Staff Conditions of Employment Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline employment conditions at Alphacrucis University College (AC). Conditions of employment at AC shall be in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009.

Scope

All staff

Policy

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct.

APPOINTMENT LEVEL

Appointment level and classification for academic and administrative staff will depend on qualifications and experience, with commencement salary being negotiable within the range of classification. All AC staff are required to sign an employment contract under one of the following arrangements:

• Casual
• Permanent Full-Time: (five days per week)
• Permanent Part-Time
• Contract Full-time: (same as Permanent Full-Time but limited to a designated term from one month to five years)
• Contract Part-time: (same as Permanent Part-Time but limited to a designated term from one month to five years)

 PAY RATES

The minimum rates for each classification are set by the Fair Work Act "New Modern Awards" and shall be the minimum rates applicable within AC. All salaries are subject to annual review and will be adjusted in January or July each year, in accordance with upwards movement in the Consumer Price Index over the previous year within New South Wales.

PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND WAGES

Salaries and wages shall be processed fortnightly on Thursdays by direct deposit into the employee’s nominated bank account. Wages will be paid one week arrears, one week advance. For casual employees, wages will be paid in arrears.

Any pay queries should be raised with HR management. Pay is to be considered confidential and should not be discussed with other staff members.

Payslips

Payslips shall be issued in electronic form via ADP on or before the day each pay is due. Payslips shall include:

• the employer’s name
• the employer’s ABN
• the employee’s name
• the date of payment
• the pay period (beginning and end dates)
• the annual rate of pay or hourly rate of pay (whichever is applicable)
• the gross and net amount of payment
• any loadings, allowances, bonuses, penalty rates, or other separately identifiable entitlement paid
• the details of all deductions made, including salary sacrifice deductions, and/or salary packaging deductions
• the amount of each superannuation contribution for the pay period and the name of the superannuation fund into which the contribution is made

Overpayments

In the event of overpayments, the total amount of the overpayment will normally be deducted from the staff member’s next payment. If this would cause hardship, arrangements may be made for the overpayment to be recovered over a longer period.

Superannuation

Superannuation shall be paid to an approved fund for all eligible employees in accordance with current Superannuation Guarantee Legislation. Staff members may exercise choice regarding their superannuation provider.

Loadings

All staff eligible for annual leave will receive an annual leave loading payment in December each year. The loading will be equivalent to 17.5% of four weeks’ pay at the staff member’s salary rate immediately preceding the payment date. Staff whose employment ends before the December payment date or who have not completed 12 months service as at the end of the accrual year, will receive a pro rata payment provided that employment was not terminated on grounds of misconduct.

Allowances and Travel

A staff member who at the direction of AC is absent overnight on AC business will be paid an allowance to cover the costs of meals, accommodation, vehicle hire and incidental expenditure in accordance with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) guidelines as at 1 July each year. A staff member required to act temporarily in a position which is classified at a higher level than their substantive position for a continuous period of five working days or more will be paid an allowance equivalent to the difference between the staff member’s own salary and the minimum salary rate applicable to the classification of the acting position.

Staff members are expected to seek approval for work-related travel, including overnight travel, prior to making bookings so that a budget may be allocated for the required travel. Expenses associated with unapproved travel will not be reimbursed to the staff member. If travel expenses exceed the approved budget, the staff member may be required to repay the difference.

Flights should normally be booked through AC’s elected travel agency.

Reimbursement of Expenses

Employees may claim reimbursement for vehicle expenses, including fuel, parking, and road tolls, when using their own vehicle for pre-approved AC business at a per kilometre rate as approved by their supervisor.

Employees may claim reimbursement for hospitality meal costs that are budgeted and pre-approved by their supervisor when entertaining official guests of AC.

A staff member who, at the direction of AC, is absent on AC business shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses upon proof of receipts to cover the costs of travel, meals, incidental expenses and/or accommodation if applicable. This includes air flights, parking, taxi and bus fares. These reimbursements need to be claimed within three months from being incurred or before the end of the calendar year.

Any attempt to falsify expenses, or otherwise claim expenses that are not work-related, is viewed as serious misconduct which will result in disciplinary action.

