Overview
General information
The Department provides a facility to deduct a set dollar amount from an employee's fortnightly salary and forward that amount to an approved organisation.
Deductions from an employee's salary must initially be authorised by the employee in writing which would usually be done by completing a deduction authority form supplied by the organisation or company. Once authorised, variations to existing deductions would not normally require the written consent of the employee, as this would have been given at the time the deductions commenced. An employee may, at any time, request in writing that a deduction be ceased.
With the exception of the deductions mentioned below, schools are responsible for processing deduction changes on the Department’s payroll system for school based employees. Deductions are normally commenced from the next available pay period and are generally not commenced retrospectively.
Child Support Agency, court-ordered deductions, annual hospital or medical fund increases, after tax deductions for personal contributions to superannuation funds and teacher notebook salary deductions are administered centrally for employees paid on the Department’s payroll system.
Where an employee has entered into salary sacrifice arrangements, all related deductions are administered by the salary packaging administrator (refer to Salary Packaging — Teaching Service for more information).
Payments to Credit Union Bank accounts are no longer treated as deductions. These are now entered as a pay distribution against an employee’s net pay (refer to Direct Crediting of Salary for more information).
School councils must comply with Child Support Agency and court-ordered salary deductions for staff employed on the local payroll.
Where an employee has more than one deduction and there is insufficient net pay to make all the deductions, a priority order will be invoked and the employee will be responsible for making up any shortfall to the organisation or company concerned where a deduction cannot be made.
It should be noted that a period of leave without pay, including family leave, does not automatically cancel a deduction. During a period of unpaid leave some deductions continue to accrue and recovery of arrears will be attempted when the employee resumes paid duty. Employees wishing to cancel a deduction must do so in writing.
Related policies
Contact information
Reviewed 15 February 2023