Department of Health and Ageing Enterprise Agreement 2011-2014
Part D – Employment Conditions and Allowances
26. Conditions of engagement (including probation)
26.1 Information on arrangements that apply to persons engaged by the department is available in the department’s Conditions of Engagement Policy, Probation Guidelines and Non-ongoing Staff Policy.27. Remote locality conditions
27.1 A Staff member recruited locally to a designated remote locality after 7 April 1998 does not have automatic access to the remote locality provisions as determined by the Secretary in the Remote Locality Guideline. These Staff, and Staff recruited from outside those localities after 7 April 1998, may have access to remote locality conditions as negotiated with the Staff member’s Manager.27.2 Staff working in those localities may request a review by the Staff member’s Manager, seeking a new or amended remote locality package.
27.3 Further information on remote locality conditions is available in the department’s Remote Locality Guideline.
28. Public transport scheme
28.1 The Secretary will offer an interest free loan scheme for the purchasing of public transport passes for Staff.28.2 Further information on the public transport scheme and its operation is available in departmental guidelines.
29. Travel allowance
29.1 Current rates for travel related allowances are listed in the Procedural Rules. The Secretary will review and adjust as necessary Travel Allowance (TA) rates on 1 January and 1 July each year, up to the maximum non-acquittable amount required for taxation purposes.29.2 The department will meet reasonable costs for Staff on official overnight travel including accommodation of at least 3.5 star where available, meals and any incidental expenses.
29.3 Where this period exceeds three continuous weeks, the Secretary and the Staff member will agree on a package of assistance to meet any additional costs incurred as a result of the Staff member being temporarily relocated.
29.4 The Secretary will authorise an additional payment in circumstances where a Staff member has incurred reasonable costs in excess of the allowance, subject to the presentation of receipts. Where possible, prior approval should be obtained by the Staff member before incurring the expense.
Overpayment of travel allowance
29.5 Where a travel allowance overpayment occurs, the Staff member will repay the amount of the overpaid allowance to the department to reflect the travel actually undertaken, in accordance with the Chief Executive’s Instructions.Part-day travel
29.6 A Staff member who is required to be absent from the Staff member’s usual place of work on official business for a period of not less than 10 hours, but is not absent overnight, will be paid an allowance of $44 for each absence.Illness while travelling
29.7 Where a Staff member falls ill or is injured while travelling on official business and subsequently takes leave, the Secretary will approve payment of return journey costs to the Staff member.Recognition of travel time
29.8 Where a Staff member classified as an APS 1-6 (and their equivalents) is required to undertake official travel, the time spent travelling within the bandwidth, excluding the usual time taken for the Staff member to travel to and from the Staff member’s regular place of work, will be recorded as work hours.29.9 Travel outside the bandwidth undertaken by APS 1-6 (and their equivalents) will be claimed as travel time in lieu at single time rates.
Travel clothing allowance
29.10 Where a Staff member is required to travel on official business to a locality which has a climate greatly different from the Staff member’s usual place of work (for example, tropical to temperate, or temperate to tropical), the Staff member may make an application to their Manager for reimbursement of reasonable costs of clothing bought for the trip. Their Manager will have regard to the prevailing climate conditions at both locations and the frequency and length of travel of the Staff member.Motor vehicle allowance
29.11 Motor vehicle allowance (MVA) is payable where the Secretary approves a Staff member to use a private or personally hired vehicle for official purposes.29.12 Where a Staff member seeks, and is approved to use, a private vehicle instead of the most efficient means of travel as determined by the Secretary, the amount of MVA paid to the Staff member will not exceed the cost of the most efficient means of travel.
30. Relocation assistance
Access for existing staff
30.1 Where the department initiates a permanent relocation (including transfer or promotion) of a Staff member, or the relocation is in the interest of the department, the Secretary will reimburse reasonable relocation costs for:- transport and removal;
- costs associated with the sale and purchase of the Staff member’s normal place of residence;
- costs incurred in avoiding serious disruption to the final two (2) years of the Staff member’s child’s secondary education (Years 11 and 12);
- temporary accommodation in the new location.
Requested move
30.2 Relocation or temporary transfer at the request of the Staff member will only attract relocation assistance at the discretion of the Secretary.Access for new staff
30.3 Relocation assistance for reasonable costs can be negotiated on engagement, as agreed by the Manager , for:- transport and removal costs;
- temporary accommodation in the new location.
