These procedures must be read in conjunction with the Secondment Policy.
2. Scope
These procedures apply to all permanent employees.
3. Procedures
3.1 Filling in a temporary vacancy by secondment (secondment into the Department)
Prior to filling a vacancy using secondment, principals and line managers must:
- comply with the Department’s Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Policy and Procedures and Commissioner’s Instructions Employment Standard and Filling a Public Sector Vacancy;
- obtain agreement from the other employer and the individual to be seconded;
- confirm, in writing, the secondment arrangements and any subsequent variations or extensions, with the employee and the other employer; and
- email secondment documentation to the Secondment Officer, Staff Recruitment and Employment Services.
Guidance
Information on filling vacancies in schools, central and education regional offices is available for principals and line managers on the Staffing Portal.
Secondments are processed on the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) (staff only). The commencement of an employee on secondment from another agency is processed on HRMIS (staff only) as a ‘Hire’ or ‘Rehire’:
- ‘Secondment from Public Sector DOE Pays’ or ‘Secondment from Private Sector DOE Pays’; or
- in some exceptional circumstances when the other agency is paying, ‘Secondment from Public Sector Other Pays’ or ‘Secondment from Private Sector Other Pays’.
See Appendix A for secondment administrative arrangements.
3.2 Secondment to another employer (secondment out of the Department)
3.2.1 Responsibilities of employees
Employees must:
- seek approval from their principal or line manager for:
- a secondment to another public sector agency or a private sector employer; or
- an extension to an existing secondment; and
- use all annual leave accrued during the secondment.
3.2.2 Responsibilities of principals and line managers
For employee secondment arrangements, principals and line managers must:
- assess the school or workplace business needs, the employee’s interests, benefits to the Department and any on-cost charges, on a case-by-case basis;
- proceed with the secondment after agreement is reached with the other employer and the employee;
- seek Executive Director Workforce approval for secondment arrangements longer than two years, including variations or extensions, if the entire period extends beyond two years;
- email the Secondment Officer, Staff Recruitment and Employment Services:
- confirmation of secondment arrangements and any subsequent variations or extensions; or
- reasons for declining a secondment request, if applicable; and
- at the conclusion of a secondment, return the employee to their substantive position.
Guidance
Where a seconded employee continues to work with another employer beyond the agreed secondment period, up to two years, and without an approved extension by the Executive Director Workforce, such absence from the Department may be deemed unauthorised. Principals and line managers should refer to the Leave Management Policy and Procedures in these circumstances. Further advice should be sought from the Labour Relations Branch.
See Appendix A for secondment administration arrangements.
Assistance with secondment arrangements is available from the Secondment Officer, Staff Recruitment and Employment Services.
Breach of Standard Claim
In accordance with the Department’s Managing Breach of Public Sector Standard Claims Policy, principals and line managers inform applicants that they may lodge a claim if they believe the Employment Standard has been breached and they have been adversely affected by that breach following a process in which a reviewable decision was made.
The interest principle of the Commissioner’s Instruction No. 1 Employment Standard requires secondment decisions to take into account the employee’s interests and work-related requirements of the Department.
3.2.3 Responsibilities of staff recruitment and employment services
The Director, Staff Recruitment and Employment Services will confirm that:
- the Secondment Agreement, containing details of approved secondment arrangements and any subsequent variations or extensions, has been forwarded to the employee and the other employer;
- the employee and the other employer has been advised in writing of the reasons for declining a secondment request; and
- Payroll Services has been advised of the approved secondment arrangements for processing on HRMIS (staff only) .
4. Definitions
The temporary movement of an employee to a different employing authority or outside of the public sector.
An agreement outlining specific conditions of the secondment as agreed to by all parties.
5. Related documents
6. Contact information
Policy manager:
Director, Workforce Policy and Coordination
Policy contact officer:
Secondment Officer, Staff Recruitment and Employment Services
T: (08) 9264 4412
E: recruitment.secondmentandtransfer@education.wa.edu.au
For further information on unauthorised absences beyond the secondment period:
Labour Relations Branch
T: (08) 9264 4921
7. History of changes
| Effective date | Last update date | Procedure version no. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 November 2012 | 2.0 | ||
| This policy replaces Secondment of Staff: Public Service, Other Officers and Teaching Staff. D12/0538594. | |||
| 30 November 2012 | 11 July 2013 | 2.0 | |
| Amendments of references to documents as per D13/0222254. | |||
| 18 October 2016 | 3.0 | ||
| Major review undertaken and reformatted into policy and procedures. Approved by Director General at Corporate Executive meeting on 31 August 2016. | |||
| 11 December 2018 | 4.0 | ||
| Major review of the Secondment policy and procedures undertaken. Approved by Director General at Corporate Executive on 31 October 2018. | |||
8. Appendices
Appendix A: Secondment Administrative Arrangements (PDF file - 23.8kB)
9. More information
Appendices
Appendix A: Secondment Administrative Arrangements
Policy
This procedure:
Secondment Procedures v4.0 Please ensure you also download the policy supported by this procedure.
Supported policy:
Procedure review date
11 December 2021