Additional Appointments/Duties Policy

• Preamble
• Additional Appointments
  • Additional Sessional Academic Appointments
  • Additional Non-Sessional Appointments
• ADDITIONAL DUTIES
  • Introduction
  • Additional Duties for Part-Time Staff Members
  • Additional Duties for Full-Time Staff Members
    • Staff Members HEW Level 7 or Below
    • Staff Members HEW Level 8 or Above
    • Academic Staff Members
  • Additional Duties for Casual Staff Members

1. PREAMBLE

Each staff member of the University has a substantive appointment under his/her contract of employment as either:

• a full-time, part-time or sessional academic staff member; or
• a full-time, part-time or casual general staff member; or
• a full-time, part-time or casual trades and services staff member.

The following policy is designed to enhance flexibility in the forms and mix of employment arrangements within the University by facilitating offers to staff with existing substantive appointments to undertake additional appointments and/or duties.

In all instances where staff are to undertake additional appointments and/or duties under the terms of this policy, all required documentation must be completed and authorised prior to the commencement of such appointments and/or duties.  

2. ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENTS

2.1 ADDITIONAL SESSIONAL ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

A staff member with an existing substantive appointment may be offered an additional sessional appointment to undertake academic duties related to demonstrating, tutoring, lecturing, marking, supervision, academic research assistance, music accompanying with special educational service, undergraduate clinical nurse education, or other required academic activity as described in Schedule 3 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and General Staff) 2005 (or, where applicable, the relevant AWA Terms and Benefits Policy) where those duties are either unrelated to or identifiably separate from the normal duties of the staff member's existing substantive appointment. Where those duties are not unrelated or identifiably separate, they may be performed by the staff member either working overtime (general staff only) or additional hours.

Any acceptance of an offer of additional sessional academic appointment must have the prior approval and authorisation of the staff member's current supervisor.  Approval may be granted where the additional appointment will not:

• create a conflict of interest for the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• adversely affect the staff member's performance in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• impose an unreasonable workload inconsistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member; or
• be undertaken during the normal working hours of the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment, except where this may be accommodated under the terms of the University's Flexible Working Hours (Hours of Work and Span of Hours) Policy.

Where an additional sessional academic appointment entails 4 contact hours or less of sessional work per week, the appointment will be presumed not to adversely affect the staff member's performance in his/her existing substantive appointment or to impose an unreasonable workload inconsistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member.  Offers of additional appointments entailing more than 4 contact hours of sessional work per week may also be approved for acceptance, but are subject to the endorsement of the Deputy Divisional Director, Human Resources Division.  Any endorsement of the Deputy Divisional Director will be based on consideration of a detailed written submission in support from the staff member and his/her supervisor.   

Where a staff member makes a valid acceptance of an additional sessional academic appointment offer, two separate and distinct appointments will exist for the staff member - his/her original substantive appointment and the additional sessional academic appointment.  The terms and conditions that apply to sessional academic staff will apply equally when the staff member performs his/her duties under the additional sessional academic appointment.  Whilst the staff member will be paid the appropriate salary for his/her substantive appointment, the appropriate sessional salary rate will be paid for work performed under the additional sessional academic appointment.  He/she will not be entitled to any other payment, such as overtime, nor any other entitlements, such as leave, for work performed under the additional sessional academic appointment.

2.1.1 Additional Sessional Academic Appointments - Examples

2.1.2 Procedures Applying for Additional Sessional Academic Appointments

Prior to the staff member performing duties under an additional sessional academic appointment, an Employment of Casual/Sessional Staff form must be completed signed and forwarded to HR Operations in Human Resources Division.  Payment for duties performed under the additional sessional academic appointment will be on the basis of the Casual Academic Sessional Time Sheet submitted.  In accordance with the University's relevant workplace agreements, sessional academic staff are entitled to be paid within 22 days of submitting a completed valid claim for payment.

2.2 ADDITIONAL NON-SESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

Most offers of additional appointment will be in the nature of additional sessional academic appointments.  However, consideration will also be given to the approval of offers of additional non-sessional appointments.

Application for approval of an offer of additional non-sessional appointment may be made by lodgement of a detailed written submission in support by the staff member concerned and his/her current supervisor to the Deputy Divisional Director, Human Resources Division.  Approval of an offer of additional non-sessional appointment will be at the discretion of the Deputy Divisional Director and any approval granted will be on a case-by-case basis.

For approval to be granted, the Deputy Divisional Director will need to be satisfied that the additional appointment will not:

• create a conflict of interest for the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• adversely affect the staff member's performance in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• impose an unreasonable workload inconsistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member; or
• be undertaken during the normal working hours of the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment, except where this may be accommodated under the terms of the University's Flexible Working Hours (Hours of Work and Span of Hours) Policy.

In addition, the Deputy Divisional Director must be satisfied that the additional appointment will not prejudice the capacity of the University to meet its various employment obligations to the staff member.  This includes the University's external obligations regarding superannuation contributions and income tax deductions, as well as its various workplace agreement obligations such as leave accruals, allowance and overtime payments, and access to incremental advancement.

3. ADDITIONAL DUTIES

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Where a staff member performs extra duties within his/her substantive appointment, such duties will either be undertaken within the staff member's normal working hours or as additional hours or, where applicable, overtime.  Where extra duties are to be performed outside the scope of the staff member's substantive appointment and the option of an additional appointment is unavailable, this policy will cover the performance of such duties (except where the payment of a higher duties allowance applies).  Those duties will be referred to as additional duties.

