Anglo-Australian
Observatory
Terms and
Conditions
Anglo-Australian
Telescope Board Enterprise Agreement 2007-2010
Terms
and Conditions for Fixed Term Astronomers
Terms
and conditions for AAO Fellows
Discretionary
Allowances for Staff (Other Than Research Astronomers) Recruited Overseas
AAO Pay Rates
Plain
English Guide to
Terms
and Conditions of Service
1. Introduction
The terms and conditions of service for all
employees of the AAO Board are those contained in the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board Enterprise
Agreement 2007-2010. Fixed term research astronomers have additional terms
and conditions as set out in Terms
and Conditions for Fixed Term Astronomers. The AAO
Fellowship has its own terms and conditions.
2. Location
Officers may be required to work at Epping or
Siding Spring or such other locations as the AAO may require from time to time.
3. Hours of Duty and
Flextime
The normal working hours for all staff are 363/4
per week. Some staff are eligible to participate in the flextime scheme
(those employed under Levels 1 to Level 6).
Flexible Working Hours Scheme: This flextime scheme allows certain staff to start and
finish work at times of their own choosing within set periods at either end of
a working day. The main features of flextime are:
Bandwidth and Span of Hours: The span of hours is 6.00 am to 6.00 pm in which a
flextime bandwith of 08.00 to 18.00 has been set. You can start and finish work
any time within this period and are able to accure flextime for any time worked
over 7.21 hours on each day. (7 hours, 35 minutes.) Hours worked outside the
approved bandwidth may not be claimed for flextime purposes.
Core Times (the times when you must be at
work): 09.30 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 16.00.
Lunch Break: Your lunch break must be taken between 12.00 and 14.00 and should be be not
less than 30 minutes and not more than 2 hours.
Flex sheets: If you participate in the flextime scheme, you must fill in a flex form.
The Personnel Officer will supply you with an electronic version.
A credit of up to 60 hours per 3 month period may
be carried over. The maximum debit that can be accrued per fortnight is 10
hours.
For the flexible working hours scheme to operate
effectively, supervisors and staff need to accept fully the responsibilities in
maintaining satisfactory levels of service and efficiency. Staff are required
to comply with their supervisor’s directions regarding hours of
attendance.
Home Based or Remote Working is an arrangement that
can be proposed by either a staff member or the Board and must have the
approval of the Director. The work to be performed must be appropriate in terms
of content, interaction with other staff and must be appropriately supervised.
Each application will be treated on its merits but should not be used as a
substitute for dependent care.
4. Recording of Attendance
All officers eligible for flextime and paid
overtime must enter in the attendance record provided at the time of his/her
arrival for duty the actual time of arrival, and at the time of his/her
departure form duty the actual time of departure.
5. Overtime
Officers whose base salary exceeds the top of the
salary range applying to an Officer Level 4 are not entitled to the payment of
overtime or penalty rates. For those Officers who are eligible for overtime,
where attendance beyond the normal hours of duty occurs, prior approval must be
obtained from the officer authorised to approve overtime before overtime
payments can be made. The rate of overtime payments Monday to Friday is time
and half, and on Saturday it is time and half for the first three hours and
double time thereafter except where an officer is on a rostered shift on a
Saturday he/she is entitled to overtime at double time. Sunday duty is all
double time. Named public holidays are paid at the rate of double time and a
half. Where an officers is required to perform overtime duty, and such time is
not continuous with ordinary duty, the minimum overtime payment payable for
each separate attendance shall be for four hours at the prescribed overtime
rate (see also para 6 below). After working overtime staff are entitled to a
break of eight hours and reasonable travelling time before recommencing normal
duties.
6. Coonabarabran Allowance
All officers who reside in the Coonabarabran
District are entitled to a district allowance. An employee is only entitled to
approximately half that district allowance if her/his spouse is also in receipt
of a district allowance from her/his employer.
7. Shift workers
Seven-day shift workers receive an additional week
of recreation leave if they work ten Sundays in any one year. If they work less
than ten Sundays they are entitled to an additional one half day’s leave
for each Sunday worked.
8. Meal Allowance
Normally a meal allowance is payable for overtime
performed up to and beyond the prescribed meal periods - 7.00am to 9.00am; 12
noon to 2.00pm; 6.00pm to 7.00pm; and midnight to 1.00am.
9. Payment of Salary
Salaries are paid directly into a bank, credit
union or building society account nominated by the staff member.
Where a staff member and AATB agree, the staff
member may elect to work a reduced working year of between 40 and 48 weeks.
Staff may access the scheme for study, travel or other personal reasons. Staff
members who participate in this scheme will have their income averaged to take
into account periods of leave without pay of between 4 and 12 weeks in any 12
month period.
10. Deductions from Salary
Deductions from salary are made in respect of PAYE
taxation, Medicare, and superannuation. These are obligatory deductions. In
addition, by completing a payment authority form, which can be obtained from
the Personnel Officer, it is possible to arrange for other deductions, such as
health and ambulance funds, life insurance etc, to be made direct from salary.
These are known as voluntary deductions.
11. Increments
If a salary increment is approved, it is payable
on 1 July each year. Increments are not normally paid to people who have
been in post for less than 6 months.
12. Code of Conduct
Staff should perform their duties and conduct
themselves in a manner that ensures that they maintain a reputation for fair
dealing.
