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INDUSTRIAL
Changes to ‘Keeping In Touch’ Day
The Federal Government’s paid parental leave scheme that
allows employees on unpaid parental leave to take their
‘Keeping in Touch’ days without affecting
their National Employment Standards
entitlements take effect on 1 October.
What is a ‘Keeping in Touch’ Day?
A ‘Keeping in Touch’ day is a day on
which an employee performs work for
the practice in order to keep in touch
with their employment so they can
facilitate a return to that employment
after a period of unpaid parental leave.
Activities such as training days, planning
days and conferences would meet this
requirement.
From 1 October 2012, the National
Employment Standards will be
amended so that an employee will
be able to perform paid work for
the practice on up to 10 ‘Keeping in
Touch’ days while they are taking unpaid
parental leave – without breaking the
continuity of their period of unpaid
Doctors in Training –
The Department of Health Medical Practitioners (Metropolitan
Health Services) AMA Industrial Agreement 2011 was
registered on 28 January 2011, after long and difficult negotiations
between the AMA and the Department. A number of significant
improvements in both salaries and conditions were obtained.
The agreement provided for an increase in salaries and allowances
as follows:
• 3.75% from the first full pay period commencing on or
after 1 October 2010
• A further 4% from the first full pay period
commencing on or after 1 October 2011
• A further 4.5% from the first full pay period
commencing on or after 1 October 2012.
In addition there was a further increase of 5.26 per cent associated
with the move from a 38-hour week to a 40-hour week.
The on call rates were also significantly increased, delivering a
33.7 per cent increase, during the life of the agreement. The final
increase is effective from the first full pay period on or after
1 January 2013.
There were numerous other changes delivering improvements
for Doctors in Training by way of the last industrial agreement.
Further information about these changes can be found on the
AMA (WA) website at www.amawa.com.au under the ‘Latest
parental leave. This will be reflected in the paid parental leave
scheme.
From 1 October 2012 you must:
• Allow employees to suggest or request ‘Keeping in Touch’
days a fortnight from the birth or placement of their child,
but requires employers to wait 42 days before asking
employees for such a day
• Provide that an employee doesn’t have to work a full day
for it to constitute a ‘Keeping in Touch’ day
• Stipulate that an employee who performs work on a
‘Keeping in Touch’ day is entitled to payment under their
relevant contract or industrial instrument
• Clarify that employees who extend their unpaid leave by 12
months get a further 10 ‘Keeping in Touch’ days
• Enable pregnant employees who wish to do so to start
unpaid parental leave more than six weeks before the
expected date of birth, if the employer agrees
• Deal with obligations where there has been a stillbirth
or infant death and the unpaid parental leave has not yet
started.
Practices should review their Parental Leave Policies to
ensure that you meet the new requirements of the National
Employment Standards and ‘Keeping in Touch’ days. ■
MHS Agreement Salary
increase 1 October 2012
information for DiTs’ within the ‘Doctors in Training’ section.
However, of particular note was the additional week of
professional development leave which can accrue from year to year
if unused.
The Agreement provides for further salary increases of 4.5 per
cent effective from the first full pay period commencing on or
after 1 October 2012.This is the final increase in salaries that are
specified within the 2011 Industrial Agreement. Practitioners are
likely to see this increase within the pay period of 08/10/12 and
21/10/12 which is paid on 25 October 2012.
To view the new salary rates, please visit the Workplace Relations/
Industrial Updates section on www.amawa.com.au.
The 4.5 per cent increase applies not only to your base salary but
also your professional development allowance, and the on call and
call back rates. ■
In the meantime if members have any queries regarding the Industrial
Agreement or the increase to salary rates they should direct their
enquiries to Clare Francis at Clare.Francis@amawa.com.au.
If you are not currently a member of the Association we urge you to
consider whether you will benefit from the work that is undertaken by
your professional association. If you come to the conclusion that you
are a recipient of the work undertaken by your Association you can
contribute to the Association by joining.
10 MEDICUS October