).
NOTE:
(a) Where a
temporary Staff Specialist is entitled to parental leave under the Industrial
Relations Act 1996, the following provisions shall also apply in addition
to those set out in the Act.
The Employer must not fail to re-engage a temporary
Staff Specialist because:
the Staff Specialist or Staff Specialist’s spouse is
pregnant; or
the Staff Specialist is or has been immediately absent
on parental leave.
The rights of the employer in relation to engagement
and re-engagement of temporary Staff Specialists are not affected, other than
in accordance with this clause.
(b) Liability for
Superannuation Contributions
During a period of unpaid maternity, adoption or
parental leave, the Staff Specialist will not be required to meet the
employer's superannuation liability.
22A. Lactation Breaks
(a) This clause
applies to employees who are lactating mothers. A lactation break is provided
for breastfeeding, expressing milk or other activity necessary to the act of
breastfeeding or expressing milk and is in addition to any other rest period
and meal break as provided for in this Award.
(b) A full-time
employee or a part-time employee working more than four hours per day is
entitled to a maximum of two paid lactation breaks of up to 30 minutes each per
day or per shift.
(c) A part-time
employee working four hours or less on any day or shift is entitled to only one
paid lactation break of up to 30 minutes each per day or per shift worked.
(d) A flexible
approach to lactation breaks can be taken by mutual agreement between an
employee and their manager provided the total lactation break time entitlement
is not exceeded. When giving consideration to any such requests for
flexibility, a manager needs to balance the operational requirements of the
organisation with the lactating needs of the employee.
(e) The employer
shall provide access to a suitable, private space with comfortable seating for
the purpose of breastfeeding or expressing milk. Other suitable facilities,
such as refrigeration and a sink, shall be provided where practicable. Where it
is not practicable to provide these facilities, discussions between the manager
and the employee will take place to attempt to identify reasonable alternative
arrangements for the employee’s lactation needs.
(f) Employees
experiencing difficulties in effecting the transition from home based
breastfeeding to the workplace will have telephone access in paid time to a
free breastfeeding consultative service, such as that provided by the
Australian Breastfeeding Association’s Breastfeeding Helpline Service or the
Public Health System.
(g) Employees
needing to leave the workplace during time normally required for duty to seek
support or treatment in relation to breastfeeding and the transition to the
workplace may utilise sick leave or other leave in accordance with the Award.
23. Telephones
A Staff Specialist required
by the Employer to have a telephone for the purposes of official duty at
his/her home address shall, on presenting an account relating to that telephone
be reimbursed -
(a) three-quarters of the cost of the rental
of the telephone; and
(b) the cost of all official STD telephone
calls or its equivalent.
No payment for
residential fixed telephone will be made where the Employer has issued a mobile
phone to the Staff Specialist (unless the Staff Specialist resides in an area
with no mobile phone coverage).
24. Office,
Secretarial and Administrative Support
Staff Specialists
will have access to such office, secretarial and administrative support as may
be reasonably necessary to undertake the requirements of the position.
25. Specialist Medical Administrators
(a) Where the
Employer determines that Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Medical
Administrators is an essential requirement for appointment to a position, the
holder of that position will be appointed as a Staff Specialist in accordance
with the arrangements set out below.
(b) Pursuant to
clause 5(c) of this Award, Staff Specialists appointed in accordance with this
clause will progress to the next incremental step, up to and including Year 5,
on the anniversary date of his/her commencement.
(c) Appointment or
progression to Senior Staff Specialist grade may occur when the Employer
requires the Staff Specialist to have duties and responsibilities:
(i) across a Local
Health District/Network; or
(ii) involving
management of multiple services, units or department across two (2) or more
facilities.
(d) Specialist Medical Administrators paid in
accordance with this clause are not entitled to the provisions of clause 11
Managerial Allowance.
(e) Except as otherwise provided, Staff
Specialists paid in accordance with this clause are entitled to the terms and
conditions of employment applicable to Staff Specialists. Staff Specialists
paid in accordance with this clause are not entitled to the terms and
conditions of employment applicable to medical superintendents.
26. Labour Flexibility
(a) The Employer may direct a Staff
Specialist to carry out such duties as are reasonable, and within the limits of
the Staff Specialist's skill, competence and training consistent with his/her
classification, grouping and/or career stream provided that such duties are not
designed to promote deskilling.
