Salary Progression

34.3.10.1 Introduction

Purpose

To recognise and reward the outstanding performance of individual general staff members, the University has developed a Salary Progression Scheme to allow staff access to the next salary level beyond their substantive classification level. Outstanding performance can also include cases where a staff member is undertaking additional duties that warrant recognition, but are not enough to warrant a reclassification of the position.

Application for salary progression may be based on both excellent performance and ongoing additional duties.

Salary progression should not be viewed as a system for rewarding long service, or those who work long hours. The latter can be dealt with by overtime, time in lieu or commuted overtime allowance.

Eligibility

The following criteria must be met in order for staff to apply for and continue to receive an allowance under the Salary Progression Scheme.

Staff must:

• hold a fixed term or ongoing appointment (including part-time and job share staff, but not casual appointments);
• hold an appointment at level 2 to level 9;
• have been at the top of the salary range of their substantive level held for a minimum of 12 months (staff who have access to the salary protection point must have completed 12 months at this point); and
• not be subject to unsatisfactory performance/behaviour procedures.

In cases where staff are already in receipt of a salary progression allowance and become subject to formal unsatisfactory performance/behaviour procedures, the allowance will cease.

Job share applicants will be treated on their individual merit not with their job share partner.

Staff holding an appointment funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) or the Australian Research Council (ARC) are NOT eligible to apply.

34.3.10.2 The Nature Of The Salary Progression Allowance

Access to salary progression is by way of a temporary, renewable allowance. This allowance:

• will be for a period of one year in the first instance;
• will not attract superannuation;
• will continue to be paid during periods of paid leave;
• will, as a general rule, be paid to the first point of the next level (or the next highest salary point to the substantive salary);
• will be reviewed annually at which time the allowance may be increased to the next point of the salary range to a maximum of the penultimate point (note this excludes the salary protection point); and
• upon reaching the penultimate point the allowance will be reviewed every two years;

34.3.10.2.1 Criteria For Salary Progression

Excellent Performance

Excellent performance is defined as: the performance of staff who contribute to the goals of the University and of the school beyond what is expected of a competent employee. It would be expected that salary progression under excellent performance criteria requires that the staff member demonstrates overall excellence.

The following criteria may be used as a guide to demonstrate excellent performance across a range of areas. It is not intended that staff would necessarily meet all of the criteria listed below:

• readily accepts increased responsibility [eg. demonstrates ability to supervise other staff if required (where not a requirement of the job),
• demonstrates significant multiskilling,
• performs duties and responsibilities beyond current classification level on a temporary basis
• responds positively to unusual requests
• demonstrates an ability to think laterally
• displays outstanding flexibility
• displays initiative beyond the basic requirement of the job
• displays an ability to think ahead
• demonstrates an exceptional level of technical skills
• is proactive in recognising need for change and recommending improved procedures and work practices
• demonstrates an ability to think strategically (where this is not a requirement of the job)
• demonstrates outstanding communication skills
• promotes team work (as a member of a team and not the leader)and/or
• demonstrates leadership qualities (not necessarily as a delegated supervisor)

Although all applications for salary progression must related to the staff member's current job, examples to demonstrate excellent performance can be drawn from prior years, provided they are within two years of the application.

Where an employee whose salary progression is approved on the basis of excellent performance transfers or is seconded to another position at the same level, the employee will be entitled to retain the Salary Progression Allowance subject to annual review.

Additional duties: classification based

Where the application for salary progression is based on additional duties the following criteria must be met in relation to these duties:

• must be demonstrated and confirmed by the Head of School/Section;
• must be ongoing in nature;
• must be work value related;
• must warrant a higher classification level (when assessed under DWM descriptors); and
• must not be significant enough to warrant a reclassification of the position.

Where an employee whose salary progression is approved on the basis of additional duties transfers or is seconded to another position at the same level, the Salary Progression Allowance will cease. The individual will only receive the Salary Progression Allowance while he/she remains in the substantive position and continues to perform the additional duties.

When an application is based on additional duties, the Employee Relations Officer will be requested to review the application and provide brief comments to the Committee. If the Classification Officer is of the view that the position should be reclassified, the application will be referred to the Classification Review Committee. The staff member would be informed in such instances.

34.3.10.3 Application Process

1. Applications may be initiated either by the staff member, the supervisor or the Head of School/Section.
2. To facilitate the workings of the Salary Progression Committee all applications must be completed using the prescribed form.
3. The application form must be completed and submitted through the supervisor and the Head of School/Section. Supervisors are required to make detailed and relevant comments. The Head of School/Section will be required to make a comment on the application. These comments must be sighted by the applicant, who has a right to respond to his/her HOS/S’s comments if necessary. The Head of School/Section may request a separate report from the applicant's direct supervisor. The staff member has the right to respond to any separate report.
4. All applications must then be forwarded to the Director, Human Resources via the Dean of the appropriate faculty, Executive Director, Finance and Resources, University Librarian or Executive Director (Academic Services) and Registrar (as appropriate).

