Medical retirement
Currently university management can medically retire someone who has an ongoing medical condition that maybe harmful to themselves or to others and/or is affecting their performance. Therefore, if a staff member is informed by HR that they are to be medically retired, then they only need to be given four weeks’ notice.
The CPSU NSW bargaining team has successfully negotiated to extend this notification period to six months in the new agreement. In addition, the new agreement will allow an affected staff member a support person, and the option to submit a medical report from their GP. It should lead to improved management of mental health training.
Medical retirement can also be triggered by management when a staff member takes 20 or more sick days over the year. However, the CPSU NSW made strong critical arguments in relation to recent local management processes involving Independent Medical Examinations (IME), which can be a precursor to medical retirement, leading to the university agreeing to the requirement that HR be involved in such processes. This should reduce the chances of staff being compelled to undergo IMEs and should prevent action being taken against staff unless they are genuinely unable to continue their roles at the university. The university will be required to inform any staff member that is subjected to medical retirement that they are entitled to have a support person throughout the process.
Should you be told that you are in danger of medical retirement, or approached regarding the need for an IME, please contact your delegate.
Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) negotiations will recommence in February.
On 1 November, the new arrangements commenced in relation to the 14 parking areas that have been set aside on campus for staff use only between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Feedback from members indicated an immediate and significant improvement in available parking spots on campus; see this Yammer link . We are still in discussions with management regarding the university introducing a Pay As You Go (PAYG) parking system to replace the current annual permit system and the increased associated costs.
The CPSU NSW EBA team has aimed to significantly improve conditions for women at the University of Sydney. After some protracted negotiations, we have achieved some gains as follows:
Under the current EBA, the university allocates at least $2 million each year to fund programs and activities to assist Professional Staff to develop the skills and expertise required to achieve their ‘next step’ career development goals. This is called the Professional Staff Development Fund. The fund may be used for programs and activities such as courses of study, training programs, scholarships, conference attendance and external secondments and the associated costs of staff replacement. The fund is NOT designed for your manager to send you on a random course, it is entirely designed to allow you to identify and undergo training that you believe will assist the next steps in your career development. As such, it need not be tied to activities you undertake in your current role.
As the professional Staff Development Fund is centrally held, such training does not affect your local unit’s budget! Take up, particularly at HEO levels 1-5 is slow, so we encourage you to take advantage of the fund! For more information go to intranet.sydney.edu.au/careers-training/career-development/professional/programs.html.
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday, and all the best for the new year.
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Please contact one of our delegates if you have any questions
Assistant Secretary Ruth Livingstone
Membership Registrar Holly Eades
Branch Delegates
