The Higher Duties Allowance for Professional Staff Policy informs Professional Staff of the conditions and arrangements associated with the payment of a higher duties allowance where this is warranted.
Policy Statement
A Professional Staff member who is required to act in a position of higher classification than that which the Professional Staff member occupies, or who is assigned responsibilities or duties which warrant the payment of a higher duties allowance, shall be paid an allowance in accordance with this Policy.
Application of the Policy
This policy applies to all continuing and fixed term Professional Staff who are required to act in a position of higher classification than that which the Professional Staff member occupies or who is assigned responsibilities or duties which warrant the payment of a higher duty allowance.
A staff member who is assigned the duties of a higher graded position or who is assigned responsibilities, or duties which warrant the payment of a higher duties allowance, is eligible for payment of a higher duties allowance where the period of service in the higher graded position is for a continuous period of at least 10 consecutive working days, inclusive of public holidays.
A staff member who, at the time of proceeding on approved leave with pay, was in receipt of an allowance shall continue to be paid such an allowance, unless alternate arrangements have been made by the nominated supervisor for another staff member to be assigned those duties, whilst that staff member is on approved leave with pay.
If the leave with pay is taken at a rate less than full pay (e.g. Personal Leave at half pay), the allowance shall be paid on a pro rata basis. Where higher duties allowance payments are continued during leave with pay, those periods shall be counted as service for the purpose of granting increments in accordance with this policy.
The proportion of the allowance payable shall be equivalent to the proportion of duties of the higher graded position being performed, as assessed by the staff member’s nominated supervisor and approved by the relevant delegate. This is normally expressed as a percentage.
The amount of the higher duties allowance payable is based on the difference between the staff member’s substantive salary and the first incremental step of the higher graded position, multiplied by the proportion of the allowance payable.
If a staff member performs the duties of a position with a higher classification, they shall be eligible for salary increments applicable to the higher classification, provided that:
- for the first increment, a total of 12 months higher duties in a position(s) of the same or higher classification has been completed within the preceding 24-month period and an allowance was paid in respect of such duties;
- for subsequent increments, a total of 12 months higher duties in a position(s) of the same or higher classification has been completed within a 24-month period which commenced after the last increment was granted and an allowance was paid in respect of such duties.
If a staff member, who is performing the duties of a higher classification, is appointed or promoted to a position at that classification level, they shall receive the same level of salary increment as if they had, during the period of temporary service in the higher classification, been the permanent occupant of that position.
If a staff member has been performing the duties of a position at a higher classification to which they have then promoted, the period of such higher duties shall be considered in establishing the incremental date, providing the higher duties were performed within the period of 12 months preceding such promotion.
An allowance payable under this policy shall be regarded as salary for the purposes of calculating all other types of allowance, including overtime.
All higher duties allowances will attract University superannuation contributions.
Annual Leave Loading will be payable on the higher duties allowance rate where the allowance has been/will be payable for a period of 12 consecutive months or more.
Procedures
If a nominated supervisor proposes that a staff member under their area of responsibility are required to act in a position of higher classification than that which the Professional Staff member occupies or who is assigned responsibilities or duties of a higher graded position, the nominated supervisor must first seek approval for the payment of an allowance from the relevant delegate.
The nominated supervisor recommends the payment of a higher duties allowance to the approving officer, utilising a Higher Duties/Salary Flexibility (HDUTY.1) form on Staff Connect.
It is the responsibility of the nominated supervisor to monitor the staff member’s performance of the activities for which payment of a higher duties allowance is made. The nominated supervisor is also responsible for ensuring that any variation to the approved arrangements is drawn to the attention of, and approved by the relevant delegate. In such circumstances, Human Resources must also be advised of any changed arrangements affecting the allowance paid.
Professional Development
Whether the higher duties period is short or long term, the nominated supervisor and the staff member should discuss performance expectations and professional development at the commencement of the higher duties and during the Performance Review and Planning process.
The nominated supervisor and the staff member should ensure that professional development:
- is informed by the requirements of the acting position and the ACU Capability Development Framework (CDF);
- aligns to the core competencies of the acting position at the relevant CDF Achievement Level; and
- at the same time, maintains alignment to the core competencies and CDF Achievement Level of the staff member’s substantive role.