All categories of staff are eligible to undertake additional duties in accordance with the terms of this policy, excepting staff with an existing substantive appointment as a sessional academic staff member.  The performance of additional duties by staff with an existing appointment as a sessional academic staff member will be in accordance with the additional appointments policy.  Where the additional duties to be performed by the sessional academic staff member are either full-time or part-time, his/her substantive appointment will be converted from sessional to full-time or part-time accordingly.

Staff member undertaking additional duties in accordance with the terms of this policy continue to retain a single contract of employment with the University.

3.2 ADDITIONAL DUTIES FOR PART-TIME STAFF MEMBERS

Any acceptance of an offer of additional duties to a part-time academic, general or trades and services staff member must have the prior approval of the staff member's current supervisor.  Approval may be granted where the additional duties will not:

• create a conflict of interest for the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• adversely affect the staff member's performance in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• impose an unreasonable workload inconsistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member; 
• be undertaken during the normal working hours of the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment, except where this may be accommodated under the terms of the University's Flexible Working Hours (Hours of Work and Span of Hours) Policy;
• cause the staff member's combined fraction of employment to exceed 100%;
• be paid at a salary rate other than that applying to the staff member's existing substantive part-time appointment; or
• result in the staff member performing duties which do not correspond with his/her substantive appointment as either an academic staff member, a general staff member, or a trades and services staff member.

Where a part-time staff member makes a valid acceptance of an additional duties offer, he/she will be paid the applicable rate for the work undertaken.  Where the additional duties are ongoing, the staff member's contract of employment will be varied to reflect his/her combined fraction of employment.

3.2.1 Additional Duties for Part-Time Staff - Examples

3.2.2  Procedures for Part-Time Staff Members Undertaking Additional Duties

If the staff member is undertaking the additional duties in another cost centre(s), the Heads of each Department or supervisors must discuss the proposed arrangement and seek agreement, including the proportions of the staff member's duties shared across the cost centres. The Head of Department or supervisor of the substantive appointment must alter the existing appointment to reflect the additional duties undertaken (eg fraction 0.5 changed to fraction 0.7). The staff member's category of employment, classification and salary will remain the same for all time worked. The information is to be provided to Human Resources, Human Resources Division in memo format. The memo should outline any properly authorised split-costing arrangements.

3.3 ADDITIONAL DUTIES FOR FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS

3.3.1 Staff Members HEW Level 7 or Below  

Any acceptance of an offer of additional duties to a full-time general or trades and services staff member at HEW level 7 or below must have the prior approval of the staff member's current supervisor.  Approval may be granted where the additional duties will not:

• create a conflict of interest for the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment;
• adversely affect the staff member's performance in his/here existing substantive appointment;
• impose an unreasonable workload inconsistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member;
• be undertaken during the normal working hours of the staff member in his/her existing substantive appointment, except where this may be accommodated under the terms of the University's Flexible Working Hours (Hours of Work and Span of Hours) Policy;
• be paid on the basis of a salary rate other than that applying to the staff member's existing substantive appointment; or 
• result in the staff member performing duties which do not correspond with his/her substantive appointment as either a general staff member or a trades and services staff member.

Where a full-time HEW level 7 or below staff member makes a valid acceptance of an additional duties offer, he/she will be entitled to payment of overtime at the salary rate applying to his/her substantive appointment for such additional duties if performed outside ordinary hours.

Examples:

Procedures:  

If the additional duties are undertaken in more than one cost centre, the Heads of each Department or supervisors must discuss the proposed arrangement and seek agreement. Payments will be charged to the cost centre in which the additional duties are undertaken, but each cost centre (if more than one) must have authorised this payment. The details of overtime are to be provided by the staff member on the General Staff (non Trades & Services) Additional Hours/Overtime Time Sheet or the General Staff (Trades & Services) Additional Hours/Overtime Time Sheet.

3.3.2 Staff Members HEW Level 8 or Above

The approval requirements for offers of additional duties to full-time HEW level 7 or below staff members apply equally to offers of additional duties to full-time general or trades and services staff members at HEW level 8 or above.  Provided that HEW level 8 or above staff members are ineligible for payment of overtime and therefore have no entitlement to payment for additional duties undertaken.  However, they will be entitled to time off in lieu of the period of additional duties worked.

3.3.3 Academic Staff Members

3.4 ADDITIONAL DUTIES FOR CASUAL STAFF MEMBERS

Any acceptance of an offer of additional duties to a casual general or trades and services staff member must have the prior approval of the staff member's current supervisor.  Approval may be granted where the additional duties will not:

• entail duties other than casual general staff or casual trades and services staff duties;
• create a conflict of interest for the staff member in his/her existing casual appointment;
• adversely affect the staff member's performance in his/her existing casual appointment;
• impose an unreasonable workload inconsistent with the continued health and safety of the staff member;
• be paid at a casual rate other than than applying to the staff member's existing casual appointment; or
• result in the staff member performing duties which do not correspond with his/her substantive appointment as either a casual general staff member or a casual trades and services staff member.
  

Procedure:

If the additional duties are undertaken in another cost centre, the Heads of each Department or supervisors must discuss the proposed arrangement and seek agreement. Payments will be charged to the cost centre in which the additional duties are undertaken, but each cost centre (if more than one) must have authorised this payment. A replacement Employment of Casual/Sessional Staff form must be completed which reflects the additional duties.

The staff member also needs to complete the applicable Casual General Staff (Trades & Services) Time Sheet or Casual General Staff Time Sheet  in order to receive payment for additional duties performed.

Note:

Given that additional appointments / duties are more complex employment arrangements than a single appointment, it is essential that the Faculty / Division take particular care in ensuring that it follows this policy accurately.

In cases of any claims made against the University in relation to additional appointments / duties , the Faculty / Division responsible for approving the additional appointment /duties will be responsible for all costs associated with the claims or disputes including legal costs.