Conditions of Service
Guide to terms and conditions of employment
1. Introduction
2. Probation
3. Hours of Work
4. Salary
5. General leave conditions
6. Allowances
7. Other entitlements
8. Remote locality provisions
9. Superannuation
Introduction
This Guide is intended to provide general information about some of the conditions of employment applicable to employees in the Northern Territory Public Sector (NTPS).
In the NTPS employees are employed under various legislation including awards and enterprise agreements made under Commonwealth law (the Workplace Relations Act) and Northern Territory law, principally the Public Sector Employment and Management Act and its subordinate legislation, such as By-laws, Employment Instructions and Determinations.
These laws exist in a hierarchy which results in terms and conditions specified in enterprise agreements taking precedence over those in awards which in turn take precedence over those in the Public Sector Employment and Management Act.
Consequently, in determining what term and condition applies it is necessary to first check the applicable enterprise agreement, then the award and then the Public Sector Employment and Management Act and its subordinate legislation (eg By-laws).
This Guide contains information about the By-laws made under the Public Sector Employment and Management Act as they generally apply across the NTPS and are generally consistent with awards and enterprise agreements. However, it must be noted that this is not always the case and it is the responsibility of potential or current employees to make their own enquiries as to the exact terms and conditions that apply to them.
Advice on terms and conditions of employment is available in the first instance from your Agency's HR practitioners or the Salaries Section of Department of Corporate and Information Services (DCIS). Copies of the NTPS enterprise agreements and awards are available on the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment (OCPE) website.
Probation
Permanent employment in the NTPS is subject to a period of probation during which an employee's conduct and performance is assessed (refer to Employment Instruction No 2).
Hours of work
On average, full time employees are required to work either 36.45 hours or 38 hours per week depending on their appropriate award. Part-time work and flexible working arrangements may also be available, depending on the needs of the work place.
Salary
All employees in the NTPS are paid fortnightly and the pay period extends from Thursday to Wednesday. Salary is paid into a bank account nominated by the employee.
An employee's salary is set by the classification of the position the employee has been recruited to. There are four general classification streams in the NTPS. They are:
In addition to these there are agency specific classification streams such as Registered Nurse in the Department of Health and Community Services and Service Worker with the Power and Water Authority.
Employees are generally entitled to increments within the scale of salary for their substantive classification after completing 12 months service.
General leave conditions
Recreation leave – By-law 4
- Most employees in the NTPS are entitled to an annual leave credit of six weeks.
- Annual leave accrues on a monthly basis and may be accessed as soon as it is accrued.
- Seven day shift workers will accrue an additional week of annual leave for shifts worked on Sundays during the year.
Recreation Leave Loading – By-law 5
- Employees are entitled to receive recreation leave loading at 17.5 per cent of their annual leave credit, up to a maximum payment set by the Commissioner for Public Employment.
- To receive the leave loading an employee must take at least one weeks leave.
Sick Leave – By-law 7
- Accrual of sick leave
A permanent employee is entitled to three weeks sick leave on full pay on commencement.
Temporary employees are entitled to apply for sick leave of up to one week for every two months service, up to a maximum of three weeks.
On completion of each 12 months of service permanent and temporary employees are then credited with three weeks sick leave on full pay per year.
- Grant of sick leave
Notice of an employee's absence on sick leave must be given as soon as practicable.
A medical certificate is required for all incidences of illness of three or more consecutive days. Employees are encouraged to support their absence on sick leave with a medical certificate wherever possible.
- Sick Leave for Family Members
Up to 10 days of an employee's sick leave credit may be used to care for sick family members in any sick leave year.
Long Service Leave – By-law 8
- Entitlement
An employee is entitled to paid long service leave of three calendar months after completing 10 years of continuous service; and an additional three tenths of a month on completion of each subsequent year of continuous service.
- Maximum credit
An employee is required to use a long service leave entitlement within three years of accruing the 10 year entitlement and subsequent 10 years accrual.
- Granting of long service leave
Long Service Leave may be granted on full pay, half pay or double pay.
Maternity and Parental Leave
- Parental Leave (Award Provisions)
Employees of the Northern Territory Public Sector are able to apply for up to 52 weeks unpaid parental leave either for maternity (for females) or paternity (for males). Parental leave is available to only one parent at a time except that both parents may simultaneously use maternity/paternity leave, for an unbroken period of up to one week at the time of the birth of the child.
Parental leave is also available to employees adopting a child under six years of age.
In addition employees of the Northern Territory Public Sector are also entitled to the following provisions for:
-
Maternity Leave
An employee who is pregnant and who has at least 12 months continuous employment with the Northern Territory Public Sector is entitled to select either a:
• Twelve Month Option – By-law 10
This option entitles employees to 12 weeks paid leave that can be combined with a period of paid (eg Recreation leave) or unpaid leave, up to a maximum of 52 weeks.
• Six Year Option – By-laws 11 and 12
This option allows an employee to take up to six years unpaid leave which enables them to spend time with their child until school age.
Employees who have less than 12 months service are also able to apply for the 12 month or six year options but may not be entitled to any paid maternity leave.
The six year option is also available for employees who adopt a child.
- Other Forms of Leave
There are a number of other forms of leave available to employees of the NTPS refer to the By-laws for more information.
Allowances
Higher Duties – By-law 23
An employee may be paid a higher duties allowance if they are required to perform the duties of a job which is higher than the employees substantive salary.
'Higher duties allowance' means the difference in salary between the employee's incremental point of their substantive designation and the minimum incremental point of the salary range applicable to the higher duty designation.
An employee is entitled to an increment at the higher classification:
• after they have been on higher duties for a continuous period of 12 months; or
• where they have accrued a total of 12 months of service in broken periods during the preceding 24 months.
Northern Territory Allowance – By-law 26
An employee who has established responsibility for dependents, may be eligible for payment of a Northern Territory Allowance.
Relocation – By-law 27 and 28
When a person gains a permanent appointment, is promoted or transferred and it is necessary to move from one location to another to commence duty they may be entitled to either relocation expenses or a relocation allowance.
Travelling/Camping Allowance – By-law 30 and 31
Where an employee, in the course of employment, is required to travel away from headquarters which extends overnight they may be provided with reasonable accommodation and/or meals or an allowance.
Other Allowances
Other allowances that may apply to employees of the NTPS refer to the By-laws for more information.
Remote locality provisions
Entitlements – By-laws 42 to 44 and Determination 5 of 2000
These provisions apply to an employee who is employed in a "remote locality" declared by the Commissioner for Public Employment. These entitlements are in addition to any other conditions of service.
Employees who reside in a locality declared as 'remote' may be entitled to receive:
- assistance with airfares on a regular basis, for themselves and their recognised dependants, to Darwin or Alice Springs (Fares Out of Isolated Locality)
- an allowance to assist with the cost of freight for foodstuffs they purchase outside the remote locality
In addition to this they may also be eligible for:
- rental concessions
- special study leave provisions
- an accommodation allowance in conjunction with fares out of isolated locality
- family travel assistance in conjunction with professional development
- partial reimbursement of household contents insurance premiums if higher costs are incurred.
Superannuation
Information on the Northern Territory Government superannuation provisions is available from the Northern Territory Superannuation Office.