When the transfer of Ageing, Disability and Home Care group homes occurred, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) created and ran a test database to calculate the annual leave accruals. In error the part-time DSWs were entered as full-time resulting in an over-accrual of annual leave.
CPA management has since corrected the error. The correct balance of leave should now be showing on the pay slips of affected staff.
The correction was actually made some months ago. The recent changes were to the individual pay accruals.
Professional organization TAPS has recently completed a total audit of the payroll.
CPA has developed an onboarding program for all new staff. Careforce referrals will be inducted by the House Manager. Careforce is trying to allocate casuals to only one house, not across a few houses.
On each second Tuesday in the month, CPA Managers meet with managers from the Talent Acquisition Team and the Training Manager to discuss and plan how induction will occur. For example all new DSPs will start on the same Monday. The 1st day of induction will complete the paperwork at head office. Day 2 is an onsite induction. The bulk of the first week will be online training, face to face training and buddy shifts at the group home. This will be repeated in the second week.
Careforce Alliance does its own induction and takes feedback from House Managers about the casuals.
Improving the quality of the onboarding is seen as a way to strengthen the pace of recruitment as the Northern Beaches area is difficult to recruit. By the end of August CPA should have a full workforce.
By the end of the year all permanent shifts should be filled. CPA is applying the Rostering Principles to ensure shifts are distributed fairly and equitably.
Management stated that in the disability sector staff turnover is at around 25 to 30 per cent whereas at CPA it is at around 19 per cent. CPA management wants to reduce the turnover to 15 per cent.
In the next few months CPA will issue an invitation to DSPs and DSWs who want to increase their hours. CPSU delegates raised the issue that part-time staff who increased their hours were working a greater number of shorter shifts across the month, which increases the number of shifts per month. Some part-time staff were unable to pick up shifts as this would not enable them to take days off between shifts for adequate rest and work-life balance
Part-time staff can enter their availability in Rosterspace and will then be sent an email offering shifts that are available.
The available shifts will go out to casuals and permanent part timers who want extra shifts. Part timers need to make their availability known. The system will indicate when 152 hours is reached.
CPSU NSW Delegates offered feedback that staff will take extra shifts if they are longer shifts. Staff will be more willing to drive an hour or more if the shifts are longer.
CPA reported that there has been a drop in the SIL funding which has resulted in a reduction of between five and eight per cent. This will not have an immediate impact on the rosters but it will impact and pinch the budgets.
As a result of the cuts Alliance20, the peak disability employer organization, has commenced lobbying Ministers including Linda Reynolds the Federal Minister.
If extra inductions are necessary these will be organized at the discretion of the House Manager
CPA is looking at the client mixes in transferred homes to better match people if the matches are problematic now. A long process of assessment will be made to make the necessary changes.
Join at www.cpsunsw.org,au/join.
