News

SOPP candidates’ entitlements

April 29, 2003

Members sitting the SOPP exams on Thursday 1 May 2003 are entitled to the relevant provisions of Clause 16 of the Crown Employees (NSW Fire Brigades Firefighting Staff) Award 2001.

Those members rostered for duty on the night shift prior to the day of the exams (ie Wednesday 30 April) will be granted paid leave from 10pm to 8am.

Members who are rostered off duty on the day of the exam are entitled to choose to either be paid at overtime rates or be credited with consolidated leave calculated at overtime rates for the time spent attending the exams – cl16.10.2.

Members who are on annual or long service leave may choose to be re-credited with the appropriate leave or be credited with consolidated leave for the time spent attending the exams – cl16.10.1

Time spent attending the examination is time worked. Therefore the provisions of cl9.9 (requiring an eight hour break) apply, in conjunction with cl 16.11 – those members who are rostered for night shift on the day of the exam should stand -off until they have had an 8 hour break from the conclusion of the final exam they attend. For example, if you finish an exam at 4pm and are rostered to start at 6pm that same day, you should stand-off until 12 midnight, without loss of pay.

If your travelling time to and from the exam venue exceeds two hours each way, or if the return distance from your residence to the venue exceeds 175kms, you are entitled to either be provided accommodation by the Department, or to the accommodation allowance prescribed by cl26.4.1.

Meal allowances, excess fares and travelling time may also be payable in line with cl26 – Travelling Compensation.

If these entitlements are not met by the Department you should contact the Union office.

Chris Read
State Secretary