6.8 Conversion of Casual/Sessional Employment

6.8 CONVERSION OF CASUAL/SESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT

6.8.1 Conversion from Casual to Continuing or Fixed-term Employment – Professional Staff

Eligible casual professional staff members may have a right to apply for conversion to continuing or fixed-term employment and this will be managed in accordance with the University Policy on the Employment of Casual Professional Staff.

6.8.2 Eligibility for Conversion

6.8.2.1 To be eligible to apply for conversion, a casual professional staff member must be employed on a regular and systematic basis in the same or a similar and identically classified position in the same department/school (or equivalent work unit), either:

(i) over the immediately preceding period of twelve (12) months and in those immediately preceding twelve (12) months the average weekly hours worked equalled at least 50 per cent of the ordinary weekly hours that would have been worked by an equivalent full-time staff member; or,

(ii) over the immediately preceding period of at least twenty-four (24) months.

6.8.2.2 The University shall not unreasonably refuse an application for conversion. However, it may refuse an application on reasonable grounds. A staff member whose application for conversion is rejected will be provided with written reasons for the refusal. Reasonable grounds include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) the staff member is a student, or has recently been a student, other than where their status as a student is irrelevant to their engagement and the work required;

(ii) the staff member is a genuine retiree;

(iii) the staff member is performing work which will either cease to be required or will be performed by a non-casual [regular] staff member, within twenty-six (26) weeks (from the date of application);

(iv) the staff member has a primary occupation with the University or elsewhere, either as a staff member, a professional or as a self-employed person;

(v) the staff member does not meet the essential requirements of the position; or,

(vi) the work is ad hoc, intermittent, unpredictable or involves hours that are irregular.

6.8.2.3 A staff member whose application for conversion is rejected shall not be entitled to apply again within twelve (12) months except where:

(i) that rejection is solely based upon the ground set out in sub clause 6.8.2.2 (i); and,

(ii) that ground ceased to apply.

6.8.3 Conversion from Sessional to Non-Sessional Academic Employment in a Teaching-focussed position

The purpose of this clause is to reduce the amount of sessional (casual) teaching work undertaken within Faculties. The effect of this clause is not to replace continuing full time positions with this type of employment.

During the life of the Agreement, the University will convert the equivalent of a minimum of twelve (12) EFT Teaching-focussed roles at Academic Level A or B.

Eligible sessional academic staff members have a right to apply for conversion to non-sessional employment in a Teaching-focussed position which may be available on a fractional, and/or part-time basis. The University may offer either conversion to a continuing appointment or to a fixed-term appointment which is consistent with this clause.

To be eligible to apply for conversion a sessional academic staff member over the immediately preceding period of at least twenty-four (24) months must have:

(i) Qualifications outlined for a Teaching-focussed Academic Career Pathway in the Academic Performance Matrix: and

(ii) Been employed and performing academic duties on a regular and systematic basis in the same or similar role in the same school or equivalent; and

(iii) Performed face-to-face or equivalent contact time teaching hours equivalent to a 0.4 fraction or greater of a full-time staff member in a Teaching-focussed Academic Career Pathway; and

(iv) Evidenced their capacity to perform the inherent and essential requirements of a Teaching-focussed role.

6.8.3.1 The University will call for Expressions of Interest for conversion to a Teaching-focussed position in one or more specified Faculties once per annum, and will take reasonable steps from time to time to inform Sessional academic staff of the conversion provisions of this Agreement.

6.8.3.2 Expressions of Interest will be in writing.

The University shall not unreasonably refuse an application for conversion. However, it may refuse an application on reasonable grounds. A staff member whose application for conversion is rejected will be provided with written reasons for the refusal. Reasonable grounds include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) the staff member is a student, or has recently been a student, other than where their status as a student is irrelevant to their engagement and the work required;

(ii) the staff member is a genuine retiree;

(iii) the staff member is performing work which will either cease to be required or will be performed by a non-casual [regular] staff member, within fifty-two (52) weeks (from the date of application);

(iv) the staff member has a primary occupation with the University or elsewhere, either as a staff member, a professional or as a self-employed person;

(v) the staff member does not meet the essential requirements of the position; or,

(vi) the work is ad hoc, intermittent, unpredictable or involves hours that are irregular.

For the purposes of this clause occasional and short term work performed by the staff member that is unrelated to, or identifiably separate from, sessional employment, shall not:

(i) affect the staff member’s eligibility for conversion;

(ii) be included in determining whether the staff member meets or does not meet the eligibility requirements.

6.8.3.3 Conversion of a Sessional academic staff member holding a Doctoral qualification will be converted to no less than Level A Step 6.

6.8.3.4 A staff member will not be employed and re-employed nor have their hours reduced to avoid any obligations under this clause.

6.8.3.5 Expressions of Interest will be considered in the context of operational availability and needs.

6.8.3.6 The Management of Conversion from Sessional Staff to the Teaching-focussed role is covered by the Policy on the Employment of Sessional Staff.