STAFF BENEFITS WESTERN NSW LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT

STAFF BENEFITS WESTERN NSW LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT

The benefits of working for the Western NSW Local Health District The Western NSW Local Health District provides you with a healthy career choice with many rewarding experiences. At the Western NSW Local Health District we are not just offering jobs, we are offering you the opportunity to excel in your chosen field and to experience a work life balance. Work flexibility is very important at the Western NSW Local Health District and we provide our people with a range of benefits and conditions to assist with balancing the demands of work and personal life where possible. The following benefits, programs and services are available to permanent full- time and permanent part-time staff at the Western NSW Local Health District.

Work environment Our vision, purpose and values, together with a welcoming work environment and diverse roles make the Western NSW Local Health District a great place to work. OUR VALUES The Western NSW Local Health District is committed to the ongoing building of an organisation that lives our values. Our values are integral to the way we do business. The CORE Values and the NSW Ministry of Health s Code of Conduct provide the framework for the standards of behaviour demonstrated at the Western NSW Local Health District. We encourage collaboration, openness and respect in the workplace to create a sense of empowerment for our people to use their knowledge, skills and experience to provide excellence in patient care for every patient, every time. COLLABORATION We are committed to working collaboratively with each other to achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients who are at the centre of everything we do. In working collaboratively we acknowledge that every person working in the health system plays a valuable role that contributes to achieving the best possible outcome. OPENNESS A commitment to openness in our communications builds confidence and greater cooperation. We are committed to encouraging our patients and all people who work in the health system to provide feedback that will help us provide better services. RESPECT We have respect for the abilities, knowledge, skills and achievements of all people who work in the health system. We are also committed to providing health services that acknowledge and respect the feelings, wishes and rights of our patients and their carers. EMPOWERMENT In providing quality health care services we aim to ensure our patients are able to make well informed and confident decisions about their care and treatment.

LIVING WELL TOGETHER Living Well Together is a whole of Health District approach to how we do business which is about consistency, accountability and sustainability in service delivery and patient care. It aims to provide staff with the tools and techniques to deliver a planned, consistent and disciplined approach to conducting business and caring for patients, ultimately improving patient safety and outcomes. It reflects our CORE values of Collaboration, Openness, Respect and Empowerment. Living Well Together has seen the organisation adopt many evidence-based tools and tactics to transform the way we provide services and care to patients. The Executive Leadership Team meets individually each month with the Chief Executive for an accountability meeting and this process is being replicated across the senior manager ranks across our services. The Living Well Together approach takes time to embed in a District of our size but evidence from many other health care organisations shows the outcomes are a consistent way of behaving and delivering services and care for our patients with respect. Living Well Together focuses on teamwork what we achieve, we achieve together. Regardless of what role we play - Chief Executive, Social Worker, Administrative Assistant, Clinical Nurse Consultant or New Graduate - Living Well Together is designed to help deliver the best possible experience and outcomes for our patients. Not just sometimes, not just once in a while, but every time. SAFE WORKPLACE The Western NSW Local Health District promotes a safe workplace and encourages staff to be involved in safety activities and committees.

Work arrangements The Western NSW Local Health District is a family friendly employer. We provide our people with opportunities for work life balance. The Western NSW Local Health District is committed to developing more flexible working arrangements with the aim of achieving the best possible match between the interests of the employer and those of the individual employee. Flexible work practices encourage our people to manage their work, self-development and family and community responsibilities more effectively. They offer an avenue for our people to take greater responsibility for their work and their lives. Flexible work practices include the following, however not all of these may be appropriate for the Local Health District or for individual facilities and departments: Part-time work Job sharing Part-time leave without pay Career break schemes* Part-year employment Variable-year employment Varying flexible hours Short term absences for family and community responsibilities *The Career Break Scheme (the Scheme) allows nurses and midwives to defer 20 percent of their salary for four years, and be paid this deferred salary in the fifth year. Nurses and midwives approved to participate in the Scheme may take a break of one year away from their position covered by the Award the Deferred Salary Leave Year. This one year absence may be for professional and personal development, such as participation in other industry experience; postgraduate study; working in overseas health systems; or for other activities, including those of a non-professional nature unrelated to the practice of nursing and midwifery. If you work a 40 hour week, you may be entitled to one allocated day off (ADO) per month.