(b) The Employer may direct a Staff
Specialist to carry out such duties and use such equipment as may be required
provided that the Staff Specialist has been properly trained or has otherwise
acquired the necessary skills in the use of and equipment.
(c) Any direction issued by the Employer
pursuant to subclause (a) and (b) shall be consistent with the Employer’s responsibilities
to provide a safe and healthy work environment.
27. Anti-Discrimination
(a) It is the intention of the parties bound
by this Award to seek to achieve the object in section 3(f) of the Industrial
Relations Act 1996 to prevent and eliminate discrimination in the
workplace. This includes discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, marital
status, disability, homosexuality, transgender identity, age and
responsibilities as a carer.
(b) It follows that in fulfilling their
obligations under the dispute resolution procedure prescribed by this Award the
parties have obligations to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the
operation of the provisions of this Award are not directly or indirectly
discriminatory in their effects. It will be consistent with the fulfilment of
these obligations for the parties to make application to vary any provision of
the Award which, by its terms or operation, has a direct or indirect
discriminatory effect.
(c) Under the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977,
it is unlawful to victimise a Staff Specialist because the Staff Specialist has
made or may make or has been involved in a complaint of unlawful discrimination
or harassment.
(d) Nothing in this clause is to be taken to
affect:
(i) any conduct or act which is specifically
exempted from anti-discrimination legislation;
(ii) offering or providing junior rates of pay
to persons under 21 years of age;
(iii) any act or practice of a body established
to propagate religion which is exempted under section 56(d) of the Anti-Discrimination
Act 1977;
(iv) a party to this Award from pursuing matters
of unlawful discrimination in any State or federal jurisdiction.
(e) This clause does not create legal rights or
obligations in addition to those imposed upon the parties by the legislation
referred to in this clause.
28. Underpayment and Overpayment of Salaries
The following
process will apply once the issue of underpayment or overpayment is
substantiated.
(a) Underpayment:
(i) If the amount underpaid is equal to or
greater than one day’s gross base pay the underpayment will be rectified within
three working days;
(ii) If the amount underpaid is less than one
day’s gross base pay it will be rectified by no later than the next normal pay.
However if the employee can demonstrate that rectification in this manner would
result in undue hardship every effort will be made by the employer to rectify
the underpayment within three working days.
(b) Overpayment
(i) In all cases where overpayments have
occurred, the employer shall as soon as possible advise the employee concerned
of both the circumstances surrounding the overpayment and the amount involved.
The employer will also advise the employee of the pay period from which the
recovery of the overpayment is to commence.
(ii) One off overpayments will be recovered in
the next normal pay, except that where the employee can demonstrate that undue
hardship would result, the recovery rate shall be at 10% of an employee's gross
fortnightly base pay.
(iii) Unless the employee agrees otherwise, the
maximum rate at which cumulative overpayments can be recovered is an amount,
calculated on a per fortnight basis, equivalent to 10% of the employee's gross
fortnightly base pay.
(iv) The recovery rate of 10% of an employee's
gross fortnightly base pay referred to in subclause (b) (iii) above may be
reduced by agreement, where the employee can demonstrate that undue hardship
would result.
(v) Where an employee's remaining period of
service does not permit the full recovery of any overpayment to be achieved on
the fortnightly basis prescribed in subclause (b) (iii) above, the employer
shall have the right to deduct any balance of such overpayment from monies
owing to the employee on the employee's date of termination, resignation or
retirement, as the case may be.
29. Monthly Leave Return
Each Staff
Specialist is required to provide a signed monthly leave return showing any
leave taken in the previous month, to be certified by the relevant unit or
service manager or the relevant hospital executive director/general manager.
30. Consultation
Regarding Change
(a) Where an employer
has made a definite decision to introduce changes in organisation, structure,
health service delivery, or technology that are likely to have significant
effects on employees covered by this Award, the employer shall notify the Union
and employees who may be affected by the proposed changes. Discussions shall
commence as soon as practicable after such decision has been taken.
(b) “Significant
effects” includes:
i. termination of
employment;
ii. major changes
in the composition, operation or size of the employer’s workforce or in the
skills required;
iii. changes in
employment and/or promotional opportunities or job tenure for a class or group
of employees;
iv. the alteration
of hours of work for a class or group of employees; or
v. the need for
training or transfer of a class or group of employees to other work or
location, and the restructuring of jobs.
