Principal Induction Toolkit

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Human Resources

What will I learn?

This resource will assist school principals to manage the employees at their school.

To attract and retain the best possible staff, the Department promotes innovative and supportive human resources practices in its workplaces. This unit provides an overview of key human resources matters for newly appointed principals.

The Human Resources Division website provides easy access to comprehensive human resources information, support services, policies and practices in the following key areas:

To log on see:  Human Resources Division

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Careers and Recruitment

This section provides information about careers in education and early childhood.

To log on see: Careers and Recruitment

Employment Legislative Framework

Principals may generally rely upon Department policy and guidelines but are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the legislative framework.

  • Employees in the Teaching Service (principal class, teacher class, education support class and paraprofessional class) are employed under Part 2.4 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. Employees also have their terms and conditions set out in workplace agreements. Principal class employees enter a contract of employment with the Department.
  • School councils may employ education support class employees, casual relief teachers and other non teaching staff under Part 2.3 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. 
  • The Minister for Education has the power under the Act to make orders relating to the employment conditions and salaries of employees in the Teaching Service employed by the Department or persons employed by school councils.
  • The Act provides the Secretary with powers and functions for the administration and the management of Department employees. Some of these functions and powers have been delegated to principals.

Suggested Links

Contact: HRWeb

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Diversity and Equity

This section provides information regarding diversity and equity.

To log on see: Diversity and Equity

Equal Opportunity

As an educational institution and an employer, the Department must comply with State (Victorian) and Commonwealth equal opportunity legislation.  It is possible for complaints to be lodged against the Department under either State (Victorian) or under Commonwealth legislation.

In Victoria, the main legislation which makes it unlawful to discriminate is the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) (EO Act 2010).  Related laws in Victoria are the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) and the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic).

At the Commonwealth level, there is a range of equal opportunity legislation which includes the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and the Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Cth).

For further information see: Equal Opportunity, Discrimination and Harassment  and Workplace Discrimination Harassment and Bullying Course.

Workplace Contact Officers

The Department has a network of trained Workplace Contact Officers (WCO) who can provide employees with confidential support and information regarding discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and bullying in the workplace.  Principals and School Councils need to consider their responsibilities seriously and are reminded that they may be named as respondents to any equal opportunity or sexual harassment complaint and may be held liable for any discrimination or sexual harassment found to have occurred.

For further information see: Workplace Contact Officers

If you are notified that a complaint of discrimination under State or Federal equal opportunity legislation has been made against a staff member at your school, or your School Council, contact should be made immediately with the Conduct & Ethics Branch.

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Employment Conditions

The Employment Condition section provides information regarding employees’ conditions of employment.

To log on see: Employment Conditions and Careers and Recruitment

Contact: Schools Recruitment Unit: 1800 641 943 

Flexible Work for Life Balance

Principals need to be mindful that there is a body of law relevant to all organisations that relate to flexible work, work and family practices and equal employment opportunity.

Victorian Equal Opportunity legislation and the Fair Work Act (2009) (Cth) National Employment Standards (NES) prohibit employers from unreasonably refusing to accommodate a request for flexible work arrangements to support an employee or prospective employee who has responsibilities as a parent or carer. Principals must therefore seriously consider requests for flexible work arrangements from staff members who hold parent or carer responsibilities.

For further information see the Department’s Flexible Work For Work-Life Balance.

Guidelines for Managing Complaints, Unsatisfactory Performance and Misconduct

The Department has a responsibility to ensure that employees maintain high standards of conduct and performance. It is incumbent on a principal to act where a complaint, unsatisfactory performance or misconduct involving an employee is observed or brought to her or his attention, whether or not a formal complaint has been lodged.

In determining the appropriate action the principal, subject to satisfying any legal or policy requirements, should use his or her professional judgement to decide whether the matter should be dealt with under the applicable Guidelines for Managing Complaints, Unsatisfactory Performance and Misconduct,  and if so, whether it should proceed under the complaints, unsatisfactory performance or misconduct procedures. The Department’s Conduct & Ethics Branch will provide advice and assistance on the appropriate course of action to take.

Comprehensive policy and information concerning the management of complaints, unsatisfactory performance and misconduct in relation to school based employees is available on the  Human Resources website

For further information see: Complaints, unsatisfactory performance and misconduct

Note:   Regions are advised to contact the Conduct and Ethics Branch prior to conducting any induction training on managing complaints, unsatisfactory performance and misconduct.

Contact: Conduct and Ethics Branch Phone: 9637 2595 Fax: 9637 2430, Email: white.carmel.t@edumail.vic.gov.au

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Professional Development

The performance and development provides comprehensive information about performance and development for all school staff. 

To log on see: Performance and Development

Contact: HRWeb

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Safety, Health & Wellbeing

The Department is committed to ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of its employees, students and visitors through the provision of safe schools and workplaces. Under the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 Principals so far as is reasonably practicable, must provide and maintain for employees a work environment that is safe and without risks to health.

To assist Principals to manage OHS and workers compensation claims the Employee Health Unit (EHU) has developed standard policies and procedures for use in all Department workplaces.  

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Workforce Management

Workforce management is a planning and accountability framework for principals that ensures the Department's strategic priorities and objectives are delivered efficiently and cost in a cost effective way.

To log on see: Workforce management

Student Resource Package (SRP).  Provides key human resource decision-making process at the school level 

To log on see:  Student Resource Package (SRP)

The Student Resource Package Planner is a modelling tool that allows principals and other school planners to model the impact of enrolment variations and other changes on the Student Resource Package, and build an overall workforce plan that acknowledges current salary commitments for staff and considers the affordability of planned changes. The SRP Planner allows schools to develop a 1-year, 2-year or 3-year plan and includes useful analytical tools and graphical information.

To log on see:  The Student Resource Package Planner

Contact: HRWeb