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Current processes

Enterprise Agreements (EAs) carry clauses on the process of classification and re-classification of ESOs, LSOs and General Staff (referred to as ESOss from here on).

Generally, the clause would read along the lines of:

On the first anniversary of appointment and biennially thereafter, or at another mutually agreed time, consultation will occur between the employer and the employee to ensure that the duty statement is accurate and conforms with the classification levels …

Recently in the Catholic EA these time frames were removed and it now lies with the ESO to seek a role review at any time at a mutually agreeable time.

Don’t be put off by the ‘I don’t have the time right now’ argument. Surely time can be found in a window of two weeks to discuss this. This could trigger the request for a re-classification where the ESO has been given, either by design or workplace evolution, responsibilities that fall into a higher classification band.

Ways you can start the process of role definition and/or review

• Determine which stream most describes the main tasks that you are required to do, eg. curriculum, resources, administration, services or extension.
  • An ESO could have been re-deployed to another stream, eg. Administration to Services and this may have triggered the Consultation Clause in the EA,so the IEU would be aware of the situation, but not always.
• Make a list of the tasks that you routinely undertake
• Record over a period of weeks what tasks that you are required to do.

Your role statement.

Find your most recent role discretion document, duty statement or Person Information Document (PID)

• If you have not been provided with a role description or met with your principal or supervisor to discuss it take the initiative yourself.
  • Prepare a document (your Role Statement) that describes the tasks that you do with particular reference to the skills required and the level of responsibility you have and the level of supervision that you receive or provide. IEU Organisers have examples that you could use or as a ESO friend to share with you what their duty statement looks like in order to have a ‘familiar’ document to present.

Agreed duty statement

• Arrange a time to meet with your direct supervisor or line manager (or your Principal if that is the person to whom you are directly responsible) to discuss your role statement and reach formal agreement as to its accuracy. You may need to be a little forceful here as the ‘we are so busy’ excuse seems to come up frequently. Don’t let a meeting be scheduled months into the future, surely within a couple of weeks, a time can be found.
• Assuming that your role statement is not disputed and it is formally agreed, then you are in a position to decide whether you think you are correctly classified.
• If you are having difficulty in reaching agreement discuss it with your IEU SA Organiser do determine the best way to proceed.

Reclassification

• Contact your IEU SA Organiser for advice and support. You don’t need to ‘go it alone’
• Discuss with your colleagues their experiences.
• If possible work through the process with one or more colleagues.
• Look at the definitions for the classification in the relevant Enterprise Agreement. If you believe that the work that you routinely do has changed since your last role review and  should be recognised and paid at a higher grade level, prepare an application that links the work that you do and the descriptors for what you believe is the appropriate grade.
• Refer to any formal qualifications or training that you have gained during your employment at your current workplace.
• Make sure that you talk about the degree to which you are required to be self directed, use judgement and initiative, provide direction and supervision to others and the level of responsibility that you are required to exercise with students or staff.

Refer to Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 or your relevant Enterprise Agreement for the process and appeal procedures so you know what to expect.

A few schools operate under the Modern Award so this is the place to start.

Your IEUSA Organiser can assist you once you decide to seek reclassification and will discuss the process from there.

Submit your agreed role statement along with your application to the Principal or Line Manager.

In most Enterprise Agreements a 4-week time frame to get a response applies. If this is exceeded, contact the IEU for further advice – 8410 0122 or enquiries@ieusa.org.au

Don’t wait! A reclassification has a significant impact on your understanding of your role at the workplace, your salary, and eventually, your superannuation.

Bruno Sartoretto
Organiser