Salary Advancement

On completion of twelve months’ paid service, staff members (except those paid at the highest salary step applicable to their classification level) will be eligible for advancement to the next salary step within their classification level unless their performance has been assessed as insufficient at their annual performance appraisal or their conduct has been found to be unsatisfactory. A decision to withhold a salary increment must be authorised by the relevant supervisor. If incremental progression is withheld or deferred, the staff member must be notified in writing of the reasons and given the opportunity to respond.

Time Recording

Casual staff members are required to maintain accurate timesheets and submit these in ADP fortnightly no later than Sunday evenings. Supervisors are required to approve the timesheet by the following Tuesday. Failure to complete timesheets may result in delays to the processing of pay until the following pay period.

Deceitful behaviour, including incorrectly completing timesheets, completing timesheets on behalf of another employee, or allowing another employee to complete timesheets on your behalf is strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

STAFF LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS

Subject to terms and conditions as described in The Fair Work Act 2009, all permanent employees of AC, other than casual employees, are entitled to the following:

Public Holidays

Generally, no staff are required to work on public holidays. All permanent staff members nevertheless will be paid for public holiday days at their ordinary rate of pay.  If a staff member is however, required to work on a public holiday, they will be paid according to the New Modern Awards.

 Annual Leave

All permanent full time staff members are entitled to four weeks paid annual leave each year plus a loading of 17.5% on the four weeks of holiday pay (pro rata for part-time staff). Leave is to be arranged with, and approved by, the staff member’s supervisor.

There will be an annual close down of AC for two to four weeks at the conclusion of the academic year each December. It is a condition of employment that annual leave is to be taken during this close down. Employees with insufficient accrued annual leave will take leave without pay.

All annual leave should be taken within 18 months from the commencement of the leave accrual period. However, with the approval of a staff member's supervisor, leave may be taken at an agreed time.

Personal/Sick Leave

All permanent full time staff members are entitled to two weeks (10) days personal leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff). A doctor’s certificate will be required for absences of more than one day. Unused personal leave shall accumulate from year to year.

Compassionate Leave

As per the National Employment Standard (NES) full time and part time employees are entitled to two days paid compassionate leave for each permissible occasion.

However, employees covered under the Higher Education Industry- General staff and Higher Education Industry- Academic Staff awards are entitled to three days of Compassionate Leave.  For casual employees, compassionate leave is unpaid.

Family and Domestic Violence Leave

Staff members are entitled to 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave every year. This leave is available to staff who are experiencing violent, threatening, or other abusive behaviour by a close relative, member of their household, or a current or former intimate partner that seeks to coerce or control them and causes them harm or to be fearful.

Family and Domestic Violence leave can be taken to deal with such situations and take steps that are impractical to do so outside of work hours, such as:

• Make arrangements for the staff member’s safety, or the safety of a family member (including relocation)
• Attend court hearings
• Accessing police services
• Attending counselling, or
• Attending related medical, financial or legal appointments.

For the purpose of this leave entitlement, a close relative refers to immediate family, including:

• a spouse, de facto partner (including a former spouse or de facto partner), child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling
• a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a spouse or de facto partner, or
• a person related to the staff member according to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander kinship rules.

​​​​​​​Entitlements to family and domestic violence leave resets to 10 days on the anniversary of a staff member’s commencement each year. Staff members wishing to take this leave are required to provide AC with notice as soon as reasonably practicable and advise of the period (or expected period) of leave. AC may request evidence that would satisfy a reasonable person that the leave will be, or was, taken for the purposes outlined above to be provided. Depending on the circumstances such evidence may include a document issued by the police service, a court or a family violence support service, or a statutory declaration.

AC will ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that steps are taken to safeguard any information disclosed by a staff member concerning family and domestic violence leave. This information will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by the law. This policy does not override any legal obligations to disclose information.

Parental Leave

Staff are not required to have exhausted existing Annual and Long Service Leave accruals before commencing Parental Leave. To be eligible for parental leave, employees other than casual employees must have completed at least 12 months of service before the date or expected date of birth. The employee must take the leave in a single continuous period in most circumstances. An employee must give written notice of taking leave at least 10 weeks before starting the leave or, if that is not practicable, as soon as practicable.

Staff may take up to 52 consecutive weeks unpaid parental leave. A staff member is entitled to return to the position that he or she held immediately before taking parental leave.  A staff member is entitled to return to the staff member’s pre-parental leave position or if that position no longer exists – an available position for which the employee is qualified and suited nearest in status and pay to the pre-parental leave position.

