Public Sector Wages Agreement 2016 - Update

Salary progression and advanced assessment guidelines

These guidelines (first published in January 2010) provide the framework within which Agencies establish practices and processes for progression, and advancement to give effect to the relevant Award provisions.

• Salary progression and advancement assessment guidelines (PDF) 

Summary of changes arising from PSUWA 2016

A summary of the changes that have been made to Agreements and Awards as a result of the registration of the PSUWA 2016 (replacing PSUWA 2013) and related Agreements on 22 December 2016.

Part 1 – Changes arising from Agreements

• Changes common to all Agreements (except Correctional Officers)
• Changes specific to:
  • Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement 2016 (PSUWA 2016)
  • AWU Public Sector Unions Wages Agreement 2016 (AWU Agreement 2016 )
  • Dental Officers Agreement 2016
  • EFA Agreement 2016
  • AHP Agreement 2016
  • Radiation Therapists Agreement 2016
  • Correctional Officers Agreement 2016

Part 2 – Changes arising from Award variations

• Changes common to all Awards
• Changes specific to:
  • TSSA
  • HaHSA
  • Facility Attendants (Tasmanian State Service) Award
  • AWU Award

Part 3 – Matters to be resolved during the life of Agreements

• Arising from PSUWA 2016
• Arising from Dental Officers 2016
• Arising from AHP Agreement 2016
• Arising from Radiation Therapists 2016

Part 1 – Changes arising from Agreements

This is a summary of the changes that have been made to Agreements and Awards as a result of the registration of the PSUWA 2016 (replacing PSUWA 2013) and related Agreements on 22 December 2016.

Date and Period of Operation

Changes common to all Agreements (except Correctional Officers)

• Negotiations on new PSUWA, AWU Agreement, Dental Officers Agreement, EFA Agreement, Radiation Therapists Agreement and AHP Agreement should commence prior to 30 April 2018.

Salaries

• Two (2) per cent per annum with effect from the first full pay period commencing on or after (ffppcooa) 1 December 2016, or $1,144 per annum whichever is the greater.
• Two (2) per cent per annum with effect ffppcooa 1 December 2017, or $1,167 per annum, whichever is the greater.
• Salaries tables are included within the Agreement rather than the Awards.

Novated Lease

• New clause inserted that allows for an employee to elect to salary sacrifice a proportion of their salary for the novated lease of a motor vehicle through an employer-nominated organisation (currently Maxxia Pty Ltd).
• Arrangement has to be compliant with Tasmanian or Commonwealth legislation.
• All fringe benefits tax, other tax liabilities and/or direct administrative costs associated with the lease are the responsibility of the employee.
• The State Government contract with Maxxia is now managed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on behalf of the Government.
• Employees seeking advice or information regarding novated leasing should contact Maxxia on 1300 123 123 or visit www.maxxia.com.au.

Lactation Breaks

• New clause inserted that provides for lactation breaks in addition to the existing provision for breastfeeding facilities.
• Clarifies that access to breaks is for all employees with parental responsibilities, not only mothers.

Adjustment of Wage Related Allowances in Agreements

• New provision included to ensure that any wage related allowances in the Agreements are routinely increased in line with salary increases.
• The allowances are to be automatically adjusted upward from ffppcooa 1 July each year by the same percentage as the salary rate specified in the relevant Agreement has increased in the previous 12 months.

PSUWA 2016

Classification Structure

• The Advancement Assessment Points (AAPs) in TSSA and HaHSA General Stream Band 4, Band 6, 7 and 8 have been moved one salary point up the scale to return the balance of the number of salary points in Range 1 and Range 2 of each Band to reflect the original General Stream classification structure.
• There is no additional cost arising from this change.
• Where an employee had already passed an AAP that has been moved, the employee should not be disadvantaged or required to meet the requirements again as a result of this change.
• As part of the implementation, the salary point name for existing employees will need to be changed, ie:
  
  • an employee who was on B4-R2-1 will have the name of their salary point changed to B4-R1-4;
  • an employee who was on B6-R2-1 will have the name of their salary point changed to B6-R1-4;
  • an employee who was on B7-R2-1 will have the name of their salary point changed to B7-R1-3; and
  • an employee who was on B8-R2-1 will have the name of their salary point changed to B8-R1-3.

Night Shift Allowances

• Night Shift Allowance provided in HaHSA will increase as follows:
  • 18 per cent with effect from ffppcooa 1 December 2016; and
  • 22 per cent with effect from ffppcooa 1 December 2017.

