Further to the Union notice of 22 March regarding the expiration of the 2006 D&D Award, the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW today made a new 2009 D&D Award that will operate for the coming three years through until 21 March 2012. The new 2009 D&D Award is essentially the same as the 2006 Award that it replaces, save for the following changes:
1. Increased lump sum benefits
The benefit for members who make the full contribution rate and who suffer off-duty death or total and permanent incapacity have increased as follows:
Age at exit from NSWFB 2006 Award benefit 2009 Award benefit Increase
Less than 61 years of age $280,000 $310,000 $30,000
61 to less than 62 years of age $224,000 $248,000 $24,000
62 to less than 63 years of age $168,000 $186,000 $18,000
63 to less than 64 years of age $112,000 $124,000 $12,000
64 to less than 65 years of age $56,000 $62,000 $6,000
The benefit for members who make the reduced (one-third) contribution rate and who suffer off-duty death or total and permanent incapacity have increased from $12,000 to $13,000.
2. Adjusted contributions
Retained member contributions have been adjusted from $33.00 per month to $16.56 per fortnight and, for the reduced (one-third) contribution rate, from $11.00 per month to $5.52 per fortnight.
Permanent member contributions will now be made by way of pre-tax salary sacrifice unless a member specifically requests otherwise. While permanent members who were already salary sacrificing for their D&D contributions do not need to do anything, members who do not wish to salary sacrifice for their D&D contributions will need to contact the Department to arrange for the contributions to be drawn from their post-tax wages.
3. New definition of “primary employment”
A new definition of “primary employment” has been inserted to clarify the entitlement of retained members under subclause 12.4 who suffer an on-duty partial and permanent incapacity and who lose their primary employment. The new definition reads:
“retained firefighter’s primary employment” means employment with an employer other than the NSW Fire Brigades. In order for a retained firefighter’s employment with an employer other than the NSW Fire Brigades to be eligible as primary employment for the purposes of payment of benefits pursuant to subclause 12.4 of this Award, the primary employment must be held as at the date of the on duty injury, and must be permanent employment of an average of at least 30 hours per week.
