NSW and ACT Systemic Schools enterprise agreement: Interim Settlement Agreement and Summary of Benefits
IEU SUMMARY OF BENEFITS UNDER INTERIM SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT 26 MAY 2023
The two key improvements in conditions for employees in all dioceses under the Interim Settlement Agreement are in relation to parental leave and support staff pay and classifications.
PARENTAL LEAVE
From 1 June 2023, employees will be entitled to enhanced parental leave benefits. The new provisions refer to the initial primary caregiver (usually the mother) and an employee who is entitled to parental leave but is not the initial primary caregiver (usually the father).
Initial primary caregiver
- Non-term weeks will no longer be counted as part of the 14 weeks paid parental leave. For teachers and general employees who work term time only (that is, are averaged), non-term weeks will be excluded from the period of paid parental leave (for initial primary caregivers only). This will in effect increase the period of paid parental leave by two weeks.
- Personal/carer’s leave taken by the primary caregiver in the four weeks prior to the expected date of birth may no longer be deducted by the employer from the period of paid parental leave. This means that Clause 37.1(i) of the current NSW and ACT Catholic Systemic Schools Enterprise Agreement 2020 which permits the deduction of personal/carer's leave from paid parental leave will no longer be applied.
Employee entitled to paid parental leave but not the initial caregiver
- The existing entitlement of two weeks of paid parental leave for the non-primary carer at the time of the birth or adoption, is retained and improved. This applies in addition to the 12 weeks paid parental leave below. The second of the two weeks will no longer deducted from the employee’s paid personal/carer’s leave entitlement. The employee may also request that this leave be taken up to twelve months after the date of birth or adoption.
- There will be a new entitlement to 12 weeks paid parental leave for employees who are not the initial primary caregiver but become the primary carer of their child. This will apply to an employee who assumes primary responsibility for caring for their child during the twelve months immediately following the birth or adoption where their partner has returned to work or study.
Temporary employees
- Temporary teachers and temporary general employees whose employment contract ceases during a period of paid parental leave, and who meet the agreed criteria, will be paid out as a lump sum payment the balance of their paid parental leave when their job finishes. To be eligible, the employee must meet the usual requirements for parental leave and must have completed at least three years continuous employment when their job finishes.
SUPPORT STAFF PAY AND CLASSIFICATIONS
The new rates of pay and classification structure for support staff employed in the School Administrative Services Stream and the Classroom and Learning Support Services Stream will be backdated to the first full pay period on or after 1 January 2023. The pay increases will apply to staff in these streams currently classified at Levels 4, 5 and 6 because the IEU claim was to flow on increases received by comparable employees in government schools in 2019.
The main classification changes are:
- a new classification step 4.4 for support staff in the Classroom and Learning Support Services Stream, with at least 12 months continuous service at step 4.3
- a new classification Level 5A for an employee engaged as an Aboriginal Education Officer who, in addition to duties of Level 4 or 5, performs a broader role involving community liaison, family support or integration of Aboriginal perspectives into the operation of the school
- new requirements to appoint senior administrative staff at Level 6. Administrative staff at Level 5 or Level 6 may be reclassified to Level 6A or Level 6B, in accordance with the new criteria. However, an existing Level 5 administrative employee who reports to a Level 6 employee will remain at Level 5. Current ICT staff at Level 6 will be reclassified to Level 6A.
Dioceses will work to adjust the staff classifications and pay rates as a matter of priority. However, when members actually receive the backpay will vary between dioceses, given the complex nature of the changes.
