School Merger or Closure — Staffing

School closure

Principal class employees

Where a school closes the position occupied by a principal class employee in that school is abolished and the contract of employment is terminated under the terms of subclause 9.1(b) of the principal class contract.

In these circumstances the principal class employee will be offered a liaison principal contract at the same classification level and remuneration for the duration of their existing contract or 2 years, whichever is greater, under the direction of the Regional Director of the applicable region. The Region should contact the People Division to arrange the preparation of the liaison principal contract offer.

Teacher class and education support class

The arrangements for the placement of employees (other than those in the principal class) in a school that will close will be managed in a phased approach as follows.

Phase 1

From the date the Minister approves the closure, employees (other than those in the principal class) are guaranteed an interview for advertised vacancies for which they are an applicant as follows.

Ongoing employees

Ongoing employees are declared in excess from the date the Minister approves the closure. These employees will be provided with dedicated redeployment or career transition support from the Department’s provider.

Fixed term employees

Under the terms of the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 an employee in the education support class who commences employment in a fixed term position following a previous period of fixed term employment is entitled to redeployment status for a minimum period of 12 weeks prior to the expiration of the fixed period of employment. The employee must be interviewed for any positions for which they are an applicant in that 12 week period.

Any fixed term teacher who has been employed continuously for 12 months or more in 2 or more fixed periods will be accorded the same redeployment rights as education support class employees. In addition, employees employed for more than 2 years in 1 fixed period will be afforded these redeployment rights.

The redeployment rights of fixed term employees under the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 or this policy will commence from the date the Minister approves the closure until the date of closure or 12 weeks prior to the conclusion of the fixed term position (whichever is greater).

One month prior to the date of closure, or the end of the school year, whichever is earlier, the redeployment prospects of any unplaced ongoing employees, and any fixed term employee whose employment extends beyond the date of the closure, will be reviewed by the Region and gainful employment identified for those staff after the school closes.

Phase 2

Ongoing employees not redeployed during Phase 1 will continue to be in excess and redeployment pursued with the assistance of the Department’s redeployment or career transition support provider. The Region will have responsibility for identifying suitable gainful employment for these employees pending successful redeployment. The Region will make all reasonable efforts to ensure employees who are excess as a result of a school closure are placed in suitable alternative positions.

These arrangements will continue with respect to an eligible fixed term employee for the remainder of their fixed period or 1 term beyond the date of the closure, whichever is the later. If the fixed term employee is not redeployed to a suitable vacancy prior to this date, employment with the Department will cease on that date.

Phase 3

Towards the end of the school year following the closure of the school the redeployment prospects of any unplaced ongoing employees will again be reviewed and an appropriate course of action determined in respect of each individual at that time, including the possibility of targeted separation packages where redeployment is considered unlikely to be successful within a reasonable time.

To ensure eligible employees are afforded redeployment rights at the earliest opportunity, the names of eligible employees should be emailed to the Schools Recruitment Unit as soon as the Minister has approved the school closure.

Staff absent on long term leave

An ongoing employee who is absent from the school on leave or temporary transfer to another school or location at the date the school closes will be declared in excess. Redeployment will be pursued with the assistance of the Department’s redeployment or career transition support provider on the employee’s return to duty. Normal redeployment procedures will operate during this period. The Region will have responsibility for identifying suitable gainful employment for the employee pending successful redeployment.

If the employee is not redeployed within 12 months (or 6 months for an education support class employee) of their return to duty, the redeployment prospects of the employee will be reviewed and an appropriate course of action determined at that time, including the possibility of a targeted separation package where redeployment is considered unlikely to be successful within a reasonable time.

These arrangements will apply in respect to an eligible fixed term employee for the remainder of their fixed period of employment or 1 term beyond the date of the closure, whichever is the later. If the fixed term employee is not redeployed to a suitable vacancy prior to this date, employment with the Department will cease on that date.