(c) The employer
shall discuss with the employees affected and the Union, inter alia, the
introduction of the changes referred to in paragraph (a) above, the effects the
changes are likely to have on employees and any measures proposed by the
employer to avert or mitigate the adverse effects of such changes on employees,
and shall give prompt consideration to matters raised by the employees and/or
the Union in relation to the changes.
(d) For the purpose
of such discussion, the employer shall provide to the employees concerned and
the Union all relevant information about the changes including the nature of
the changes proposed and the expected significant effects of the changes on
employees. Provided that the employer shall not be required to disclose
confidential information, the disclosure of which would adversely affect the
employer, the Ministry of Health or the Secretary of the Ministry of Health; or
is an exempt matter under the Government Information (Public Access) Act
2009 (the GIPA Act).
(e) The provision
of communication during maternity, adoption or parental leave is in accordance
with Clause 22 E of this Award.
(f) With respect to
occupational health safety matters as referred to in the Work Health and
Safety Act 2011, the provisions of that Act apply, and specifically the
provisions under Section 47, "Duty to consult workers", as varied
from time to time.
31. No Extra Claims
Other than as
provided for in the Industrial Relations
Act 1996 and the Industrial Relations (Public Sector
Conditions of Employment) Regulation 2014 (or its successor however described), there shall be no further
claims/demands or proceedings instituted before the Industrial Relations
Commission of New South Wales for extra or reduced wages, salaries, rates of
pay, allowances or conditions of employment with respect to the employees
covered by the Award that take effect prior to 30 June 2023 by a party to this
Award.
32. Area, Incidence and Duration
(a) This Award
takes effect from 1 July 2022 and shall remain in force until varied or rescinded,
noting the period for which it was made having already expired. The wage rates
and allowances as outlined in the tables in Part B, Monetary Rates will apply
from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2023.
(b) This Award
rescinds and replaces the Staff
Specialists (State) Award 2021 and all variations thereof.
(c) This Award
shall apply to all Staff Specialists as defined in clause 2, Definitions, of
this Award.
PART B - MONETARY RATES
In the period 1 July 2023 to the commencement
of the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2023, the applicable rates of
pay are those that applied immediately prior to the first full pay period on or
after 1 July 2023.
SCHEDULE 1 -
STAFF SPECIALISTS SALARY RATES
Staff Specialist
|
Frequency
|
Rates from first pay period on or after
01-Jul-2023
$
|
Staff Specialists
|
|
|
1
|
Annual
|
186,241
|
2
|
Annual
|
197,132
|
3
|
Annual
|
208,017
|
4
|
Annual
|
218,934
|
5
|
Annual
|
229,825
|
Senior
|
Annual
|
251,618
|
Postgraduate
Fellow
|
|
|
Postgraduate
Fellow
|
Annual
|
216,339
|
SCHEDULE 2 –
ALLOWANCES
Managerial Allowance
|
Allowance Description
|
Frequency
|
Rates from first pay period on or after
01-Jul-2023
$
|
Level 1
|
Managerial
Allowance
|
Annual
|
25,832
|
Level 2
|
Managerial
Allowance
|
Annual
|
45,208
|
Level 3
|
Managerial Allowance
|
Annual
|
64,581
|
PART C - OTHER MATTERS
SCHEDULE 1
SECTION A
1. List of
individuals
The following individuals shall be entitled to the provisions
of clauses 6, 7, and 9 of this Award with certain modifications, as set out
below
Dr Peter Gale
Dr David Kirkpatrick
Dr Garry Nieuwkamp
Dr Martin Pallas
Dr Philip Watt
Dr David York
2. Election rights
(a) An individual
named in paragraph 1 above may elect to access either: -
Option 1 - the provisions set out in paragraph 3 below,
i.e. a modified form of the provisions of clauses 6, 7, and 9 of this Award;
or,
Option 2 - on
the condition that he/she forfeits the right to his/her existing motor vehicle
arrangement, the provisions of clauses 6, 7, and 9 of this Award without
modification.
(b) This election
may be exercised prior to each salary sacrifice review date.
(c) Subject to:
(i) the conditions
outlined in paragraph 3 below; and,
(ii) remaining in
his/her current position (as at 22 October 1999); and,
(iii) retaining an
entitlement to payment of the abnormal hours or managerial allowance (as the
case may be);
an individual
who elects Option 1 will be able to continue to trade the relevant allowance
(abnormal hours or managerial) for the provision of a motor vehicle for full
private and business use. This entitlement will not be considered to be part of
the salary sacrifice arrangements for the purposes of the calculation of the 50%.