Provisions Incorporated from PSUWA 2013

• The following provisions of PSUWA 2013 have been incorporated into the PSUWA 2016:
  • Cashing Out of Recreation Leave (PDF)
  • Email and Internet Access
  • Personal Leave Accumulation Scheme (PDF)

AWU Agreement 2016

Provisions incorporated from AWU Agreement 2013

• The following provisions of the AWU Agreement 2013 have been incorporated into the AWU Agreement 2016:
  • Cashing Out of Recreation Leave (PDF)
  • Email and Internet Access
  • Personal Leave Accumulation Scheme (PDF)

Dental Officers Agreement 2016

General

• This is a new Agreement. Dental Officers have previously been included in the PSUWA.

Provisions incorporated from PSUWA 2013 Agreements

• The following provisions of the PSUWA 2013 have been incorporated into the Dental Officers Agreement 2016:
  • Cashing Out of Recreation Leave (PDF)
  • Email and Internet Access

EFA Agreement 2016

Provisions incorporated from EFA Agreement 2013

• The following provisions of the EFA Agreement 2013 have been incorporated into the EFA Agreement 2016:
  • Classification and Salary Structure
  • Allowances
  • Protective Clothing Allowance
  • Call Back
  • Split Shift Allowance

AHP Agreement 2016

Competency Progression Barrier (Level 1-2)

• Forensic Scientist provisions separated out to create new clause. No change to content.

Professional Development

• A new clause has been inserted to provide improved access to professional development.
• The clause specifically provides for a Professional Development Fund (PDF) to be created within each Agency for each AHP;
• The PDF for each employee is available every two (2) years with any unspent monies from previous years rolled over in addition to the new allocation.
• The rates to be paid are $1,224 ffppcooa 1 December 2016 and will increase to $1,248 ffppcooa 1 December 2017 (inclusive of the wage related allowance increase at 1 December 2017).
• The management and approval process for these funds is to be at the lowest appropriate management level to ensure access and efficiencies.
• There is still a requirement to provide a decision on request to access the funds by an Allied Health Professional within 14 days.
• When included in the application, the expenses associated with approved professional development will be paid by the employer including attendance at conference and airfare expenses where required. Accommodation and meal expenses where required will be paid in accordance with the travel allowance provisions of the relevant award.
• A clause has also been inserted to ensure wherever possible the workload will be appropriately managed and not used as an impediment to attending professional development activities.

Professional Practice Functions Allowance

• A Professional Practice Functions Allowance (PPFA) has been introduced that replaces the Clinical Mixed Functions Allowance. The PPFA
  • applies to employees who are directed to perform higher level professional practice functions; and
  • where essential professional practice intervention is required beyond the scope of the employee’s classification level, for example performing a particular statutory or required delegated requirements that must be performed.
• The quantum of the Allowance is the difference between the employee’s current salary and the next higher salary rate of the next higher classification level.
• The Allowance is payable for periods from one (1) day up to four (4) days.
• Where the requirements extend to five (5) days or more, normal Higher Duties Allowance provisions will apply.
• The Allowance is not payable for undertaking higher level supervisory or management functions.

Provisions Incorporated from AHP Agreement 2014

• The following provisions of the AHP Agreement 2014 have been incorporated into the AHP Agreement 2016:
  • Qualifications Allowance
  • Corrections Allowance
  • Night Shift Allowance
  • On Call Allowance (updated rate $4.00 per hour)
  • Availability Allowance (updated rate $2.30 per hour)
  • Market Allowance
  • Hours of Work
  • Safe Working and Fatigue Management
  • Appointment Salaries
  • AHP3 Personal Upgrade Scheme

Radiation Therapists Agreement 2016

Professional Development

• A new clause has been inserted to provide improved access to professional development.
• The clause specifically provides for a Professional Development Fund (PDF) to be created within each Agency for each Radiation Therapist
• The PDF for each employee is available every two years with any unspent monies from previous years rolled over in addition to the new allocation.
• The rates to be paid are $1,224 ffppcooa 1 December 2016 and will increase to $1,248 ffppcooa 1 December 2017 (inclusive of the wage related allowance increase at 1 December 2017).
• The management and approval process for these funds is to be at the lowest appropriate management level to ensure access and efficiencies.
• There is still a requirement to provide a decision on request to access the funds by Radiation Therapist within 14 days.
• When included in the application, the expenses associated with approved professional development will be paid by the employer including attendance at conference and airfare expenses where required. Accommodation and meal expenses where required will be paid in accordance with the travel allowance provisions of the relevant award.
• A clause has also been inserted to ensure wherever possible the workload will be appropriately managed and not used as an impediment to attending professional development activities.

