Transfer and Promotion for Teaching Service

Transfer or promotion to the public service

Temporary assignment - Victorian Public Service

An ongoing employee in the teaching service who is successful for a Victorian Public Service (VPS) fixed term position within the department will be temporarily assigned to perform the duties of that position on teaching service terms and conditions, no less favourable than their substantive position or as set out below:

• Where the VPS position is at a higher salary, the employee will be paid higher duties equivalent to the minimum of the higher salary range.
• Where the VPS position is at an equivalent salary the employee will be paid their substantive salary. Where a manager considers it appropriate, a higher duties allowance of up to five per cent above the substantive salary, may be approved provided the allowance does not exceed the maximum salary range for the position.
• Where the VPS position is at a lower salary, the hiring manager has the option to assign the duties of the position at the employee’s substantive salary or the salary of the position. Where the hiring manager determines that salary for the position will be at the salary of the position (lower salary), and the employee wishes to proceed with the temporary assignment, the employee will be required to seek leave without pay from their position in the teaching service to take up the position and will be offered fixed term employment in the VPS position.

In all cases, release will be subject to the base school principal’s approval.

For all temporary assignments within the teaching service the letter of assignment must clearly outline that the employee’s terms and conditions will be commensurate with the teaching service. Where the employee takes leave without pay to take up a fixed term position in the VPS, their terms and conditions will be as set out in the letter of offer.

The letter of assignment or offer must state whether the school vacation model or corporate leave model will apply.

Where the employee remains a teaching service employee, the employee will be subject to the teaching service performance and development requirements, including the progression cycle for the duration of the assignment. Where the employee has taken leave without pay to accept a fixed term position in the VPS they will be subject to the VPS performance and development requirements, including the progression cycle.

Once the assignment concludes, the employee will resume their substantive position in their base location, on the salary subdivision they would have been on had they not been released, subject to the employee satisfying the eligibility requirements for salary progression.

When on temporary assignment, the employee will accrue annual leave, personal leave and long service leave in accordance with the entitlements of the teaching service. Where the assignment is on a ‘school vacation model’, annual leave will be exhausted during the school vacation periods. Where the assignment is on the ‘corporate leave model’ annual leave will be accrued and taken by application to their manager. On return to a school location, all outstanding annual leave will be exhausted during school vacation periods consistent with the annual leave policy – teaching service.

Where the employee has taken leave without pay from the teaching service to take up a fixed term VPS position, the leave without pay will count as service for personal and long service leave purposes. Any unused annual leave entitlements and allowances the employee accrued in the VPS position will be retained and must be used in accordance with department policy (refer to Annual Leave —Teaching Service). An employee may wish to consider exhausting annual leave accrued during the VPS position prior to returning to the school, subject to the approval of their manager.

Where an employee’s release from their base school (on one or more temporary assignments or fixed term periods of VPS employment) to a department non-school location extends beyond 3 years continuously, the employee will become the ongoing responsibility of the department non-school location that the employee is located at, as at the date the employee accepts the assignment that extends the absence from the school location beyond three years. At the conclusion of the assignment or fixed term VPS employment the employee will return to their substantive teaching service classification and salary remuneration range at the non-school location. Should the work location have a greater number of employees than as necessary as identified in the preferred staffing profile, the procedures set out in the Excess Procedures – Teaching Service apply.