Leave FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES ANNUAL LEAVE In accordance with the Annual Holidays Act 1944 all full time employees are entitled to a minimum of four weeks annual leave in respect of each completed year of service. The relevant Award should be checked to determine entitlements to additional annual leave. PART-TIME EMPLOYEES ANNUAL LEAVE Permanent part-time employees are entitled to the same annual leave provisions as fulltime employees in the proportion that their ordinary hours of work bear to full time hours. This includes an entitlement to the provisions for additional annual leave for working on Sundays and public holidays where relevant. ANNUAL LEAVE LOADING Employees, other than shift workers, shall be granted an annual leave loading equivalent to 17½ percent of four weeks ordinary salary. FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES SICK LEAVE Employees are eligible for sick leave when ill or injured, or, in certain cases, when looking after ill or injured family members. Sick leave is not to be used when absences are not connected with ill health. Entitlement per year equals two (2) weeks. PART-TIME EMPLOYEES Employees are eligible for sick leave when ill or injured, or, in certain cases, when looking after ill or injured family members. Sick leave is not to be used when absences are not connected with ill health. Sick leave is based on accruing leave on the pro-rata of a full-time employee. LONG SERVICE LEAVE Full-time employees are eligible for two months long service leave after ten years service and then five months long service leave for each ten years service thereafter. Employees with at least seven years service and less than ten years service are entitled to proceed on a proportionate period of long service leave on the basis of two months long service leave for ten years service.

PAID MATERNITY LEAVE Full time and permanent part time employees who have completed 40 weeks continuous service are entitled to 14 weeks paid maternity leave. Maternity leave can commence up to 14 weeks before the anticipated date of birth of the child. Paid maternity leave can be taken at full pay over 14 weeks or half pay over 28 weeks. Untaken paid maternity leave cannot be accrued for future periods of maternity leave. UNPAID MATERNITY LEAVE Full time and permanent part time employees who are entitled to paid leave are also entitled to a further period of unpaid maternity leave of up to 12 months from the date of birth of the child. Full time and permanent part time employees who are not entitled to paid maternity leave (i.e. they have not completed 40 weeks continuous service) are entitled to unpaid maternity leave of up to 12 months. ADOPTION LEAVE Full-time and permanent part-time employees who are adopting a child and are to be the primary care giver of the child are entitled to adoption leave. PARENTAL LEAVE Full-time and permanent part-time staff whose spouse or partner (including same sex partner) is pregnant or is adopting a child may be entitled to parental leave. LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT LEAVE Leave for learning activities is at the discretion of the Western NSW Local Health District and may be granted eligible employees. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE (FACS) LEAVE FACS leave is available for a range of personal reasons encompassing family responsibilities, performance of community service or cases of pressing necessity. PERSONAL / CARERS LEAVE Personal/carer s leave allows for the flexible use of other leave entitlements (including sick leave) for employees to provide care and/or support for members of the employee s family or household who are sick.

FLEXIBLE WORK PRACTICE ALTERNATIVES TO FACS OR PERSONAL / CARERS LEAVE As an alternative to, or in conjunction with FACS or personal/carer s leave, are work practices which permit employees to vary their work arrangements to enable them to combine paid employment with their family or community responsibilities. ATTENDANCE AT STATE SUPER RETIREMENT PREPARATION SEMINARS Employees who are members of either of State Authorities Superannuation Scheme or the State Superannuation Scheme, and who are invited by State Super (SAS Trustee Corporation) to attend a retirement preparation seminar are eligible for up to two days special leave to attend such seminars (including reasonable travelling time). BLOOD DONORS Employees may be granted special leave to donate blood to the Australian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service. The amount of leave granted is restricted to the time reasonably necessary to travel to and from the local Blood Collection Centre and to recuperate after the employee has given blood. SPECIAL SICK LEAVE FOR BONE MARROW DONORS Special sick leave (a separate entitlement from sick leave) will apply for employees, who are called upon to donate bone marrow, for the ordinary working time lost in attending bone marrow donation procedures. Special sick leave in this instance should be limited to five days on each occasion and is subject to the production of a medical certificate. Additional leave, if required, may be accessed from leave credits for sick leave, annual leave or long service leave, or taken as leave without pay. FORMER ARMED SERVICE PERSONNEL (REPATRIATION) LEAVE Special leave with pay up to a maximum of 6½ working days in any period of 12 months is available to employees who are ex-servicemen or women suffering from a warcaused disability needing to seek medical attention during their ordinary working hours. This leave is available only for matters directly connected with the treatment or care of the prescribed disability. VOLUNTEER MEMBERS OF EMERGENCY ORGANISATIONS An employee may be granted paid leave of up to five days in any period of 12 months when called upon to assist as a volunteer member of one or more of these organisations: The State Emergency Services The Volunteer Rescue Association of NSW (or affiliated groups) The NSW Volunteer Fire Brigade

The Rural Fire Service The Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network The Cave Rescue Squad The Volunteer Coastal Patrol The Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad. JURY DUTY LEAVE Staff are entitled to leave with pay at the ordinary rate. DEFENCE RESERVE SERVICE LEAVE Paid and unpaid Defence leave may be granted to employees who are members of the Australian Defence Force Reserves. The leave may be used to undertake any form of Defence service. NATIONAL ABORIGINES AND ISLANDERS DAY OBSERVANCE COMMITTEE (NAI- DOC) WEEK An employee who identifies as an Indigenous Australian may be granted up to one day s special leave per year to enable them to participate in NAIDOC Week s celebrations.