Professional Practice Functions Allowance

• A Professional Practice Functions Allowance (PPFA) has been introduced that replaces the Clinical Mixed Functions Allowance. The PPFA:
  • applies to employees who are directed to perform higher level professional practice functions; and
  • where essential professional practice intervention is required beyond the scope of the employee’s classification level, for example performing a particular statutory or required delegated requirements that must be performed.
• The quantum of the Allowance is the difference between the employee’s current salary and the next higher salary rate of the next higher classification level.
• The Allowance is payable for periods from one (1) day up to four (4) days.
• Where the requirements extend to five (5) days or more then normal Higher Duties Allowance provisions will apply.
• The Allowance is not payable for undertaking higher level supervisory or management functions.

On Call Allowance

• The On Call provisions from the AHP Agreement 2016 have been inserted into the Radiation Therapists Agreement 2016 in totality replacing the reference to the AHP Agreement contained in the Radiation Therapists Agreement 2013.

Availability Allowance

• The Availability provisions from the AHP Agreement have been inserted into the Radiation Therapists Agreement in totality replacing the reference to the AHP Agreement contained in the Radiation Therapists Agreement 2013.

Provisions Incorporated from Radiation Therapists Agreement 2013

• The following provisions of the Radiation Therapists Agreement 2013 have been incorporated into the Radiation Therapists Agreement 2016:
  • Qualifications Recognition
  • Classification
  • Job Sharing
  • Working from Home
  • Night Shift Allowance
  • Safe Working and Fatigue management
  • Appointment Salaries
  • Market Allowance

Correctional Officers Agreement 2016

Date and Period of Operation

• Agreement is effective from 5 January 2017 (date of registration) and remains in place until 31 December 2018.
• Negotiations on new Agreement should commence prior to 1 September 2018.

Salaries

• Two (2) per cent per annum with effect from the first full pay period commencing on or after (ffppcooa) 1 December 2016, or $1,144 per annum whichever is the greater.
• Two (2) per cent per annum with effect ffppcooa 1 December 2017, or $1,167 per annum, whichever is the greater.
• One (1) per cent per annum with effect ffppcooa 1 July 2018, or $589 per annum, whichever is the greater.

Higher Duties Allowance

• New provision agreed enabling payment of higher duties allowance where an employee is directed to undertake the work of a higher classified position for a full shift.

Adjustment of Wage Related Allowances in Agreement

• New provision included to ensure that any wage related allowances in the Agreements are routinely increased in line with salary increases.
• The allowances are to be automatically adjusted upward from ffppcooa 1 July each year by the same percentage as the rate for Correctional Officer First Class has increased in the previous 12 months.

Provisions Incorporated from Correctional Officers Agreement 2013

• The following provisions of the Correctional Officers Agreement 2013 have been incorporated into the Correctional Officers Agreement 2016:
  • Annual Salary to Compensate for Shift Work
  • Shift Work
  • Availability and Recall
  • Duty Manager Allowance
  • Management of Recreation Leave by Employees
  • Classification Structure and Progression Arrangements
  • Relevant Prior Experience and Qualifications
  • Salary Packaging
  • Job Sharing
  • Work Health and Safety
  • Productivity and Efficiency
  • TRG Training
  • Payment of Overtime
  • Meal Breaks

Part 2 – Changes arising from Award variations

Changes common to all Awards

Date of Effect

• Changes are effective from 22 December 2016.

Compassionate and Bereavement Leave

• The current bereavement leave clause is replaced with a new clause to encompass compassionate leave as well as bereavement leave. The quantum of leave available to an employee is unchanged.
• Compassionate grounds are when a member of the employee’s immediate family or household has a life threatening illness or injury and for whom the employee is providing care or support.
• Employees can access up to 10 days compassionate/bereavement leave for each particular family member in any Personal Leave Year.
• There is further paid and unpaid leave available at the discretion of the employer.
• Casuals are entitled to not be available to attend work for up to 5 days per annum per particular member of the family.

Family Violence Leave

• This is a new stand-alone provision for employees to have access to paid family violence leave as an entitlement and support for employees who are experiencing family violence.
• It reflects a commitment by the Government to lead the way in providing support for their employees who are experiencing family violence.
• It includes references previously contained within personal leave clauses.
• The entitlement is for up to 10 days paid leave per personal leave year.
• There is discretion for the Head of Agency to approve additional Family Violence leave.
• Privacy and confidentiality is of primary importance – nothing is to be kept on personnel file unless consent is given by employee.
• An employee providing support to a member of their immediate family or household experiencing family violence can access personal leave.
• Casual employees are entitled to not be available to attend work for up to 10 days per occasion.
• Employment Direction No 28 is being amended to reflect the new provisions.

