Employment variations

Introduction

Employment variations occur when a full-time, part-time, continuing or fixed term employee:

  • Undertakes approved specific duties and responsibilities in addition to their normal work;
  • Relieves in a higher level position;
  • Is seconded to a temporary vacancy in another work unit; or
  • Increases or decreases their hours of work on either a temporary or permanent basis.

Employment variations are not appropriate in the following circumstances:

  • As a reward for good performance for work performed at the same level as the employee's substantive position;
  • As a long term measure where a job reclassification is more appropriate; or
  • When there is an increased volume of the tasks normally undertaken by the employee.

When a temporary variation is approved, an employee may return to their original substantive appointment. If a variation has been approved on a continuing basis, there is no right of return to the employee's former substantive position.

Delegations

The HR delegations are:

Relieving appointments

  • Head of Work Unit: up to and including 12 months (where a single variation or combination of temporary variations results in a maximum of 12 months continuous service).
  • Executive Member: exceeding 12 months (where a single variation or combination of temporary variations exceeds 12 months).

Variations in hours

  • Head of Work Unit: Vary full time or part time appointment fractions on a temporary (up to 12 months) or continuing basis

Additional responsibilities

  • Head of Work Unit (following consultation with the HR Business Partner): up to and including 12 months (where a single variation or combination of temporary variations results in a maximum of 12 months continuous service).
  • Executive Member (following consultation with the HR Business Partner): exceeding 12 months (where a single variation or combination of temporary variations results in 12 months or more continuous service).

Types of variation

Relieving appointments

Relieving appointments may be a result of:

  • An employee being absent on leave or secondment;
  • A delay in a new appointee after the resignation of an employee;
  • The extended absence of an employee due to illness; or
  • An employee undertaking a project or planned staff development exercise.

Relieving arrangements are intended to be temporary and of short duration. They should not be used in lieu of filling substantive positions.

Employees will be paid a relieving allowance at the minimum salary for the equivalent higher level position where the relieving period is a minimum period of five consecutive working days.

Where an employee is performing part of the duties of the higher level position, a pro-rata payment may be payable based on the percentage of duties being performed at the higher level.

Superannuation is payable on the relieving allowance. 

Incremental progression within a higher level salary band is payable after 12 months continuous service. Any leave without pay in excess of five working days will defer the date of effect of an increment.

Procedures

A Temporary employment variation is completed by the work unit and funding approval is obtained before the variation is approved.

After approval, the employee completes the acknowledgement and acceptance and is provided with a:

  • Copy of the approved temporary employment variation form; and
  • List of duties to be undertaken during the relieving appointment.

The completed form is then referred to HR Services for processing.

Variation in hours

Employees may request a variation in their hours of work on a temporary or continuing basis and should initially discuss their request with their supervisor.

The requirements of the workplace will be taken into account when a request is considered. Approval will only be given if the workplace will not be adversely affected by the changes proposed.

Procedures

a. Temporary variations

A Temporary variation in hours form is completed by the work unit for:

  • An increase in hours:
    • Academic employees: up to a maximum of 12 months;
    • Professional employees: where the period of the variation is a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months (if a temporary increase is for less than six months, additional hours are approved and claimed through MyHR); and
  • A decrease in hours for up to a maximum of 12 months.

A funding check for an increase in hours is to be obtained before the temporary variation is approved by the Head of Work Unit.

After approval, the employee completes the acknowledgement and acceptance and is provided with a:

  • Copy of the approved variation in hours form; and
  • List of duties to be undertaken (if appropriate).

The completed variation is then referred to HR Services for processing.

b. Permanent variations

Where a permanent variation in hours is requested, a written request from the employee, together with a recommendation from their supervisor, should be referred to the relevant Executive Member for consideration. The date of effect of the permanent variation and, for professional employees, the daily hours of the proposed variation must be provided.

Where there is to be an increase in hours, a funding check is to be obtained before the variation is approved by the relevant Executive Member.

If the request is approved, the application is referred to HR Services for implementation and a letter of confirmation of the altered arrangements will be sent to the employee.

Secondments

A secondment is a temporary transfer to a vacant position in another work unit within the University. Secondments are generally initiated when an employee has been the successful applicant of an internal recruitment process.

The classification applicable during the secondment is specified in the advertisement and may be at the same or higher classification, on a full-time or part-time basis and normally for a maximum period of 12 months.

Where the secondment is tied to a higher salary range, incremental progression within a higher level salary range will be payable after 12 months continuous service. Any leave without pay in excess of five working days will defer the date of effect of the increment.

Procedure

Before applying for an internally advertised position, employees should discuss their intentions with their supervisors.

If successful, secondment arrangements including the possible requirement to relinquish the right of return to a substantive position at the end of the secondment period will be negotiated through HR Services and the work unit.

A letter of offer confirming the arrangements will be issued to the employee.

Additional responsibilities

Additional responsibilities allowances may be paid on a temporary basis where it is recognised an employee is performing additional duties in excess of their substantive appointment level (other than relieving in a position of a higher classification). Additional responsibilities allowances will not be paid where a classification review of the position is pending or proposed.

The rate of the additional responsibilities allowances is not always tied to a salary rate and may be negotiated with the employee, depending on the duties being undertaken.

Procedures

Where the Head of Work Unit is considering payment of an additional responsibilities allowance, the circumstances are to be discussed with their HR Business Partner in the first instance.

If it is agreed an allowance is appropriate, the HR Business Partner will advise the process to be followed to arrange payment.

Effect on entitlements

Employees working less than full-time will be paid on a proportionate basis to a full-time employee of the same classification and salary step for the period of the variation and will also accrue leave entitlements on a pro-rata basis.

Employees should contact HR Services to discuss any implications the variation will have on their superannuation contributions and entitlements.

Payment during periods of leave

Employees will continue to receive approved allowances during periods of paid leave, with the exception of special studies leave, if the allowance has been approved for a period of six months or more.

Payment of approved allowances will not be paid during periods of paid leave where the allowance is payable for a period of less than six months. If the allowance is subsequently extended beyond six months, payment will be made during periods of paid leave taken after the initial six month period has been served.