With the festive season fast approaching and the expiry of Copied state Awards we remind members of your rights around Rostering and Consultation arrangements for Disability workers.
There are short staffing issues and changes to SIL funding impacting on rosters. It is also important to report workload and staffing issues as WHS incident reports as required.
It is important that consultation occurs to ensure your rostering issues are addressed.
You should raise rostering issues in writing to your local management, and contact your union for advice if concerns issues cant be resolved locally.
There are conditions around how your roster can be changed and your rights for consultation as detailed below.
The Crown Employees Ageing, Disability and Home Care – Department of Human Services NSW (Community Living Award) 2015 (CLA) contains rostering principles at Schedule 4 which state that notice must be given to change a roster and that consultation must occur if the roster and or your line has to change. Nor can they transfer you to another group home without consultation.
The Social, community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS) also contains conditions around when you roster is changed.
The Northcott Enterprise Agreement 2021-2023 contains consultation provisions around change including change to rosters.
An employer cannot just change your roster because the roster of care hours, have changed. There should be consultation and balancing work and family responsibilities.
There is much change occurring in the disability sector with the copied state awards expiring, so you need to safeguard your conditions.
If local issues aren’t getting resolved, please contact the union.