Policy: Remuneration and conditions

Purpose

To inform staff about the principles underpinning remuneration and employment benefits for staff at the Australian National University (ANU).

Scope

This policy applies across the University.

Policy Statement

Principles

1. ANU aims to provide fair and equitable conditions to our staff in terms of work environment, salary, non-salary benefits and other employment conditions to attract and retain outstanding staff, having regard to pay conditions and competition within the relevant employment markets and higher education sector.
2. ANU recognises that different factors motivate an individual's desire to be part of the Australian National University community and the University seeks to meet these by providing a range of benefits to reward our staff for their contribution to ANU strategic goals.

Approval for remuneration and benefits

3. A delegate exercises their delegation to approve the provision of these benefits in accordance with the conditions and approval arrangements in the respective procedure for each benefit.
4. Loadings and allowances for professional staff are defined in the Professional staff loadings and allowances procedure.
5. Loadings and allowances for academic staff are defined in the Academic staff loadings and allowances procedure.
6. Approvals of remuneration and benefits beyond those provided for in the relevant procedures require approval of the Chief People Officer or the Vice-Chancellor.

Range of benefits

7. The range of flexible salary and non-salary based remuneration benefits available to staff are as follows. These are outlined in more detail in the respective procedure.

Base salary

8. Is derived from the salary structure under the current ANU Enterprise Agreement and rewards staff for the scope of activities required in their position.

Superannuation

9. ANU provides an employer contribution higher than the standard mandated by the Commonwealth Superannuation Guarantee Act. In addition, there are provisions for staff to provide additional contributions.

Superannuation on Unpaid Parental Leave

10. Where a staff member, who is eligible for paid parental leave, accesses approved unpaid parental leave, the University will continue to pay employer superannuation contributions during the period of unpaid leave up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
11. Where a staff member who is eligible for paid parental leave, and accesses this leave at half pay, the University will continue to pay employer superannuation contributions at the full pay rate, up to the equivalent of a maximum 26 weeks.
12. Where employer superannuation contributions are made in accordance with clause 10 or 11, the maximum employer superannuation contributions made will be up to the equivalent of 26 weeks at full pay, regardless of whether the staff member accesses unpaid parental leave, or parental leave at half pay.

Salary packaging

13. Staff at ANU can salary package a range of items, including superannuation, to help maximise the value of their total remuneration package.

Motor vehicles

14. Where specified in the individual's employment contract, a motor vehicle may be provided in accordance with the University’s Motor Vehicle Acquisition Policy.

Career and professional development

15. A range of support provisions are available, including:

• in-house and external staff development opportunities;
• support for conference/seminar attendance;
• Outside Studies Program;
• support for individual career planning/counselling services;
• staff undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships; and
• Career Development Leave Program.

Salary advancement

16. The following options are available to staff who meet the established criteria:

• promotion for academic staff via an annual promotion process;
• increment to next salary step within level where the staff member acquires new skills, experience, knowledge and satisfactory performance against their Performance and Development Review;
• accelerated incremental advancement where the staff member's acquisition of new skills, experience, and knowledge requires earlier recognition;
• a higher duty allowance is provided where a professional staff member performs the duties required of a position classified at a higher level than the employee's current classification for a short period of time;
• an experience loading may be payable to casual and sessional academic staff;
• reclassification of a professional staff position can be sought where the role and duties has changed to such an extent that it meets the classification standards for the next level, and is approved by the University Staffing Committee;
• staff can apply for advertised positions within the University that are at a higher level.

Recognition and awards

17. A range of programs that recognise the contribution of staff.

Performance bonus payments

18. Are payable to academic and professional staff to recognise outstanding performance or achievement of negotiated stretch targets, as approved by the Senior Manager Remuneration Committee.

Flexible working arrangements

19. Arrangements to enable ANU staff to more effectively balance their work and family responsibilities may include:

• paid, unpaid leave and purchased leave;
• part-time employment; job share, flextime and/ flexible hours;
• parental support program; and
• ANU school holiday program.

Work environment and facilities

20. The University strives to create a work environment that is comfortable, safe, environmentally friendly and that has appropriate recreational facilities to support the health and wellbeing of our staff and provides:

• a staff counselling service and access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP);
• access to corporate health insurance and health/stress management programs;
• effective management of occupational health and safety risk;
• well maintained gardens and sporting/recreational (gym) facilities;
• ANU Green Unit to help ensure we reduce our carbon footprint;
• cafes, banks, ATMs, chemist, newsagent, bookshop and a post office;
• a network of walking and bike paths into and around the campus with bike racks and cages; and
• reserved parking in parking stations (when available).