Section D - Remuneration

Updated: 6 December 2016

10 Salary increases and advancement

10.1 Employees will receive a productivity Salary increase over the life of the Agreement as follows:

  1. 3% on commencement date of this Agreement;
  2. 2% 12 months after commencement; and
  3. 1% 24 months after commencement.

10.2 The Salary increases are provided in the Salary rates table at Attachment 1.

10.3 An Employee (excluding employees participating in entry level programs or who are engaged under paragraph 22(2)(b) of the PSA for less than six months) participating in the AEC's performance management program will receive salary advancement on 1 July each year of one pay point relevant to the Employee's Classification, if the Employee:

  1. has been working at that Classification to which the salary advancement relates on or before 31 March;
  2. meets the requirements of clause 45.5 if in receipt of higher duties allowance;
  3. is not already at the highest pay point of their Classification;
  4. has been rated as meeting the requirements in their end-of-cycle performance review; and
  5. is not having issues addressed through an informal or formal unsatisfactory performance of duties process under clause 81.

10.4 Where an Employee is in receipt of higher duties allowance, they will be eligible for salary advancement at both their temporary and substantive Classification. Advancement at their temporary Classification is in accordance with clause 45.

11 Method of Salary payment

11.1 Employees will be paid fortnightly according to the formula:

Fortnightly Salary = Annual Salary x 12/313

11.2 Employees will have their fortnightly Salary paid in arrears by electronic funds transfer into a financial institution account of their choice allowing for reasonable disbursements or deductions at the request of the Employee.

12 Salary on commencement, transfer, reassignment or promotion

12.1 Subject to clauses 12.2 – 12.3, where an Employee:

  1. commences at the AEC;
  2. is reassigned to a position at a higher classification; or
  3. is promoted within the AEC,

the Salary will be the minimum pay point of the Employee's relevant Classification.

12.2 The Electoral Commissioner may authorise payment of Salary above the minimum pay point in the relevant Classification, having regard to the experience, qualifications, current Salary and skills of the Employee, and the Salary being paid to staff already engaged in the AEC doing similar work.

12.3 Where an Employee transfers to the AEC (either on an ongoing or non-ongoing basis from another APS agency), the AEC will maintain the Employee's salary paid by the current APS agency (where this is above the Salary range of the relevant Classification) until it is absorbed by Salary increases under this Agreement.

12.4 Where the Employee has previously performed duties at a higher Classification on a temporary basis in the AEC, and has attained a higher pay point in the range, Salary payable on promotion will be at least at the pay point attained, provided that there has not been more than a two year break since those duties at the higher Classification last ceased.

13 Salary on reduction

13.1 The Electoral Commissioner may determine the Salary of an Employee where that Employee is reduced to a lower Classification, either on request or reassignment on a temporary or ongoing basis, having regard to the experience, qualifications and skills of the Employee, and the circumstances under which the reduction occurred.

14 Superannuation

14.1 During the term of this Agreement, the AEC will make compulsory employer contributions as required by the applicable legislation.

14.2 For an Employee who is entitled to superannuation choice but elects not to exercise choice of fund, the default superannuation fund will be the Public Sector Superannuation Accumulation Plan (PSSap).

14.3 Where employer contributions are to an accumulation superannuation fund, the employer contribution will be the same percentage of the applicable superannuation salary as that required for employees who are members of PSSap. At the time of commencement of this Agreement, the rate of PSSap employer contribution is 15.4 per cent. During the life of this Agreement, the AEC will continue to pay 15.4 per cent.

14.4 For an Employee who exercises superannuation choice, the AEC will contribute at the same rate to the choice fund as it contributes to the PSSap fund, which is 15.4%, providing that the fund:

  1. is a complying and registered superannuation fund;
  2. allows Employee and/or employer contributions to be paid fortnightly through electronic funds transfer;
  3. makes satisfactory arrangements for the acceptance of payments from the AEC and for information transfer between the AEC's payroll and the fund; and
  4. is able to accept contributions for people aged over 75 (if applicable).

14.5 Subject to clause 14.6, employer superannuation contributions will not be paid on behalf of Employees during periods of unpaid leave that do not count as service, unless otherwise required under legislation.

14.6 The AEC will continue to make superannuation payments during periods of unpaid parental, maternity, adoption and foster carers leave to funds where legislation allows. Superannuation payments during these periods will be based on ordinary time earnings in the last full pay period prior to the commencement of the unpaid parental leave.

14.7 The AEC will make superannuation contributions for Employees who earn below the superannuation guarantee minimum of $450 gross per month.

15 Supported wage system

15.1 Supported salary rates at Attachment 2 will apply to an employee with a disability who is eligible for consideration under the Commonwealth Government's supported wage system.

16 Probation

16.1 For all ongoing employees new to the APS, upon commencement with the AEC a probation period of six months will apply.

17 Salary sacrifice arrangements

17.1 Employees may elect to sacrifice Salary for other benefits in accordance with relevant taxation legislation.

17.2 Where an Employee elects to participate in a salary sacrifice arrangement their Salary will be determined as if the salary sacrifice arrangements had not been entered into.

17.3 All costs, including any fringe benefits tax and administrative costs incurred as a result of the salary sacrifice arrangement, will be met by the Employee.

18 Individual flexibility arrangements

18.1 The Electoral Commissioner and an Employee covered by this Agreement may agree to make an individual flexibility arrangement to vary the effect of any of the terms of this Agreement, where the arrangement meets the genuine needs of the Employee and the AEC.

18.2 The Electoral Commissioner must ensure that an individual flexibility arrangement agreed to under this clause:

  1. is about permitted matters under section 172 of the FWA;
  2. does not include unlawful terms under section 194 of FWA;
  3. results in the Employee being better off overall than if no arrangement was agreed to;
  4. is in writing;
  5. is signed by both the Employee and the Electoral Commissioner, and, if the Employee is under 18, is signed by their parent or guardian;
  6. is able to be terminated by either the Employee or the Electoral Commissioner giving not less than 28 days written notice, or at any time by agreement between the Employee and Electoral Commissioner in writing; and
  7. is given to the Employee within 14 days after it is agreed to.

18.3 An individual flexibility arrangement must be genuinely agreed between the Employee and the Electoral Commissioner.