Introduction

Purpose:

The purpose of classification descriptors is to categorise the wide range of occupations and different types of work across the Tasmanian State Service into distinct work value levels, to which salaries are aligned.

The classification standards are broad and describe the core features of work at each band from seven perspectives called job components. The classification descriptors determine the appropriate classification for the duties assigned to employees.

“Best Fit”:

The job components have equal weight or effect and no description within a component has more importance than another. Some descriptors, however, are more relevant in describing different types of work than others, and therefore will have more influence in classifying that work. Naturally, not each and every descriptor applies to any individual job. These descriptors are appropriately used when particular descriptors of job components and the overall theme or “feel” of a particular band provides the “best fit” to an employee’s duties.

In using the descriptors it is important to consider particular organisational arrangements, such as the reporting relationships above and below specifically assigned duties.

Similarity of Descriptors:

The descriptors of some job components at different bands are similar because of shared requirements which mean the key differences in different work value levels lies in other features of the work.

On the other hand, some of the descriptors may appear to be reasonably similar but their differences represent significantly different work requirements.

Senior Executive Service Roles:

There are no changes to the employment arrangements of existing Senior Executive Service Officers who remain employed according to their existing contractual employment arrangements. The salary arrangements for SES Officers will be examined separately but will be consistent with the relativities established by PSUWA 2008 and government wages policy.

Roles with a strong corporate and/or management focus will continue to be classified in the Senior Executive Service (SES) if the work is of a higher value than band 8.

Bands 9 and 10 of the General Stream and Bands 5 and 6 of the Professional Stream are designed to appropriately reward specialist work for which no current classification or employment option exists other than to categorise this work as having senior executive level status. The new bands are for work which warrants a salary higher than the current award salaries, but which is not work appropriately categorised as senior executive, or equivalent, work.

It is recognised that duties at these levels have management components but are not the overall reason for the particular role. The work is more likely to be specialist in nature or have specific market competition issues.

Advancement Assessment Point:

The criteria to satisfy salary progression beyond an Advancement Assessment Point will be developed within 12 months of the commencement of the Agreement. The criteria will be specific to the type of occupation at each particular classification level. In the meantime, salary progression will continue according to current practice.

An advanced assessment point (AAP) is not a barrier but a point at which satisfactory performance needs to be demonstrated to advance to a higher salary range in a particular band. Promotion is not required. Invariably, the AAPs in the PSUWA 2008 structure provide access to salaries that previously required promotion or which did not exist.

Salary Progression Point:

A salary progression point was formerly known as an increment. Appropriate criteria will be developed for implementation within 12 months of the commencement of the Agreement. In the meantime, salary progression will continue according to current practice.

It is proposed that salary progression points are only available on the basis of demonstrated competence and performance, rather than the current requirement of “…due diligence, conduct and efficiency”. The intention is that salary progression becomes increasingly based on performance and more difficult as the classification increases.

This proposed change is in response to feedback from the State Service Commissioner’s surveys, the public sector unions and agencies. Collectively they have reported that employees remain frustrated that poorly performing employees receive the same salary increases as more productive employees.

The aim is to develop methods to differentiate the rewards available to employees based on their competence and performance and provide more flexible and targeted options. For example, there may be instances where an employee may advance multiple salary progression points following a high rating in their annual performance assessment, or be advanced sooner than 12 months.

Health Service Officers:

Separate classification descriptors have been developed for Health Service Officers. They are for employees employed under the Community and Health Services Award who undertake a range of jobs which have no equivalent counterparts in other agencies.

Features

The following are the key features of the Classification Model:

The General Stream has 10 Bands with an Advancement Assessment Point in bands 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 which provide for two ranges with those bands.

The Professional Stream has 6 bands, with an Advancement Assessment Point in bands 1, 3 and 4. Salary progression from band 1 to band 2 occurs without promotion.

Work is described in 7 job components for each Band.

The components are:

Focus

The primary purpose of work at each band, including the range of objectives and activities.

Context & Framework

The operating environment and decision-making framework for work at each band.

Expertise

The qualifications, knowledge and experience required for work at a particular band.

Interpersonal Skills

Oral and written communication skills and the ability to lead people and manage relationships.

Judgement

Critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making requirements of each band.

Influence of outcomes

The influence and effect work of a satisfactory standard would have on the outcomes required of each band.

Responsibility for outcomes

The principal responsibilities of work at each band.

The General Stream descriptors define work in 4 broad levels according to the focus of the work and the framework in which it is performed. These are as follows:

Bands 1, 2 and 3:

Work involves the application of practices, methods and standards according to existing guidelines, systems and processes.

Bands 4, 5 and 6:

Work involves the maintenance and modification of guidelines, systems and processes according to a defined policy and regulatory operating environment. The operating environment is Agency–specific in terms of organisational design, planning, structures and interpretation of government objectives.

Bands 7 and 8:

Work involves the interpretation and modification of policy and regulatory settings according to operational requirements (internal – how we work) and service delivery (external - what we do) demands. A broader whole-of-Agency and/or whole-of-government perspective.

Bands 9 and 10:

Work involves significant new strategic, policy and decision-making frameworks that apply to specific areas of specialisation of extremely high sensitivity or wide strategic importance, or which have far reaching implications for government or beyond and whole-of-government and whole-of-community and whole-of-discipline perspective.

Reference Framework

The following definitions have been adopted to complement the classification descriptors. They reflect the hierarchical nature of the work undertaken in complex public sector organisations. The work performed by individuals in these organisations may range across one or more aspects of this reference framework. Invariably, however, the principal objective of the work of an individual employee aligns more closely with one aspect than another.

Strategy:

Policy implementation – what, how, by whom, when and where.

Policy:

Create, design, develop, model, trial, test, modify, adopt or implement a course of action.

Function:

A related and aligned area of activities combined to form a unit (typically a Branch) within the structure of a Division.

Program:

A program may stand alone or located within a functional unit. Typically involves related disciplines within a function of an agency or related fields that range across functional areas. May have a defined life span. Includes a project.

Activities:

Work and actions of related fields. Typically combined within a functional (Branch) or program area.

Field:

An area or sphere of operation or activities.

e.g. Occupational Health & Safety, Training and Development, Expenditure Control.

Discipline:

A branch of instruction.

e.g. Botany, accountancy, journalism, information science, underwater diving, carpentry.

Task:

A defined piece of work which forms part of a unit of activity.

Understanding the Agreement