Summary of key changes for the Enterprise Agreement This table outlines the key changes to the current DSS Enterprise Agreement 2015 to 2018 as reflected in the proposed Department of Social Services Enterprise Agreement 2018 to 2021 (proposed Agreement). This is a summary document only to assist employees understand the proposed Agreement, it does not contain every single proposed change. Employees are encouraged to review the proposed Agreement. Questions regarding the proposed Agreement can be submitted to the positional mailbox. Part No. Topic Key Changes General All Removal of acronyms. Removal of the gender binary terms of “he” and “she”. Part 1 – Scope of the Agreement Agreement Title Update the name of the Agreement to the ‘Department of Social Services Enterprise Agreement 2018-2021’. Part 2 – Performance and Support Performance Management Framework Part title changed from "Performance and Capability" to "Performance and Support" Include an overview of the purpose of performance management. Include the principles that apply to performance management. Include the dates of the performance management cycle. Include a requirement that an employee and their supervisor put in place a performance management plan. Support for Professionals Removal of clauses relating to the Commonwealth Nursing Officers allowance. Domestic and Family Violence Support Include a new section that outlines the provisions of the Agreement and departmental policy that apply in situations of family and domestic violence. Part 3 - Remuneration Salary Increases Update the proposed rates for salary increases. Update the proposed rates for one-off allowances for employees who are not eligible for salary increases. Salary Advancement Include a requirement that service for salary advancement purposes must be in the department, not with another employer. Loading for casual employees Clarify that long service leave will be provided in accordance with the long service leave legislation. Part 4 – Allowance and Reimbursements Workplace Contact Officer Allowance Amend the title of “Diversity and Harassment Contact Officer” to “Harassment Contact Officer”. Increase the rates of the allowance in line with the general salary increase.
Community Language Allowance Increase the rates of the allowance in line with the general salary increase. Departmental Liaison Officer Allowance Clarify that this allowance is paid in lieu of both flex and overtime. Increase the rates of the allowance in line with the general salary increase. Motor Vehicle Allowance Remove reference to ‘engine capacity’ as part of the formula for calculating the allowance as the Australian Taxation Office no longer uses this approach. Assistance with Relocation Expenses Specify that the Secretary has discretion to provide relocation assistance. Specify that the department may pay relocation expenses directly to the third party provider in addition to or instead of reimbursement to the employee. Part 5 – Hours of Work and Working Arrangements Recording Hours Worked Remove the automatic reversion to standard working hours following an absence without authority. Hours of Work Clarify that breaks after five hours of continuous work are unpaid. Rearrange the order of some clauses to improve clarity. Excess Flex Debit Change the mechanism to repay a flex debit debt to enable employees to repay it through a salary deduction or by substituting it for annual leave. Miscellaneous leave without pay no longer used. Part-Time Employment Clarify that access to part-time work following maternity leave requires agreement to the proposed working hours. Insert a requirement that part-time work agreements are to be set out in a part-time work agreement that can only be varied by mutual agreement. Emergency Duty Include the rate of payment where more than two hours of emergency duty is actually worked. Restriction Duty Clarify that the rate of payment when an employee is recalled to duty is the same rate of payment used for overtime purposes.
Part 7 - Travelling on DSS Business Travel Allowance Clarify that the Secretary determines the amount of reimbursement associated with emergency accommodation costs. Part 8 – Remote Locality Assistance All Adopt the term “family” rather than “close relative” (noting that “close relative is not currently defined within the Agreement). Part 9 – Resignation, Retirement, Redeployment, Redundancy and Reduction All Amend the notice of termination of employment clauses to provide that an employee will be entitled to 5 weeks' notice of termination if they are over 45 and have at least two years continuous service (rather than five years) as required by the Fair Work Act 2009. Part 10 – Consultation Workplace Consultative Forum Specify that one of the roles of the Workplace Consultative Forum is to consider proposed changes to workplace policies before such changes are made Specify the regularity on which the Workplace Consultative Committee will meet (namely every three months) Specify that the Workplace Consultative Forum will consist of a chairperson and management representatives, a minimum of six employee representatives and a representative from each of the department’s staffing committees Specify that the Workplace Consultative Forum may establish sub committees. Employee Representation Insert a new clause relating to the right of employee’s to be represented during workplace matters by a person of their choice, including by the union. Insert a new clause specifying that the role of employee representatives is to be respected and facilitated. Part 12 – Definitions Family/Immediate Family Clarify that the reference to ‘spouse, de facto or partner’ in the definition of 'Family' applies regardless of "gender or sexuality". Combine the definitions of family and immediate family. Manager Remove the reference to “Indigenous Coordination Centre” from the definition of Manager. Partner or Spouse Clarify that the definition of ‘partner’ and ‘spouse’ applies regardless of gender or sexuality (rather than "sexual preference"). Remove the reference to this definition only applying to remote locality assistance.