Allowances for AWAs

Policy

Allowances are paid to reward or compensate employees in various circumstances. Eligibility for an allowance is dependant on the industrial instrument that applies to an employee. Where a requirement of a job has been taken into account in determining an Australian Workplace Agreement salary, no allowance will be paid to compensate for that requirement.

The types of allowances that are available are:

• Higher Duties and Temporary Special Allowance
• Overtime and Return to Duty
• Out of Hours Contact
• Meal Break and Allowance
• Shift Allowances
• Reimbursement of Travel Expenses
• First Aid Allowance
• Uniforms, Protective Clothing and Tools
• Indigenous Australian Language Allowance

Higher Duties and Temporary Special Allowances

The University may pay an allowance to an employee when they are required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities. The Manager/Supervisor needs to advise the employee of the duties and responsibilities that they are to undertake and of the term required.

If an employee is undertaking duties of another position that are considered to have a higher level of responsibility they may be paid a higher duties allowance to recognise the work value of the higher level work. A temporary special allowance may be paid to an employee for undertaking a project or other special duties.

An allowance should normally only be paid up to twelve months. If the duties or project are subsequently required on a longer basis, then a Manager/Supervisor should determine whether the work continues to be temporary, or if it is required on an ongoing basis.

An employee, who has been receiving a higher duties allowance for more than twelve continuous months, shall continue to be paid the allowance for the first four weeks of a paid leave period.

Overtime

Where an employee’s Agreement provides for overtime it should be paid when they are directed to perform their work outside their normal working hours. No time shall be paid if less than thirty minutes is worked. An employee may elect in writing to receive time off in lieu of payment for any directed overtime worked. The time in lieu accrued may be taken at a time convenient to the area with prior approval by the Manager/Supervisor.

Overtime is paid at:

• On a weekday, time and a half for the first three hours and double time thereafter.
• On a Saturday, time and a half for the first three hours and double time thereafter, or paid after twelve noon.
• On a Sunday, paid double time.
• On a Holiday, paid double time and a half.

Normally the hourly rate paid, shall not include any district allowance, special allowance, or higher duties allowance unless otherwise approved by the Manager/Supervisor.

When an employee works overtime beyond his or her normal hours of duty they are entitled to a ten hour break without loss of salary, before recommencing duty.

It may be agreed between the University and an employee that if it is an inherent part of a job to be available outside the span of normal hours, then an employee may be paid a commuted overtime allowance. This allowance is in lieu of the overtime provisions.

Where an employee is required to return to duty before or after the prescribed hours of duty on any week day, shall be paid overtime at the prescribed rate for a minimum period of:

• 1½ hours when prior notice has been given
• 2½ hours when prior notice has not been given

If an employee is required to return to duty more than once, each duty period shall attract payment for the minimum period except where a second or subsequent return to duty is within any such minimum period.

An employee is not paid to return to work:

• If an employee normally is required to return to work for specific duty,
• If the overtime is continuous from the completion or commencement of their normal hours of duty,
• If the employee is on call and required to remain available.

Out of Hours Contact

An employee may be instructed to remain contactable and in a fit state, outside the employee’s normal working hours for a possible recall to duty. An employee so instructed may be paid an allowance. The allowance may be paid as specified in an employee’s industrial agreement or if not specified the rate will be agreed and recorded in writing prior to the instruction being actioned.

Where an employee is contactable via their telephone they may have a portion of the telephone rental paid depending on the amount of time the employee is on call and all telephone calls made on behalf of the University reimbursed.

Where practical, employees should be periodically relieved from the requirement to be on call or available. An employee should not be placed on call or be required to be available the last working day before a period of leave.

Meal Break and Allowance

An employee who works at least two hours overtime shall be reimbursed any meals purchased.

Link to meal allowance rates

Except in the case of an emergency an employee shall not be compelled to work more than five hours overtime without a meal break.

Shift Allowances and Additional Leave Entitlements

Unless otherwise stated in their Agreement an employee who works shift work on an afternoon, night, weekend or Holiday shall be paid, in addition to the ordinary rate of salary, a shift allowance.

Link to shift allowance rates

An employee may negotiate with a Manager/Supervisor to have hours worked on a Holiday paid at time and a half and have one day added to their annual leave in lieu of receiving the allowance shown in the shift allowance rates. A maximum of five additional days leave can be accumulated under this arrangement. An employee who is rostered off on a Holiday is normally paid at ordinary rates. An employee may request to receive one day added to their annual leave in lieu of such payment.

If an employee engaged on shift work who is rostered to work regularly (ie more than 10 times in a calendar year) on Sundays and/or Public Holidays is entitled to five days additional annual leave.

Reimbursement of Travel Expenses

An employee who travels on official university business shall be reimbursed reasonable expenses. To claim for actual expenses an employee is required to provide receipts of all expenditure and to maintain a travel log.

An employee and Manager/Supervisor may negotiate alternative arrangements for the payment and reimbursement of travel expenses.

If an employee becomes ill while travelling an employee should still be reimbursed normal expenses and provided leave in accordance with the Absence on Account of Illness, Injury or Caring provisions.

If an employee has their Manager/Supervisor approval to use their private motor vehicle when travelling on official university business, they shall be paid a motor vehicle allowance. The amount of the allowance varies depending upon the region of travel and the cubic centimetres of the cars engine.

Link to car allowance rates

First Aid Allowance

An employee who acts as a First Aid Attendant shall be paid a First Aid Allowance. Part time employees will be paid the allowance on a pro-rata basis.

The minimum qualification of a First Aid Attendant shall be a current St Johns Ambulance Association or Red Cross First Aid Certificate.

Uniforms, Protective Clothing and Tools

No allowance is payable because the University provides any uniforms or protective clothing to employees, free of charge. Maintenance employees are supplied with the tools required to perform their duties. All uniforms, protective clothing and tools provided are to remain the property of the University.

Indigenous Australian Language Allowance

An employee who is required to use Indigenous Australian Language in the course of their employment is to be paid an allowance. This allowance is for a recognised proficiency in any one of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait languages.

There are two levels of the allowance. The first is paid for those employees who have an elementary level knowledge of the language for simple communication. The second level is for employees who use their knowledge for general business, conversation, reading and writing.

AWA Allowance Rates effective 1 July 2006