1 general conditions of employment - Department of Education and ...

RATES OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES7.2.3 NON TEACHING STAFF IN SCHOOLS - ALLOWANCES7.2.3.1 IntroductionThe following allowances are applicable to non teaching staff in school including schoolassistants and general assistants. For details of travelling compensation, includingaccommodation and meal allowances, see Section 1.7, Travelling Compensation of thishandbook.7.2.3.2 Community Language Allowance SchemeThe Community Language Allowance Scheme (CLAS) provides for an allowance that ispaid to selected bilingual staff who provide language assistance in dealings with clients.Potential recipients of the allowance must pass an examination administered by theEthnic Affairs Commission, unless they have National Accreditation Authority forTranslators and Interpreters (NAATI) qualifications.The allowance may be paid to staff who have passed the examination and who are:a) public contact staff, counter staff or other clerical staff who, by possessinglanguage skills, are required to deal with public inquiries;b) identified as possessing another language skill for the purpose of the work of theorganisation;c) available to use the language skill as required by the organisation; andd) recognised by management as occasional or regular users of their languageskills as an adjunct to their normal duties.The allowance is not payable to staff employed:a) as interpreters and translators; orb) in those positions where particular language skills are part of the essentialrequirements of the position.Allowance LevelThere are two levels of the allowance - a base level rate and a higher level rate.To locate these allowances within IRC 06/20 go to the DET salaries and allowanceslink, then to the rate sheets titled Community Language Allowance.Alternatively, staff without access to a computer can contact the IndustrialRelations Directorate on (02) 9561 8780.The base level rate is paid to staff whose language skills are required to meet occasionaldemands for language assistance. Occasional demands means that there is no regularpattern of demands that necessitate the use of the staff member's language skills.The higher level rate is one and a half times the base allowance. It is paid to staff whomeet either of the following criteria:Handbook for non teaching staff in schools 2006 V#3 31 January 2007 Page 7 - 7