A staff member may apply to extend their period of approved parental leave no later than four weeks before the end of their existing period of approved leave. Extended leave may be granted subject to operational needs.

Long Service Leave

Long Service Leave is paid in accordance with the Long Service Leave Act 1955 and the Long Service Leave Agency in the applicable state.

Leave without Pay

AC may approve leave without pay as is considered appropriate.

Jury Duty

If a staff member is required to undertake jury duty, they are entitled to paid leave for the period necessary for such service, if they forward to AC any fees (other than reimbursement of expenses) received for such jury duty.

Community Service

Staff members may request from the Executive up to two weeks community service leave annually (in addition to annual leave) for approved activities, such as Australian Defence Force Reserves.

Professional Leave

This includes ministry, teaching, professional and/or educational activity initiated by the staff member. The cost of this activity is generally covered by the individual. Any monies received for this activity remain the property of the individual.

Staff time for this activity may sometimes be included in the workload of the individual if it benefits AC.

For periods of professional leave two days and less, staff members are required to obtain the approval of their supervisor.  However, leave approved by a supervisor may not exceed five days total in a calendar year.  For periods of professional leave longer than two days, staff members are required to obtain the recommendation of their supervisor and formal approval from the Executive for this leave. The application must include details of the leave activity, and an outline of how it will benefit AC for the individual to be released from their duties during that period. Staff members may request from the Executive up to two weeks professional leave annually (in addition to annual leave).

WORK SCHEDULE

An ordinary working week at AC relates to the relevant award, and normally between the hours from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday.

In the event that a staff member is unable to meet the agreed work schedule arrangement (i.e. the staff member will be late to work), the staff member is expected to notify her/his supervisor in writing as soon as possible. Unauthorised absence may result in disciplinary action, such as loss of pay.

Flexible Working Schedules

Availabilities are to be provided to AC in writing before the commencement of employment. Any changes to staff availabilities must be provided to the supervisor in writing. Changes to casual staff availability may result in less hours being offered and changes to permanent availability may only occur by agreement with AC.

AC recognises the increasing importance of flexible working arrangements in maintaining a diverse and adaptable workforce, as well as maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Accordingly, AC will consider staff requests for flexible working arrangements which may include, but are not limited to, home based work arrangements, flexible start and finish times, alternate hours of work that fall outside the span of ordinary hours or work part time if the employee falls into the categories set out in the Fair Work Act 2009. In negotiating this, supervisors must ensure that flexible working arrangements are:

• fair and equitable for all staff;
• aligned to the needs of AC;
• consistent with the Fair Work Act 2009.

Requests for flexible working arrangements will only be denied on reasonable business grounds.

Overtime and Time in Lieu

Casual staff members will only be paid overtime where the supervisor has approved the additional working hours. Additional hours worked to complete ordinary duties will generally be considered reasonable additional hours and will not ordinarily be paid as overtime.

From time to time, permanent employees may be asked to work extra hours, in which case time in lieu may be allocated to compensate for the additional hours worked, subject to approval by the employee’s supervisor. Time in lieu must be taken within six months of having been earned unless institutional priorities require a further delay, as determined by the employee’s supervisor.

Staff covered by the Higher Education Industry-General Staff-Award 2020 and the Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2020 are eligible for time off in lieu for any additional hours worked beyond their regular working hours, as per the relevant award provisions. Please refer to the relevant award for further information on how this entitlement is calculated and applied.

Please note that the Higher Education Industry-Academic Staff-Award 2020 does not provide for time off in lieu for work performed outside of normal working hours. Academic staff are expected to work within their agreed-upon hours, in line with the award provisions.

If a staff member needs time off for reasons such as medical/dental appointments and the appointment cannot be made outside normal working hours, the staff member may be granted time off at the discretion of the supervisor. The supervisor may ask the staff member to work extra hours, in which case time in lieu would be allocated to compensate for the additional hours worked, and the staff member can use these hours to attend the appointment.

PROPERTY AND MOTOR VEHICLES

Staff members may be held responsible for the cost of damage caused to AC property as a result of carelessness, negligence, or deliberate vandalism. Any loss to AC that is the result of a staff member’s negligence or failure to observe rules, procedures or instruction will render the staff member liable to reimburse to AC the full or part of the cost of the loss. In the event of failure to pay, AC reserves the right to request to deduct such costs from the staff member’s pay.