All staff are expected to comply with the
AAO's Code of Conduct.
13. Resignation
An officer may at any time tender his or her
resignation. Resignations should normally be in writing addressed to the Director
and normally give at least two weeks’ notice. Officers will be formally
advised of the acceptance of their resignation. (Fixed term scientific staff
are subject to different rules, as set out in Terms
and Conditions for Fixed Term Scientific Staff.)
14. Compensation
Compensation for employees is provided by the
Commission for the Safety, Rehabilitation & Compensation of Commonwealth
Employees (COMCARE). The Board has adopted the Rehabilitation Policy suggested
by COMCARE.
Compensation may be claimed in the following
circumstances:
(a) Where an officer is injured at work;
(b)
Where an officer’s job causes or contributes materially to an illness or
disease;
(c) If a work related
accident affects an artificial limb or aid;
(d) Where an officer is
injured on an approved educational course;
(e) Where an officer is
injured travelling to or from an approved educational course.
15. Superannuation
The Board is an approved authority under the
16. Productivity Superannuation
On 1 January 1988 the Public Service Arbitrator
granted a productivity award (brought in over two years) to be paid in the form
of contributions to a properly constituted superannuation fund. The
contributions range between 2% and 3% of salary, depending on salary level.
With the exception of members of the AATB Staff Superannuation Fund, whose
productivity payments are incorporated with the fund, the award payments are
managed by the Retirement Benefits Office.
17. Long Service Leave
The Board agreed in 1978 to apply long service
leave provisions to all its staff in accordance with the provisions of the Long
Service (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1976.
18. Temporary Accommodation Allowance
This allowance is paid in various circumstances to
officers who incur expenses as a result of a permanent move on appointment,
promotion or transfer away from their previous home, and who are not able to
find immediately a suitable unfurnished residence in their new location.
Details can be obtained from the Personnel Officer.
19. Motor Vehicle Allowance
This allowance is paid to officers who, with
authorisation, use their private vehicles for official business. Staff who use
their private vehicle for their own convenience when either public transport or
transport provided by the Observatory could be used are not normally entitled
to this allowance.
20. Higher Duties Allowance
An officer may be required to perform the duties
of a position with a higher salary scale than his/her own position and, subject
to certain conditions, may be paid an allowance which is the difference between
his/her current salary and the base salary of the higher classification.
21. Leave
All absence from duty must be covered by a written
application on a leave form stating the reasons for the absence.
(i)
Recreation Leave accrues on 1 January at the rate of twenty working
days per annum at Epping and twenty two working days at Coonabarabran. It may
be taken up to the full extent of accrued leave due to an officer at the time
he or she takes such leave. A leave bonus calculated at 17.5% of salary for
four weeks is paid two pay days before Christmas. This bonus is subject to a
maximum payment equivalent to the average weekly wage of the September quarter
prior to the leave credit. Officers can accumulate up to two years entitlement
to recreation leave.
(ii) Sick Leave
accrues on the anniversary of appointment at the rate of two weeks on full pay
and two weeks on half pay. This leave is cumulative. Applications for sick
leave should be supported by the certificate of a duly qualified medical
practitioner. Sick Leave may be granted without production of a medical
certificate to the extent of five days in any sick leave year, but no more than
three of those days in one continuous period. Where an officer is sick during
recreation leave and long service leave and produces a satisfactory medical
certificate he/she may be recredited with a similar period of recreation leave
or long service leave provided that the sick leave is not less than one half of
one day.
(iii)
Personal Leave. Upon sufficient cause being shown, leave of absence may
be granted to any officer, with pay without deduction from recreation leave.
Personal Leave accrues at the rate of 4 days per year and is not cumulative.
The granting of personal leave is subject to the supervisor’s
discretion. Personal leave would normally be granted for the care of
family members, cultural or religious obligations, emergency household matters
or bereavement. Documentary evidence is not required to support the
application but the reason should be noted on the leave application form. If an
employee has exhausted his or her personal leave, they may use their sick leave
for this purpose.
(v) Long Service
Leave accrues at the rate of three calendar months of full pay for the
first ten years of service and three-tenths of a calendar month leave of full
pay for each year of service thereafter. Leave can be granted at not less than
one half calendar month (15 days). It may be taken at half pay.
(vi) Leave Without
Pay. The Director may, on the application of an officer, grant to the
officer leave of absence without pay to pursue a course of studies, or to
undertake research, relating to his/her duties for a period not exceeding
twelve months or for such longer period as the Board thinks fit.
(vii)
Maternity Leave is available to a female officer who is pregnant.
However she must absent herself from duty six weeks before the expected date of
birth of the child and must remain absent until six weeks after the actual date
of birth. A period of 12 weeks maternity leave on full pay is payable,
otherwise recreation leave or long service leave must be taken.
(vii)
New Baby Leave. Staff members may have two weeks new baby paid leave
per confinement.
22. Performance of Outside Work
Officers should not engage in any employment
outside the Observatory which might be detrimental to the performance of their
official duties or which might lead to a clash of loyalties. Applications from
officers for permission to engage in outside employment should be submitted to
the Director.
Updated by Joan Wilcox
20 January 2004
Note regarding Enterprise Bargaining added by
Chris Ramage 19 July 2007