Personal Leave

• Personal leave clause has been updated to reflect the new Family Violence leave clause.

Maternity, Partner and Adoption Leave

• An increase in entitlements from 12 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave to 14 weeks paid leave.
• All references to 12 weeks and 24 weeks have changed to 14 weeks and 28 weeks.
• An increase in partner leave entitlements from one (1) day upon the birth to five (5) days taken consecutively from the day of the birth.
• Partners can access an additional two (2) weeks from accrued leave or as leave without pay (LWOP) – (LWOP option enables an employee to access Commonwealth payments).
• Non-primary care giver leave within adoption leave has increased to five (5) days, from the date of placement.
• References to spouse, de facto, and paternity have been updated to partner where appropriate.
• Implementation advice – Only employees on the paid component of leave (maternity, adoption or partner leave) on 22 December 2016 (date of award variation) and those commencing the paid component of leave after that date are eligible for the increased entitlement to paid leave.

Tasmanian State Service Award (TSSA) Changes

Cadet and Graduate Classification Restructuring – Part 11 Clause 6(h) and (i)

• The movement of the Advancement Assessment Point (AAP) in the salary structure set out in the Agreement has necessitated changes to the reference points for the Cadet and Graduate classification scales.
• Implementation advice – where a Cadet/Graduate has already passed the AAP in Band 4, the employee should not be required to meet the requirements again as a result of this change.

Overtime – Part VI Clause 3

• Insertion of new sub clause (n) – Overtime for Day Work - that provides for a three (3) hour minimum payment for planned overtime that is not continuous with the ordinary work.
• Applies where prior notice is given.
• Does not apply in situations where availability and recall are payable.
• The new clause does not apply in situations where an employee returns to work for a short period to perform duties as part of their normal work. This may include scheduled and routine updating of IT systems, planned out of hours community meetings (including meetings with volunteers). In these situations the employee will be paid overtime at the appropriate rate for the actual time worked.

Foul and Nauseous Allowance – Part IV Clause 11

• New Clause inserted that applies only to Department of Justice employees who are regularly required to clear blocked sewerage pipes or similar, including laundry waste traps.

Health and Human Services Award (HaHSA) changes

Cadet and Graduate Classification Restructuring – Part 11 Clause 6(h) and (i)

• The movement of the Advancement Assessment Point in the salary structure set out in the Agreement has necessitated changes to the reference points for the Cadet and Graduate classification scales.
• Implementation advice – where a Cadet/Graduate has already passed the AAP in Band 4, the employee should not be required to meet the requirements again as a result of this change.

Late Payment of Salary

• Clause has been changed to provide for payment of waiting time arrangements that are consistent with TSSA.

Facility Attendants (Tasmanian State Service) Award

Higher Duties Allowance – Level 4

• A new clause has been inserted that enables employees acting in a Level 4 role to be paid a higher duties allowance when required to undertake the duties for a period of five (5) or more consecutive working days.

AWU (Tasmanian State Sector) Award changes

Personal Leave

• Clause has been amended consistent with TSSA to allow employees covered by the Award who are subject to the provisions to provide statutory declarations for caring purposes.

Part 3 - Matters to be resolved during the life of Agreements

Matters arising from PSUWA 2016

General

• The Head of the State Service has written to unions and confirmed the employer’s commitment to achieve a number of agreed outcomes in relation to employment related matters within 12 months, unless specified otherwise.
• These commitments have been provided to the TIC as part of the registration of the Agreements.
• Commitment to these matters reflects the on-going efforts to modernise employment arrangements in the State Service within the existing legislative framework.

Workforce Planning

• Develop a framework and approach for developing Workforce Planning.
• This will focus on identifying capabilities, opportunities for employees to develop career paths for the future and managing demographic changes in the workforce.

Behaviours

• Continue to develop the following components of appropriate behaviours by and to employees in the State Service with agreed outcomes
  • Aggression and violence against employees by clients;
  • Family Violence Leave (in Awards) and support;
  • Inappropriate behaviours; and
  • Positive workplace behaviours – embedding values, principles and behaviours.
• This will be achieved by Policy Statement, guidelines and/or toolkits, expectations and/or actions to be achieved and finalised by 31 March 2017.