31. Disturbance allowance
31.1 The Secretary may approve disturbance allowance on permanent movement requiring relocation.31.2 Further information on relocation assistance is available in the department’s Relocation Assistance Guideline.
32. Community language allowance
32.1 A Staff member who is required to undertake translating or interpreting responsibilities may, with the Secretary's approval, receive payment of a community language allowance (CLA).32.2 Eligibility for payment of CLA is dependent on the requirements of the job, and the need to speak a second language must be essential to the efficient and effective fulfilment of the duties of the position.
32.3 Payment will not be made simply in recognition of a Staff member’s language skills.
32.4 Further information is provided in the department’s Allowance Guideline.
33. Allowances
33.1 The department provides eligible Staff with particular allowances or payments that recognise:- particular skills; or
- additional costs borne by the Staff member in the course of the Staff member’s employment.
Recognition of allowances
33.2 Information on the recognition (for particular purposes) of allowances provided for in the Agreement is at Attachment B.33.3 Further information on allowances is available in the Allowance Guideline.
34. Restriction allowance
34.1 Where the Manager requires a Staff member to be contactable and available to work for a specified period outside the bandwidth of hours, the Staff member will be paid a restriction allowance as follows:- A Staff member restricted for a period of seven calendar days will receive an allowance of $275 per week.
- A Staff member restricted for a period of less than seven calendar days will receive a proportional rate based on the number of hours restricted outside the bandwidth.
- A Staff member restricted on a weekend roster arrangement will receive an allowance of $50 for each day of the weekend they are restricted. Proportional rates will not apply for rostered weekend restriction periods.
Ineligible staff
34.2 Executive Level Staff (and their equivalents) and casual Staff are generally ineligible to receive restriction allowance payments. In exceptional circumstances the Secretary may approve restriction allowance payments for these Staff.Restriction on public holidays and annual closedown
34.3 Where the Manager determines that a Staff member should be restricted for any period that includes a public holiday, the Staff member will receive payment of $50 in addition to salary for each public holiday the Staff member is restricted.34.4 Where the Manager determines that a Staff member should be restricted on the three working days of annual closedown between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day the Staff member will receive payment of $50, in addition to salary, for each day of annual closedown the Staff member is restricted.
Place of work
34.5 A restricted Staff member who is required to perform overtime may be required to work at the Staff member’s usual workplace or at another designated place, including the Staff member’s home. Duties may include provision of advice, the management of other Staff, or work over the phone.Non payment
34.6 Payment of restriction allowance will not be made to a Staff member who does not remain contactable or at the required degree of readiness to perform overtime.Overtime
34.7 Where a Staff member is restricted under the provisions of clause 34.1 and is required to perform overtime, but is not required to be recalled to work, overtime payment will be made subject to a one-hour minimum payment.34.8 Where a Staff member restricted under the provisions of clause 34.1 is recalled to duty at a place of work, overtime payment will be made, subject to a three-hour minimum payment.
34.9 Overtime provisions are outlined in Part E.
35. Departmental liaison officer allowance
35.1 A Staff member who performs the duties of departmental liaison officer and attends for duty at the office of the Minister for a whole day, will be paid a pro-rata allowance for that day at the annual rate of $17,000.36. Overtime meal break allowance
36.1 Where a Staff member is required to work overtime for a continuous period of at least one hour outside the bandwidth which extends over a meal period, they will be paid a meal allowance of $25.30. For the purposes of this clause a meal period is:| Monday to Friday: | 6.30 am - 7.00 am 7.00 pm – 7.30 pm |
| Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays: | 6.30 am -7.00 am 12.30 pm -1.30 pm 7.00 pm – 7.30 pm |
37. Loss of, or damage to, clothing or personal effects
37.1 Where a Staff member incurs loss of, or damage to, clothing or personal effects, and the loss or damage can be reasonably associated with the Staff member's performance of the Staff member’s duties, the Manager will authorise reimbursement of costs for repairs or replacement of the personal effects.37.2 Further information on reimbursement for loss of, or damage to, clothing or personal effects is available in the department’s Loss, or Damage to, Clothing or Personal Effects Guideline.