Relief Management
Active: September 2011 onwards
Relief
Funds are incorporated into the Student Resource Package (SRP) to enable schools to manage all of their short and long term relief teaching requirements with the exception of the nominated leave items outlined below. Relief funds are incorporated throughout the SRP formulae and are not separately identified.
Special support arrangements operate in respect of long-term leave (via the Long-term Leave Support Scheme).
Nominated leave items
Schools will be reimbursed for the cost of relief for the following types of leave:
- Long Service Leave and paid Family/Paternity Leave (over and under 30 days)
- WorkCover absences after the first ten days
- Major sporting competition leave
Where leave is 30 working days or less the School Resource Allocation Branch will approve reimbursement from contingency funds, providing that relief is required (where no internal resource can be available) and is actually employed.
For leave over 30 days, funds will be allocated to cover the range of potential replacement costs, including fixed term appointments and higher duties. See Reimbursement Procedures for Long-term Leave below.
Where there is insufficient overall credit surplus in the SRP to employ relief, schools must have a deficit management strategy in place to reduce the deficit and to meet relief contingencies, having a view to using both the credit and cash components of the SRP.
A Summary of Relief Fund Sources is provided below.
Relief planning
The principal needs to consider the duties and expertise of all staff and allocate tasks accordingly. A reallocation of duties may be required in order to provide or maintain the desired curriculum or support provision in the school.
Replacement teaching staff are to be provided only when face to face teaching is required and where no internal resource is available. Contingency plans need to provide for temporary reorganisation of teaching programs and extras to maintain necessary face to face teaching.
It is expected that principals will develop a school based staff replacement plan and make adequate provision for relief costs to be met from within the total credit component of their SRP.
Defence Force Leave
Defence Force Leave is unpaid; some teachers on Defence Force Leave may receive make-up pay to cover the difference between their Defence Force and DEECD salary. Schools are to be fully reimbursed for this amount; to claim reimbursement, a Salary Mischarge Amendment should be submitted to the Schools Resource Allocation Branch. For more information on salary mischarge amendments, see: Managing and Monitoring the SRP
For more information on Defence Force Leave, on HRWeb see: Defence Reserve Service
Long-term Leave Support Scheme
A Long-term Leave Support Scheme operates to support schools in the management of long-term sick leave costs for both teachers and Education Support Officers. The scheme effectively provides for schools to contribute a fixed annual premium towards the statewide cost, rather than deal individually with potentially significant unplanned sick leave costs.
The annual premium is displayed as a deduction in the Cash section of a schools’ SRP Management Report.
| 2012 | |
|---|---|
| Index-model Specialist Schools $ Per Student (included in index) |
$87.11 |
| All other Schools % of the total credit component in the SRP |
0.788% |
For previous rates, see: 2011 Managing the Budge Archived Rates
Long-term Leave definition and criteria
Long-term leave is defined as leave of greater than 30 consecutive school days.
Leave during term breaks is not be covered by the scheme unless there is a demonstrated double cost, such as in the case of a fixed term appointee who is entitled to payment during the break. In these instances specific details must be provided to the Schools Resource Allocation Branch so as an assessment can be made if special circumstances should apply.
Schools are reminded that it is Department policy that teacher relief for periods in excess of 30 working days should be through fixed term arrangements on the central payroll. Relief periods beyond six months should be subject to advertisement.
If a Casual Relief Teacher is used initially because the absence is believed to be short term, the employment must be converted, where possible, to fixed term immediately that it is recognised that the absence will extend beyond 30 days.
Reimbursement procedures for Long-term Leave (> 30 days)
During periods of extended paid leave for teachers, such as long service leave, there is normally an additional salary cost against the central payroll. In addition to the salary of the teacher on leave, replacement costs arise from the appointment of fixed-term staff, payment of higher duties, time fraction increases or special payments.
Funds to meet these extra costs are not included in the SRP due to the highly variable impact of extended leave on individual schools. In these instances, separate administrative arrangements are in place for funding to be provided for replacement costs when the leave actually occurs.