Employment Framework

• Examine the framework for employment arrangements, including Examination of Employment Directions (EDs). This work has already commenced.
• This will involve consultation with unions on a range of matters the unions wish to explore:
  • Guidelines for broadbanding;
  • Arrangements for reclassifications and interpretation of merit involving promotion without advertising;
  • Phased-in retirement (transition arrangements);
  • Review arrangements in relation to Registration, Professional Accreditation and essential qualifications and loss of registration (temporary or permanent); and
  • Working with Children checks for present employees.
• The Review in relation to ED1, ED 5, and ED 6 will be finalised by 30 June 2017 and ED 26 and WHS (ED 23, 27, and 29) will be finalised by 31 December 2017.

HaHSA Leave Loading

• Establish a Working Group to examine issues associated with Leave Loading in HaHSA and introducing pay as you go for Leave Loading (HaHSA).
• Outcomes from the review will be implemented by 30 June 2017.
• An Award variation may be required.

TSSA Shift and Penalty Provisions

• In consultation with the unions, examine Shift and Penalty arrangements (TSSA), including flexible hours arrangements.
• This review is particularly relevant to work arrangements within the Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and Environment, but may also be relevant to other Agencies.
• The outcomes of the examination are to be reported by 31 November 2017.

Public Comment by State Service Employees

• Develop policy and guidelines on ‘employees as citizens’ including:
  • Public comments;
  • Working with Ministers’ Offices; and
  • Social Media.
• This will be completed by 31 March 2017.

Youth Recruitment

• Establish Youth Employment programs for cadets, trainees, apprenticeships and graduates in 2016 and 2017.

Laboratory Technician Resourcing and Career Structure and Qualifications for Teacher Assistants (Department of Education (DOE) only)

• The Department of Education will consult with the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) in relation to progressing Laboratory Technician Resourcing and Career Structure and qualification for Teacher Assistants within present classification arrangements.
• This will be finalised by 30 June 2017.

Review Awards

• In consultation with unions, modernise awards without changes to the intent of provisions (including ensuring gender neutrality (eg: Maternity and Parental/Paternity Leave and Waiting Time Payments)).

Matters arising from Dental Officers 2016

Professional Development Allowance and Sabbatical Leave

• Replace the present sabbatical leave and professional development allowance arrangements with one provision (clause) and one allowance.
• This work will be finalised by 1 March 2017 and where the arrangement is agreed between the parties it will be implemented by the next ffppcooa after that date.
• Without limiting the scope of the work outlined above this will include consideration to increasing the professional development allowance and ceasing the current sabbatical leave where arrangements have been reached regarding the professional development allowance.

Classification Structure

• During the lifetime of the Agreement, the employer undertakes to a joint process with HACSU and CPSU regarding the Dental Officers classification structure, including a Specialist Dental Officer Classification to meet the future operations of Oral Health Services Tasmania. This will include a review of other jurisdictions arrangements and structures.
• Without prejudice this will include the most appropriate industrial instruments with which to cover Dental Officers.
• The review will also consider the skills and qualifications allowance and an appropriate mechanism for indexing all allowances paid to employees.

Flexible Work Arrangements

• In any professional environment it is recognised that incidental additional hours can occur from time to time, however, in the present environment for duties beyond normal work hours time-off will apply. This will be formalised by establishment of a TOIL arrangement, where should the employee not receive TOIL within 28 days at a mutually agreed time then the hours would be paid to the employee at single time. This will be finalised by 31 March 2017.
• If and when rostering for duty at weekends is introduced, arrangements and entitlements for Dental Officers will be included in the appropriate Instrument, potentially Dental Officers Agreement (refer introductory comments) after consultation and negotiation with unions, which will occur prior to the rostering changes.

Matters arising from AHP Agreement 2016

Back Fill for long term planned absence including Long Service Leave and Maternity Leave

• DHHS and the Tasmanian Health Service (THS) to issue guidelines for management of long-term planned absences by 31 December 2016.
• These guidelines will include the following as principles:

• Long term planned and anticipated leave such as Long Service Leave shall be factored into annual budgets.  Likely maternity leave based on historical rates and workforce profile will be factored into budgets as practical. It is recognised that this will be easier to anticipate in larger work groups.
• It is not preferable to change service levels in response to long term leave, but on occasion this will be considered, in particular where roles are unable to be filled.
• The Tasmanian Health Service recognises that Nutrition and Dietetics has an unusually high occurrence of maternity leave this year and commits to advertise to fill these absences.
• Similarly, the Department of Education and other Agencies will discuss arrangements for managing long term absences with unions in relation to their AHP workforces.

