1 Policy Statement

The University may make appointments on a continuing basis for an indefinite period by utilising one of the following modes of employment, including, but not limited to:

• full-time employment;

• fractional employment;

• annualised hours employment (AHE);

• sessional employment; 

• term employment; and

• 48/52 weeks per year working arrangements.

(Approved by Council November 2000)

2 Procedures

2.1 Full-time employment

Full-time employment means in the case of a professional employee an engagement of a minimum of 36 hours per week.  In the case of an academic employee a full-time work load is determined in consultation with the employee's Category 3 Delegate or above.

2.2 Fractional employment

Fractional employment means an engagement at a fraction of full-time employment.  Entitlements are calculated on a proportional basis determined by the fractional engagement, except where stated otherwise in the Enterprise Agreement 2010 - 2013 or by the relevant superannuation trust deeds.

2.3 Annualised hours employment (AHE)

Annualised hours employees are engaged for an agreed number of hours within a twelve month period.  For calculation purposes, annual hours for a professional employee are 1878.408 and annual hours for an academic employee are 1956.675.

Annualised hours employees will be paid fortnightly at an amount calculated on the engaged annual hours including the annual leave component and averaged to a fortnightly salary.  The major employing faculty or section will be responsible for the maintenance of time sheets for these employees.

Annualised hours employees will be deemed to have taken annual leave and therefore will not be required to complete an application for annual leave. Any other leave, including personal leave will be in accordance with the normal leave of absence provisions and applications for leave must be completed.

Where an annualised hours employee works in excess of the total number of nominated hours in the year for which they are engaged, the payment for the additional hours will be made in the first available pay period following receipt in Human Resources of a claim using the Additional Annualised Hours Claim Form.  The additional hours worked will be taken into account in the calculation of entitlements.

2.4 Sessional employment

Sessional employees are engaged on a continuing basis for a minimum of 32 weeks per year (core weeks) and for a minimum of 18 hours per week.  Where a sessional employee works outside the core weeks, less than 18 hours per week may be worked.  For calculation purposes, sessional employees are paid on a proportional basis to a full-time employee determined by the hours worked within the year.

Sessional employees will be paid fortnightly (at the equivalent ordinary hourly rate for professional employees plus a 10% loading) for the hours worked in that pay fortnight.

Sessional employees' entitlements, including leave, will be calculated on a proportional basis and will be in accordance with the normal leave of absence provisions.  Sessional employees must complete applications for all leave.

Employees will be advised of the core weeks to be worked at the beginning of each year. 

Changes to the roster of a sessional employee in the Residential Colleges may be made provided the University gives the employee reasonable notice.  Where the roster is changed without reasonable notice, overtime rates will apply.  Rostered hours may be altered by mutual agreement between the employee and relevant delegate in the Residential Colleges and recorded in writing.  In these instances, the employee may work up to 10 hours each day or 40 hours each week without the payment of overtime.  The additional hours worked will be taken into account in the calculation of entitlements.

Where a sessional employee is called in to work a minimum of three (3) hours at ‘sessional rates’ will be paid.

2.5 Term employment - professional employees

Term employees are engaged for a minimum of 26 weeks in a calendar year and for a minimum of 15 hours per week.  For calculation purposes, term employees are paid on a proportional basis to a full-time employee determined by the hours worked.

Term employees will be paid fortnightly at the proportional rate for the hours worked in that pay fortnight.

Term employees' leave will be calculated on a proportional basis and will be in accordance with the normal leave of absence provisions.  Term employees must complete applications for all leave, including leave without pay for those periods not worked.

The University will advise the employee at the beginning of each calendar year which weeks they will be required to work.

2.6 48/52 weeks per year working arrangements

The 48/52 weeks per year working arrangements (48/52) is a scheme under which a full-time academic or professional employee may work 44 weeks of a negotiated 12 month period.  Such arrangements, once approved, will commence at a mutually agreed time and remain in place for a period of 12 months.

An employee participating in the 48/52 scheme has effectively had 4 weeks leave without pay approved but rather than lose the value of the 4 weeks salary in one period, the employee has obtained approval to spread the salary impact of 4 weeks leave without pay over 26 pay periods.  

Approval of an employee participating in the 48/52 scheme is at the discretion of the Category 4 Delegate and will be subject to agreement between the supervisor and the employee; the needs of the organisational area; and the employee having at least 12 months future service available.  Where an employee converts to a 48/52 week cycle, the supervisor must ensure that any reallocation of workloads is the subject of consultation with affected employees and does not create an unreasonable work allocation for any other employee.

Under this arrangement an employee will become a fractional employee at 48/52 of a full-time load, with all benefits accruing on that basis. Where an employee elects to take up the 48/52 option, the employee may chooses to maintain, subject to the requirements of the relevant superannuation scheme, the employee and/or employer's superannuation contributions on a full-time employment basis, but the University will only be obliged to cover the cost of employer contributions at the 48/52 rate.

Employees availing themselves of this option will retain benefits accrued on a full-time or fractional time basis to date and would then accrue benefits at the new fractional rate from the accrual date of effect of the change.

Annual leave will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Enterprise Agreement 2010 - 2013.  The employee and supervisor must agree on the time of taking leave as early as possible, ie. either at the end of the preceding year or early in the new year.  In taking leave in any one year, it will not be necessary for eight weeks leave to be taken in one block, but this could be an option available to the employee.

2.7 Appointment process

The employing cost centre must first seek approval to advertise the position by completing the Request to Advertise form which must be forwarded with the specified attachments to Human Resources.

Following approval the recruitment and selection process commences.  Refer to the Recruitment and Selection policy and procedure for more information.

Appointments to continuing positions will be made by means of a written letter of engagement from the Executive Director, Human Resources detailing the terms of the appointment.  The appointment will be subject to a written acceptance from the appointee.

The successful applicant will be required to advise their acceptance in writing within the period specified in the letter of offer.  Applicants will normally be required to respond within the following periods otherwise the offer lapses:

• applicants employed by USQ - five working days

• applicants residing in Australia - ten working days

• applicants residing outside Australia - 10 to 15 working days (dependent upon location and communication option)

Where the preferred applicant declines the offer, or the appointee ceases employment or an identical position becomes vacant within a period of note more than three months of the closing date of the original vacancy advertisement, an offer can be made without readvertisement to the applicant who received the second highest ratings against the essential selection criteria as shown in the selection documentation.

The appropriate documentation including all required signatures must be completed prior to the employee commencing duty. 

Irrespective of the source of funding (eg. research grants) all appointments will be made at step one of the classification level unless authorised by the relevant delegate.

Where an existing employee at USQ Level 3 is successful in being appointed through the competitive selection process to a continuing position at USQ Level 4, they will be appointed at Step 2 of the USQ Level 4 classification range.

Appointments to continuing positions may also be made by internal transfer.  Refer to Appointments by Internal Transfer or Secondment policy and procedure.

2.8 Secondments

Employees may be appointed to a continuing position by secondment for a specified term.  At the conclusion of this term the employee may either return to the position held prior to the secondment, or be appointed by internal transfer.  Refer to Appointments by Internal Transfer or Secondment policy and procedure.

2.9 Probation

Employees appointed on a continuing basis will normally serve an initial probationary period prior to having their continuing appointment confirmed.

For more information, refer to Probationary Appointments policy and procedure.

3 Other Policy Information