The following funding arrangements operate for long-term leave over 30 days, including long-service leave, maternity leave, WorkCover leave and long-term sick leave:
- Classroom teachers on long-term leave are charged outside the school’s SRP during the period of their leave, up to a salary equivalent of an accomplished teacher level A-1.
- In the case of promotion level staff, the amount charged outside the SRP will equate to an accomplished teacher level A-1 plus the higher duties replacement cost.
- In the case of the principal and Education Support staff, the whole of the salary will be charged outside the SRP during the period of leave.
Under this arrangement, Long Term Leave funding will be allocated automatically when the leave occurs. The model allows budget flexibility for schools that may choose not to replace directly, who replace at lower cost, or who replace using a combination of means such as special payments and time fraction changes. Reimbursement rates are shown in the table below:
| Salary of person on leave >30 days | Equivalent value of a person's salary charged outside the SRP |
|---|---|
| Principal | Full salary |
| Assistant Principal | Accomplished teacher A-1 + HD gap (base of Assistant Principal range minus Expert Teacher) |
| Leading Teacher | Accomplished teacher A-1 + HD gap (base of Leading Teacher range minus Expert Teacher) |
| Expert Teacher | Accomplished teacher A-1 |
| Accomplished Teacher | Accomplished teacher A-1 |
| Graduate Teacher G-2 G-1 |
Graduate Teacher G-2 G-1 |
| Education Support Officers | Full salary |
| Teacher's Salary | Charge to School's SRP | Charge outside SRP (i.e. School's saving to fund replacement*) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal fortnight salary (from 2 Jan 2012) | $3,329.37 | $3,329.37 | - |
| Fortnight salary whilst on LSL>30days | $3,329.37 | $551.91 | $2,777.46* |
| * The salary charge to the school has reduced during LSL and funds are saved for replacement. | |
|
Calculation of saving: |
|
| Accomplished teacher A1: $61,997/ 26.0893 fortnights | $2,376.34 |
| HDs gap Expert teacher to LT 1: $10,465 / 26.0893 fortnights | $401.12 |
| = Saving to school for relief | $2,777.46 |
Summary
The following table summarises the funding source for each leave type for Teachers and Education Support Officers:
| Relief type: Teachers and Education Support Officers |
Budget source | |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 30 days | More than 30 days | |
|
Teachers - Sick leave |
Fund from SRP |
Schools pay self-insurance premium under Long-term Leave Support Scheme. Leave on payroll is automatically reimbursed to SRP. Check Management Reports. |
|
Nominated leave
|
Claim reimbursement via Short Term Leave Reimbursement if CRT employed | Leave on payroll is automatically reimbursed to SRP. Check Management Reports. |
| Defence Force Leave | Leave is unpaid. If charged for make-up pay claim reimbursement via Salary Mischarge Amendment |
Leave is unpaid. If charged for make-up pay claim reimbursement via Salary Mischarge Amendment |
| All other relief | Fund from SRP | Fund from SRP |
Short Term Leave Reimbursement
Short Term Leave Reimbursement (STLR) is a process whereby schools can apply for reimbursement for nominated leave items less than 30 continuous working days. For more information on Short Term Leave Reimbursement, refer to the STLR page on: SRP Management Site (edumail login required).
If schools experience extraordinary periods of short term paid leave they should discuss alternative support with the Schools Resource Allocation Branch.
Short Term Leave Reimbursment Rates
The following table contains the rates at which schools will be reimbursed for relief staff; these figures include superannuation and other on-costs.
For information on payment rates for relief staff, please refer on HRWeb to: Salary Rates
| Effective dates | Education Support Officer Relief (Hourly Rate) |
Casual Relief Teacher (Maxium Daily Rate) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012 May change subject to EBA outcomes |
$27.25 |
$290 |
The daily funding rate used within the SRP for 2012 is $290 for relief staff and includes Superannuation and WorkCover.