Applications must include the following:

• current duty statement;
• selection criteria for the position; and
• a statement addressing the basis of the application; excellent performance and/or additional duties. Evidence of excellent performance should be provided. Specific examples of the nature of additional duties should be included.

Applicants can include any of the following to support their application:

• references received from supervisors;
• letters of commendation;
• examples of efficient handling of work, throughput of work, flexibility in the performance of duties;
• ability to liaise;
• names of assessors who may be approached by the Committee for a recommendation, if required;
• University service; (eg service on committees and working outside of normal job requirements) and
• General Staff Development Review forms.

34.3.10.4 Approval Procedure

1. All applications will be considered by the Salary Progression Committee.

1. Excellent Performance

   The Committee will normally make its decision based only on the information provided in the application submitted. Therefore the application needs to clearly demonstrate how the staff member meets the criteria for salary progression based on excellent performance.

2. Additional Duties

   The application will in the first instance be assessed by Human Resources under the DWM descriptors. A recommendation will be attached to the application and forwarded to the Committee for consideration.

3. Further Information

   The Committee may request further information as it deems necessary.

2. Staff will be notified in writing of the result of their application.
3. Successful applications will be effective from the next pay period following the date of receipt of the application by the Director, Human Resources. Where documentation is incomplete, the date of effect will be the first day of the pay period commencing on or after the date that full documentation and approvals are received.

The Committee will make recommendations for salary progression to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Review of Salary Progression Allowances

The Head of School/Section is responsible for reviewing the status of Salary Progression Allowances annually.

Excellent Performance

1. The Head of School/Section is required to submit a memorandum to the Salary Progression Review Committee confirming ongoing excellent performance and recommending progression to the next salary increment.
2. In exceptional circumstances, where such a recommendation cannot be made, the Head of School/Section must submit a detailed memorandum to enable the Committee to recommend an appropriate course of action. In such circumstances:
   • the Head of School/Section must inform the staff member;
   • the staff member has the right to submit relevant documentation which may assist the Committee in its deliberations; and
   • the Committee will make the final recommendation as to whether the allowance is to continue or cease. In the instance of continuance the Committee will recommend whether an increment is to be paid.

Additional Duties

1. The Head of School/Section is required to submit a memorandum to the Salary Progression Review Committee confirming that the additional duties upon which the original application was based are still accurate and ongoing. In such cases the employee will progress to the next salary increment. Upon reaching the penultimate point the allowance will be reviewed every two years.
2. Where there have been further additions to the duties, advice should be sought from the Employee Relations Officer as it may be appropriate to submit an application for reclassification.
3. Where the staff member is no longer required to perform the additional duties the Committee will recommend that the allowance cease.

34.3.10.5 Salary Progression Committee

Responsibility of the Salary Progression Committee

The Salary Progression Committee will assess all applications for salary progression.

Membership of the Committee is as follows:

• Mr Bob Farrelly (Chair)
• Ms Susan Harbers (Executive Officer)
• Professor Ian Saunders (Vice-Chancellor’s nominee)
• Mr Scott Sullivan
• Mr Malcolm Fialho
• Ms Maxine Gamble
• Mr John Wintle

Terms of reference

(1) To consider applications for salary progression based on the documentation submitted and on additional information sought by the Committee as required.

(2) To make recommendations to the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor. In cases where the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor disagrees with the recommendation, the case will be referred back to the Committee to consider the concerns raised. Any cases referred back to the Committee may be for the purpose of seeking further information or clarification.

Dispute Resolution Process

As a general rule decisions will be made on the documentation provided to the Committee.

It is open to the Committee to determine its own process ensuring natural justice to the applicant and others.

Where insufficient detail is provided, the Committee may defer dealing with the case to obtain further information. It is open for the Committee to hold the case over to the next meeting or where practicable, to circulate the information to Committee members for decision between meetings.

In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may agree to hear from the applicant and supervisor or relevant University manager. In such circumstances the general process will be as follows:

1. The applicant has the right to bring a support person but that person is not to act as an advocate.
2. All parties should be invited in to the Committee meeting and hear each others information.
3. The applicant should go first and briefly speak to their case. The University Supervisor/Manager and/or Committee members have the right to ask questions.
4. The University Supervisor/Manager may then address the Committee following which the applicant and/or Committee may ask questions.
5. The applicant may then address the committee but only on issues raised by the University Supervisor/Manager and which have not already been addressed.
6. The Committee reserves the right, should it so decide to ask either or both parties to leave the meeting if it believes there is a need to discuss any issues in private.
7. On having heard from both sides the Committee will thank the parties for attending and debate the merits of the case in private.

34.3.10.6 Review Of Salary Progression Scheme

The salary progression scheme is to be reviewed every two years.

Further details regarding the salary progression process are available from Human Resources on extension 3004.