❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks a detailed breakdown of the estimated financial impact of each clause within the 2013 nurses' pay agreement across its financial years. The answer provides estimates where possible, noting difficulties in accurate prediction for some clauses due to lack of historical data or unknown employee uptake.
AnsweredQoN 3181Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission Order dated 16 October 2013 relating to the final conditions of the nurses pay agreement, and I ask, for each clause of section 4, can the Minister please detail what the financial impact is estimated to be for each financial year of the industrial agreement?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
25 November 2014
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
33 days
(a)
Liberty to apply is granted to the respondent during the life of the 2013 Agreement to argue that the casual loading should increase to 25%.
Nil.
(b)
Accrued Days Off (ADO) will apply to part-time nurses and midwives working more than 41 hours per fortnight. Consequential amendments will be made to Clause 25. - Hours of Work and Rostering.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because the proportion of employees who are eligible that ultimately elect to accrue days off is unknown. Assuming every eligible part-time employee takes up the entitlement to ADOs and on each occasion an ADO is taken it is covered by a casual employee (incurring an additional 20% cost), the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $2.6 million
2015/16 - $4.0 million
(c)
During the life of the 2013 Agreement, the parties are to negotiate descriptors for the role of each classification of nurse practitioner in line with the current senior registered nurses classification structure. If the parties are unable to reach agreement by 31 March 2016 this issue will be arbitrated by the Commission.
Nil.
(d)
An allowance for Authorised Mental Health Practitioners equivalent to the Level 1 qualification allowance in Clause 19 of the 2013 Agreement.
Assuming the number of eligible employees remains at the current level of 348 FTE over each financial year of the industrial agreement, the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $0.7 million
2015/16 - $1.1 million
(e)
Higher duties allowance is to be paid for any period of one day or more when an employee works in any position classified higher than that employee's substantive position.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because no record has previously been kept of periods of acting of less than 5 days which would now attract higher duties allowances.
(f)
A lead apron allowance in the amount of $2 per hour or part thereof to be paid to a nurse required to wear a lead apron for each hour the requirement continues.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because no record has previously been kept of the utilisation of lead aprons in the terms set out in the industrial agreement.
(g)
Casual nurses on an on call roster are to be paid the same overtime rates as full time employees when recalled to work.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because no record has previously been kept of the casual nurse on call participation rate in the terms set out in the industrial agreement.
(h)
The commuted meal break allowance paid to a senior registered nurse is to attract the applicable shift or weekend penalty rate. This allowance can apply without the employer's agreement.
Assuming the number of senior registered nurses receiving commuted meal break allowances remains at the current level of 104 over each financial year of the industrial agreement and half work afternoon, night or weekend shifts with an average loading of 25%, the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $10,000
2015/16 - $14,000
(i)
Access to pro rata long service leave during the first accrual period after an employee completes seven years of continuous service.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because the proportion of employees who are now eligible to take pro rata long service leave after seven years that actually do so in the year the leave becomes available is unknown. Assuming 10% of eligible employees access their pro rata long service leave, and on each occasion the absence is covered at the same cost, the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $2.2 million
2015/16 - $3.3 million
(j)
Requests for access to purchased leave will not be unreasonably refused and reasons are to be given where refused. The provisions relating to 'operational requirements' are to be removed.
Nil.
(k)
Requests for access to the deferred salary scheme are not to be unreasonably refused and reasons are to be given where refused. The provision relating to 'operational requirements' is to be removed.
Nil.
(I)
Every six months after the registration of the 2013 Agreement the applicant is to provide to the respondent its intentions with respect to the redundancy and redeployment of employees employed pursuant to the 2013 Agreement, including details of its proposals to redeploy employees as well as the quantum of wage maintenance proposed for relevant employees.
Nil.
(m)
Parking charges applicable to employees covered by the 2013 Agreement working at Category A hospitals will be $5.50 per day and shall be increased on 1 July for the life of the 2013 Agreement based on Australian Bureau of Statistic Consumer Price Index movements for Perth (All Groups) in the previous March quarter.
The Department of Health is in the process of establishing the potential financial impact.