(d) An individual
who elects to access Option 2 will have no right of reversion to the existing
motor vehicle arrangement The parties agree that such an individual will be
deemed to have had his/her name deleted from the list in paragraph 1 above until
such time as the Award is varied to reflect that election.
3. Modifications
If an individual elects Option 1 in paragraph 2 above
he/she may access the provisions of clauses 6, 7 and 9 of the Award subject to
an additional contribution being made to the Employer in accordance with the
following.
Each individual who elects Option 1 in paragraph 2
above shall contribute an amount equivalent to 55% of the average FBT liability
for the motor vehicles provided as calculated for those individuals participating
in this option. Such calculation is to be based on the assumption that each
individual is packaging the maximum permissible FBT exempt amount. This FBT
calculation shall be made at the end of each FBT year and shall be applied to
contributions for the following year.
SECTION B
1. List of
individuals
The following
individuals shall be entitled to the provisions of clauses 6, 7, 8 and 9 of
this Award with certain modifications, as set out below.
Dr Richard Burstal
|
Dr Adarsh Gill
|
Dr William Saul
|
Dr Ross Kerridge
|
|
Dr Christopher Wake
|
2. Modifications
The individuals
listed immediately above shall be entitled to the provisions of clauses 6-9 of
the Award. In addition, whilst ever these individuals remain in their current
positions (as at 22 October 1999) and retain an entitlement to payment of the
abnormal hours allowance or managerial allowance (as the case may be), they
shall be entitled to continue the current arrangements approved by the
Secretary of the NSW Ministry of Health under which they forego payment of the
abnormal hours allowance or managerial allowance (as the case may be), receive
a motor vehicle under SES provisions and pay the difference up to the SES motor
vehicle contribution rate. This entitlement is subject to payment of the full
amount of fringe benefits tax payable by SES officers, i.e. the FBT exemption
will not be shared between the Employer and the Staff Specialist. This
entitlement will not be considered to be part of the salary sacrifice
arrangements for the purposes of the calculation of the 50%.
SCHEDULE 2 - RECOGNISED AUSTRALASIAN SPECIALIST COLLEGES
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
·
Adult
Medicine Division
- Australasian
Chapter of Addiction Medicine
- Australasian
Chapter of Palliative Medicine
- Australasian
Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine
- Australasian
Faculty of Public Health Medicine
- Australasian
Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Australasian
Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
- Paediatrics
and Child Health Division
- Chapter
of Community Child Health
Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists
- Faculty
of Radiation Oncology
Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists
Australasian College of Dermatologists
College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand
Australasian College for Emergency Medicine
Australasian College of Sports Physicians
SCHEDULE 3 - SPECIALTIES OR CATEGORIES OF POSITIONS
COVERED BY CLAUSE 4 (D)
(i) Emergency
medicine
ANNEXURE
PRO FORMA STAFF SPECIALIST
PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT
|
|
Name of Staff Specialist:
|
|
Name of Supervisor:
|
|
Date:
Work location(s):
Allocation of time at location(s):
|
Full-time or part-time:
Days on which normal duties are worked:
Nature of work to be performed during normal duties and time allocated:
Clinical:
Teaching:
Administrative:
Research:
Quality improvement:
Other:
|
Part-time Working Arrangement (Yes/No): attach approval if applicable
|
Outside practice (Yes/No): attach approval if applicable
|
Anticipated on call frequency and roster:
|
Any specific call-back requirements:
|
Agreed College or other professional association activities (include
estimate of time spent):
|
Billing expectations (Level 1 only):
(NB: categories of patients, clinics, etc, not financial targets.)
|
Financial, activity or health targets (where appropriate):
|
Specific commitments and standards from the Employer for the provision
of:
Clinical Support:
Staff:
Equipment:
Facilities:
Billing:
|
Expectations in respect of:
Management responsibilities:
Quality improvement/clinical governance:
Teaching activities:
Continuing education:
Research:
Health outcomes:
|
Twelve month review:
Evaluation of level of achievement by supervisor:
Signature:
|
Comments by Staff Specialist:
Signature:
|
Signature of Chief Executive of the relevant public health organisation
(or his/her nominee)
Signature:
|
D.
SLOAN, Commissioner
____________________
Printed by
the authority of the Industrial Registrar.