Broadening fatigue management by ensuring 10 hour breaks after callouts

• Guidelines are to be issued by DHHS/THS to support current working and fatigue management clause in the Agreement for AHP by 31 December 2016.
• These guidelines will include the following:
  • Wherever possible employees should receive a break of no less than 8 hours per day.  To assist managing safe working hours, Managers should use their judgment and recognise issues such as time of day and number of call ins, the length and nature of the previous and next shift, travel requirements and so forth.
  • A safe hours of work guideline document will be developed (or where it exists, reviewed) to provide employees, managers and Human Resources staff with examples to assist ensuring safe working arrangements.  AHP, union, HR/WHS representatives will contribute to the guidelines.
  • Similarly, the Department of Education and other Agencies will discuss arrangements for managing fatigue management with unions in relation to their AHP workforces, however with a commencement of these discussions in March 2017.

Arrangements for setting the level on appointment for existing staff gaining AHP qualifications and moving to AHP within like professional groups.

• The Director State Service Management Office is to instruct Agencies that salary level on appointment where there is a career progression in a relevant discipline, will be the next highest point in the AHP salary scale (letter sent 23 December 2016).

Formalising appropriate child protection (CP) after hours arrangements and discussion of vehicle arrangements

• Reflect custom and practice arrangements that presently exist with agreement variation for CP by March 2017.
• DHHS to discuss arrangements for after hours for child protection managers who may need to respond by 31 March 2017.
• DHHS to examine and present instruction for after hours for CP managers who need to respond. To be circulated by 31 March 2017.

The extension of the professional upgrade scheme from DHHS & THS to all other AHP areas

• To be considered and discussed with union outside of the Agreement as to impact by 31 March 2017.

Department of Education specific – arrangements to allow AHPs to take recreation leave within school terms

• The Department of Education and unions will commence discussions about working arrangements for AHP prior to March 2017.

Department of Education specific – use of private vehicles for work purposes

• The Department of Education and unions to enter discussions in relation to the use of employees’ own vehicles. This to occur by 31 March 2017. However, noting that the following has occurred:
  • A new process now been implemented whereby Learning Services Southern Regionvehicles can be collected and returned out of hours.
  • The Department of Education exploring potential garaging of vehicles at Professional Learning Institute (PLI).
  • In Learning Services Northern Region vehicles are home garaged.
  • At the end of this year all vehicles are being returned and there will be a review conducted to assess need and a redistribution/allocation based on this will occur.
  • Home visits - currently looking at formalising a policy for home visits including not to use private vehicles where practicable. Consultation with unions to occur prior to 31 March 2017.

On Call Arrangements – Radiographers

• The Director State Service Management Office to write to CEO THS requesting the development of procedures and communications to avoid the disruption of Radiographers when not on call (letter sent 23 December 2016).

Matters arising from Radiation Therapists 2016

On Call at Royal Hobart Hospital – Radiation Therapists

• It is understood that currently only one employee is on call at the Royal Hobart Hospital. It is intended that a change proposal be developed to introduce a second employee on call to meet operational needs as per the Launceston General Hospital.

Back Fill for long term planned absence including Long Service Leave and Maternity Leave

• DHHS/THS to issue guidelines for management of long term planned absences by 31 December 2016.
• These guidelines will include the following as principles:
  • Long-term planned and anticipated leave such as Long Service Leave shall be factored into annual budgets. Likely maternity leave based on historical rates and workforce profile will be factored into budgets as practical. It is recognised that this will be easier to anticipate in larger work groups.
  • It is not preferable to change service levels in response to long-term leave, but on occasion this will be considered, in particular where roles are unable to be filled.

Broadening fatigue management by ensuring ten (10) hour breaks after callouts

• Guidelines are to be issued by DHHS/THS to support current working and fatigue management clause in the Agreement by 31 December 2016.
• These guidelines will include the following:
  • Wherever possible employees should receive a break of no less than eight (8) hours per day. To assist managing safe working hours, Managers should use their judgment and recognise issues such as time of day and number of call ins, the length and nature of the previous and next shift, travel requirements and so forth.
  • A safe hours of work guideline document will be developed (or where it exists, reviewed) to provide employees, managers and Human Resources staff with examples to assist ensuring safe working arrangements. Radiation Therapists, union, HR/WHS representatives will contribute to the guidelines.