(n)
The parties are to meet within three months of the registration of the 2103 Agreement to agree on a mechanism for meeting twice in each 12 month period during the life of the 2013 Agreement to liaise and consult about the availability and standard of rural housing, the employment of graduate nurses and the standardisation of policies throughout the Western Australian health service.
Nil.
Note:
The Industrial Agreement expires on 30 June 2016
Liberty to apply is granted to the respondent during the life of the 2013 Agreement to argue that the casual loading should increase to 25%.
Nil.
(b)
Accrued Days Off (ADO) will apply to part-time nurses and midwives working more than 41 hours per fortnight. Consequential amendments will be made to Clause 25. - Hours of Work and Rostering.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because the proportion of employees who are eligible that ultimately elect to accrue days off is unknown. Assuming every eligible part-time employee takes up the entitlement to ADOs and on each occasion an ADO is taken it is covered by a casual employee (incurring an additional 20% cost), the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $2.6 million
2015/16 - $4.0 million
(c)
During the life of the 2013 Agreement, the parties are to negotiate descriptors for the role of each classification of nurse practitioner in line with the current senior registered nurses classification structure. If the parties are unable to reach agreement by 31 March 2016 this issue will be arbitrated by the Commission.
Nil.
(d)
An allowance for Authorised Mental Health Practitioners equivalent to the Level 1 qualification allowance in Clause 19 of the 2013 Agreement.
Assuming the number of eligible employees remains at the current level of 348 FTE over each financial year of the industrial agreement, the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $0.7 million
2015/16 - $1.1 million
(e)
Higher duties allowance is to be paid for any period of one day or more when an employee works in any position classified higher than that employee's substantive position.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because no record has previously been kept of periods of acting of less than 5 days which would now attract higher duties allowances.
(f)
A lead apron allowance in the amount of $2 per hour or part thereof to be paid to a nurse required to wear a lead apron for each hour the requirement continues.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because no record has previously been kept of the utilisation of lead aprons in the terms set out in the industrial agreement.
(g)
Casual nurses on an on call roster are to be paid the same overtime rates as full time employees when recalled to work.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because no record has previously been kept of the casual nurse on call participation rate in the terms set out in the industrial agreement.
(h)
The commuted meal break allowance paid to a senior registered nurse is to attract the applicable shift or weekend penalty rate. This allowance can apply without the employer's agreement.
Assuming the number of senior registered nurses receiving commuted meal break allowances remains at the current level of 104 over each financial year of the industrial agreement and half work afternoon, night or weekend shifts with an average loading of 25%, the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $10,000
2015/16 - $14,000
(i)
Access to pro rata long service leave during the first accrual period after an employee completes seven years of continuous service.
The financial impact can not be estimated accurately because the proportion of employees who are now eligible to take pro rata long service leave after seven years that actually do so in the year the leave becomes available is unknown. Assuming 10% of eligible employees access their pro rata long service leave, and on each occasion the absence is covered at the same cost, the impact would be around:
2014/15 - $2.2 million
2015/16 - $3.3 million
(j)
Requests for access to purchased leave will not be unreasonably refused and reasons are to be given where refused. The provisions relating to 'operational requirements' are to be removed.
Nil.
(k)
Requests for access to the deferred salary scheme are not to be unreasonably refused and reasons are to be given where refused. The provision relating to 'operational requirements' is to be removed.
Nil.
(I)
Every six months after the registration of the 2013 Agreement the applicant is to provide to the respondent its intentions with respect to the redundancy and redeployment of employees employed pursuant to the 2013 Agreement, including details of its proposals to redeploy employees as well as the quantum of wage maintenance proposed for relevant employees.
Nil.
(m)
Parking charges applicable to employees covered by the 2013 Agreement working at Category A hospitals will be $5.50 per day and shall be increased on 1 July for the life of the 2013 Agreement based on Australian Bureau of Statistic Consumer Price Index movements for Perth (All Groups) in the previous March quarter.
The Department of Health is in the process of establishing the potential financial impact.
(n)
The parties are to meet within three months of the registration of the 2103 Agreement to agree on a mechanism for meeting twice in each 12 month period during the life of the 2013 Agreement to liaise and consult about the availability and standard of rural housing, the employment of graduate nurses and the standardisation of policies throughout the Western Australian health service.
Nil.
Note:
The Industrial Agreement expires on 30 June 2016
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