Staff may be required to use an AC motor vehicle as part of their duties. Use of an AC motor vehicle requires bookings, which are managed by AC’s Facilitates Department on a "first come, first served" basis. AC motor vehicles should be used for work purposes only and be kept clean, tidy and free from rubbish and personal items at all times. Staff will be held responsible for any fines, loss or damage caused during possession of any AC or hired motor vehicle. Staff will be reimbursed for fuel and road toll expenses incurred while using the AC motor vehicle for business purposes. The staff member must notify Facilities Management and the police in the event of theft of one of AC’s vehicles.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AC invests in the professional development of staff through the following:

1. Professional Development Workshops

The Learning and Teaching Committee develops an annual schedule for Professional Development Workshops for staff. The Executive also provides professional development opportunities for the purpose of enriching the spiritual and academic life of AC.  These workshops or professional development activities may be presented by an AC staff member or external specialist. 

2. Individual Research Development

AC provides the following mechanisms to support scholarship and research for academic staff:

1. Colloquia. This provides opportunity for academic staff and postgraduate research students to present their current research. All academic staff (whether full-time, part-time or sessional) are encouraged to participate in the Colloquia;
2. Special Studies Program Leave. See Special Studies Program Leave Policy;
3. Conference participation and support. See Research and Scholarship Policy;
4. Participation in relevant academic fellowships.

3. Individual Professional Development

The annual Staff Performance Appraisal provides opportunity for all staff to discuss individual professional development needs. If AC agrees to contribute to the cost of the professional development, this will be approved in writing. Upon termination of employment, AC may seek reimbursement of the costs. See Staff Management Policy.

4. Further Education

AC encourages full time and part time permanent staff to continue with further education by providing tuition fee discounts for any AC course dependent upon length of continuous service with AC:

Pro rata Tuition Fee Discounts for PPT staff
PPT	Permanent full time staff tuition fee discount
	Not more than 1 year - 15%*	More than 1 year but no more than 2 - 30%*	More than 2 years but no more than 3- 45%*	More than 3 years but no more than 4- 60%*	More than 4 years - 75%*
1 day	0.2 x 15=3%	0.2 x 30=6%	0.2 x 45 =9%	0.2 x 60= 12%	0.2 x 75 =15%
2 days	0.4 x 15=6%	0.4 x 30=12%	0.4 x 45=18%	0.4 x 60=24%	0.4 x 75=30%
3 days	0.6 x 15=9%	0.6 x 30=18%	0.6 x 45=27%	0.6 x 60=36%	0.6 x 75=45%
4 days	0.8 x 15=12%	0.8 x 30=24%	0.8 x 45=36%	0.8 x 60=48%	0.8 x 75=60%

Further, spouses and children of full time employees are eligible for a 60% discount of the percentage specified. Example: Spouse and children of an employee who has not worked more than 1 year would be entitled to a discount of 60% of 15%, which is 9%.

* Less partnership fees if applicable

DEDICATED SERVICE AWARD

This award recognises the dedicated contribution of AC staff members. Experience, commitment and dedication are values that AC chooses to celebrate. Awards will be presented for continuous service of:

• 10 years or more;
• 15 years or more;
• 20 years or more;
• 25 years or more;
• 30 years or more;
• 35 years or more;
• 40 years or more.

Criteria

AC recognises dedicated service based on the following criteria:

• for staff on permanent (full-time or part-time) contracts only;
• permanent staff excludes Fellows, post-retirement contracts, sessional lecturers and casual staff;
• continuous service overall, rather than continuous service in a certain position;
• calculated by a full academic calendar year;
• a break in service is usually defined as more than 3 months and excludes paid leave, such as: study, administration, parental, compassionate, sick, sabbatical or long service leave.

SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT

Secondary employment includes any work that is undertaken using a staff member’s specialised skills that does not use AC’s name or resources in any way. Secondary employment does not include consultancy or internal work. Staff may engage in secondary employment without approval, provided the work does not adversely impact the staff member’s paid duties and responsibilities at AC or damage the reputation of AC. It is AC’s preference that the staff member notifies their supervisor before engaging in the secondary work to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.

Responsible for implementation

Vice President Operations

Key stakeholders

All staff

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Procedures

Staff Conditions of Employment Procedure

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