Higher Duties Allowance
Teaching Service
Overview
An employee assigned to a position for which the remuneration prescribed is higher than that applicable to the employee's current position is entitled to be paid a higher duties allowance provided at least one half of the duties of the assigned position are to be performed.
A higher duties assignment would normally be made when a position is vacant for periods of longer than five consecutive working days and up to twelve months.
Principals need to consider whether a higher duties assignment is appropriate, particularly in those circumstances where the full range of duties will not be undertaken but only a particular task or responsibility of the position. In these circumstances it may be appropriate to assign a special payment.
Principals should consult the Regional Director prior to assigning a person to act in an assistant principal vacancy to ensure there are no principal class officers available to act in the position.
A person assigned higher duties in the principal or teacher class must be registered under Part 2.6 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. Provided that a person registered as a non practising teacher under Part 2.6.11 of the Act cannot undertake higher duties in the principal or teacher class.
Selection
Principals are required to use a merit-based selection process for higher duties assignments of more than three months that includes inviting expressions of interest from interested staff. The invitation should include details of the position, selection criteria, remuneration, and duration of the assignment. The selection process should be consistent with the requirements set out in the Recruitment in Schools Guide, including the establishment of a panel.
Payment
An employee is to be paid higher duties in accordance with the processes set out in the Administration Procedures which are available below under Procedures and Forms.
The higher duties allowance paid shall equal the amount required to raise the employee's remuneration to the salary of the position to which he/she has been assigned. Where an employee is assigned the duties of a principal class position, the allowance is calculated as follows:
- in relation to members of the Principal Class, 91.7% of the difference between the total remuneration specified in his/her contract of employment and the minimum remuneration of the position to which he/she has been assigned, or
- in relation to other employees, the higher duties allowance should equal the amount required to raise his/her remuneration to 91.7% of the minimum remuneration of the position to which he/she has been assigned.
Higher duties assignments commence from the date of taking up duty and cease at the end of the assignment period or the last day of the school year whichever is the earlier.
Where an employee is in receipt of a higher duties allowance for at least one month immediately prior to the last day of the school year he/she shall be paid the allowance to 31 December of that year. Where the employee is reassigned the duties of that position from the first day of the succeeding school year he/she shall be paid the appropriate higher duties allowance from 1 January of that year.
An employee is entitled to receive increases in the higher duties allowance equivalent to the increases in salary the employee would have received had he or she been promoted to the higher position, in accordance with the requirements for salary progression.
Payment During Periods of Leave
Long service leave
An employee in receipt of a higher duties allowance for a continuous period of twelve months or more immediately prior to commencing long service leave, and who would have continued to receive the allowance had they not taken leave, shall be paid that allowance during the period of leave.
School vacations
An employee in the principal or teacher class who is assigned higher duties for a period that includes a school vacation period shall continue to be paid the allowance during the school vacation period.
Annual leave
An education support class employee who is in receipt of a higher duties allowance immediately prior to the commencement of annual leave shall be paid that allowance during the period of leave provided the higher duties would have continued but for the granting of such leave.
Personal leave for illness or injury or WorkSafe leave
An employee in receipt of a higher duties allowance immediately prior to commencing personal leave or WorkSafe leave shall be paid in accordance with the following:
- When an employee receiving a higher duties allowance is absent on personal leave with pay or WorkSafe leave, they are eligible to continue to receive the allowance for one calendar month of the leave, provided it does not extend beyond the expiry date of the assignment period.
- If an employee has been in receipt of a higher duties allowance continuously for a period greater than twelve months immediately prior to commencing personal leave or WorkSafe leave, they are eligible to receive the allowance for all periods of personal leave with pay or WorkSafe leave providing it does not extend beyond the expiry date of the assignment period.
Maternity leave and adoption leave
Employees in receipt of a higher duties allowance for a continuous period of twelve months or more immediately prior to commencing maternity leave or adoption leave, and who would have continued to receive the allowance had they not taken leave, shall be paid that allowance during the period of leave, provided it does not extend beyond the expiry date of the assignment period.
Teaching Service | Public Service
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