Ways we develop our people ON THE JOB TRAINING Knowledge, skills and experience are gained whilst working in your current role. Role development provides you with opportunities to practice and broaden your skills by exposing you to different tasks and projects. TRAINING At the Western NSW Local Health District we believe training is an important way of gaining new skills. The Western NSW Local Health District has a number of mandatory and optional training courses that you can search through and book using HETI OnlineLMS, NSW Health s learning management system. Alternatively, you can contact the Education and Training Team to discuss training to suits your needs. EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE The Western NSW Local Health District encourages you to complete external studies that assist with career development. You can receive leave for approved study. There are also scholarship opportunities available. SECONDMENTS Whilst working outside of your normal role you can gain knowledge, skills and experience that will improve your capability in your substantive role. Secondments also prepare you for future roles within the Western NSW Local Health District. MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT The Western NSW Local Health District affords managers with a leadership framework that defines what is expected of them. Supervisors, managers and executives are provided training and experiences to prepare them for their management roles.

Financial benefits SALARY PACKAGING When you work with the Western NSW Local Health District there are many opportunities for legally reducing your taxable income meaning that you take home more pay each fortnight. Opportunities for salary packaging can include; meal entertainment, living away from home expenses, novated motor vehicle expenses, relocation expenses, HECS/HELP debt and remote housing benefit. Salary packaging is a voluntary process and there are a variety of opportunities to benefit you, no matter what your situation. Western NSW Local Health District strongly recommends that employees seek their own independent financial advice prior to entering into any salary packaging arrangement. SUPERANNUATION The default superannuation fund for the Western NSW Local Health District is First State Super. You can specify a superannuation fund of your choice. Superannuation is paid on top of your weekly salary. The current contribution is 9.5%. First State Super runs information seminars to assist you better manage your superannuation. SPECIAL RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES The Western NSW Local Health District offers recruitment incentives to assist attracting job applicants, or to assist in securing selected candidates, for all positions which are crucial to health service delivery and have either proven difficult to fill or are expected to be difficult to fill. Recruitment to key positions (crucial to health service delivery) is a key challenge for regional, rural and remote communities of the Western NSW Local Health District. In a competitive employment market, the costs associated with moving to a rural location may be the limiting factor. Incentive packages to a nominated monetary value can be individually tailored to an employee s needs. The most common incentive offered to health professionals is relocation costs. Staff who are granted recruitment incentives on appointment must serve a qualifying period. If a staff member who receives incentive payments ceases employment within the qualifying period, he or she must refund the incentive payment on a pro rata basis.

Benefits for working parents CHILD CARE INFORMATION Finding and choosing quality child care can be a challenge for many working parents trying to balance work and child care responsibilities. The Western NSW Local Health District can provide fact sheets on government approved child care information. The fact sheets include information on how to choose a child care centre, assistance with fees and government schemes, special child care situations and contact numbers for agencies and other services. CARER S FACILITIES The Western NSW Local Health District provides access to suitable facilities for employees who are lactating. Facilities provided allow mothers to express and store breast milk for their baby or for parents who want to feed and change their baby.

Other benefits FLU VACCINATIONS Influenza vaccinations are available to all Western NSW Local Health District employees on an annual basis. PERSONAL SUPPORT AND COUNSELLING The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides counselling and support for all Western NSW Local Health District employees. The EAP is available to assist you with: Personal concerns Work related issues Family issues Anxiety Depression Trauma Alcohol and other drug issues The EAP is a confidential and free counselling service provided by qualified professionals with extensive experience. HEALTH INSURANCE Western NSW Local Health District employees receive a staff discount on corporate health insurance rates and benefits to current and new BUPA members. GYM MEMBERSHIP Speak to your facility manager as to whether or not corporate membership is available at health clubs and gyms. WORKPLACE GIVING PROGRAM The NSW Public Sector Workplace Giving Program provides all employees the opportunity to voluntarily donate, with an immediate tax deduction, to a variety of charities through the payroll. RESEARCH SERVICES (LIBRARY) The Western NSW Local Health District Library Service, located at Bathurst, Bloomfield, Dubbo and Orange, can provide the following to all Western NSW Local Health District employees, in person, by email, mail or fax:

Literature searches Article and book requests Current contents / subject alerts or updates CIAP training Standards Further information To find out more about the benefits and programs in this brochure, talk to your manager, review the relevant policies on the Western NSW Local Health District Intranet or email Annie.Dwyer@health.nsw.gov.au The Staff Benefits brochure is a brief guide to the programs, benefits and services for permanent full-time and permanent part-time staff at the Western NSW Local Health District. The brochure is not a comprehensive explanation of employment conditions. If there is any inconsistency between this document and the relevant Policy, the conditions in the Policy will apply. The Western NSW Local Health District reserves the right to amend any staff programs, benefits and services referred to in this document.