AN160080 – Clerks' (Wholesale & Retail Establishments) Award No. 38 of 1947
11. - CLASSIFICATIONS AND WAGE RATES
11.1 Grading structure
11.1.1 Advising employees of grading
11.1.1 (a) All employees covered by this award shall be graded according to the grading structure set out in this clause. Employers shall advise their employees in writing of their grading and of any changes to their grading.
11.1.1 (b) Employees shall be graded at this level where the principal functions of their employment, as determined by the employer, require the exercise of any one or more of the skill levels set out in the Grade descriptors.
11.1.1 (c) This classification structure will not be used to assess the award wage rate of any person who is a proprietor, director, or manager of a company, business or undertaking, or any person to whom has been delegated the right to engage and terminate the employment of other employees.
11.1.1 (d) Employees may be required to train other employees in the skills of their own grade, or grades below their own, by means of personal instruction and demonstration.
11.1.2 Employees disputing grading
11.1.2 (a) An employee can dispute any grading or new grading made in accordance with 11.1 hereof by advising the employer in writing.
11.1.2 (b) If this dispute cannot be resolve by the employer and employee in a reasonable time it will be dealt with in accordance with the dispute resolution procedure in this award.
11.2 Classifications and wage rates
11.2.1 Grade 1 clerical assistant
Adult |
Weekly award rate $ |
First year of experience at this grade |
517.80 |
Second year of experience at this grade |
531.60 |
Third year of such experience and thereafter |
543.20 |
11.2.1 (a) Employees in this grade perform and are accountable for clerical and office tasks as directed within the skill levels set out. They work within established routines, methods and procedures. Supervision is routine or direct.
11.2.1 (b) Machine operation - skill level 1
Operate telephone/intercom systems (eg Commander type), telephone answering machines, facsimile machines, photocopiers, franking machines, guillotines, calculator and adding machines, paging system, typewriter and telex machines.
11.2.1 (c) Computer - Skill Level 1
Use knowledge of keyboard and basic menu-driven options and function keys to enter, retrieve and print data; use printer.
Use of safe and correct opening and closing down procedures.
11.2.1 (d) Information handling skills - skill level 1
Receive, sort, open, distribute incoming mail, process outgoing mail, receive incoming and despatch outgoing courier mail, deliver messages and documents to appropriate persons/locations;
Work with established filing/records system in accordance with set procedures including creating and indexing new files, distributing files/publications within the organisation as requested; monitoring file locations.
Prepare and collate documents, take telephone messages;
Transcribe information into records, sort and file documents/records accurately in correct locations/sequence using an established filing system.
11.2.1 (e) Enterprise/industry, specialist skills - skill level 1
Acquire and apply a limited knowledge of office procedures and requirements.
Relay internal information.
11.2.1 (f) Business/Financial - skills level 1
Sort, process and record original source financial documents (e.g. invoices, cheques, correspondence) on a daily basis.
11.2.2 Grade 2 clerical officer
Adults |
Weekly award rates $ |
First year of experience at this grade |
553.70 |
Second year of experience at this grade |
557.80 |
Third year of experience at this grade and thereafter |
563.70 |
11.2.2 (a) Employees in this grade perform clerical and office tasks using a more extensive range of skills and knowledge at a level higher than required in Grade 1. They are responsible and accountable for their own work, which is performed within established routines, methods and procedures.
Supervision is general.
11.2.2 (b) Technical Skills
Machine Operation - skill level 2
Operate switchboard (PABX system)
Keyboard Typing - skill level 1
Produce documents using standard formats at 25 wpm with 98% accuracy.
Computer- skill level 2
Manipulate previously created data bases, spreadsheets/worksheets; calculate alpha-numerical and related information to perform routine tasks and generate simple reports.
Word Processing - skill level 1
Produce simple and routine documents using keyboard skills within designated timeframes.
11.2.2 (c) Information handling skills - skill level 2
Maintain mail register and records. Use and maintain established filing/records systems in accordance with set procedures including creating and indexing new files, distributing files within the organisation as requested, monitoring file locations;
11.2.2 (d) Enterprise/industry, specialist skills - skill level 2
Acquire and apply a working knowledge of office or sectional operating procedures and requirements.
Interpret and action information supplied.
Acquire and apply a working knowledge of the organisation’s structure and personnel in order to deal with inquiries at first instance, locate appropriate staff in different sections, relay internal information, respond to or redirect inquiries, greet visitors.
11.2.2 (e) Business/financial skills - skill level 1
Assist in the maintenance of financial records and journals, including checks and authorisation. Maintain and record petty cash, prepare bank deposits and withdrawals banking; Check time and wage records.
11.2.3 Grade 3 clerical officer
Adults |
Weekly award rates $ |
First year of experience at this grade |
571.20 |
Second year of experience at this grade |
578.20 |
11.2.3 (a) Employees in this grade perform clerical and office tasks using a more extensive range of skills and knowledge at a level higher than required in Grade 2.
They are responsible and accountable for their own work, which is performed within established guidelines, they exercise limited discretion within the range of their skill and knowledge. Supervision is limited.
11.2.3 (b) Technical Skills
Machine Operation - skill level 3
Operate computerised radio telephone equipment, dictaphone equipment or other equipment of equal complexity.
Computer - skill level 3
Use one or more software application package(s) to operate and populate a database, spreadsheet/ worksheet to achieve a desired result; graph previously prepared spreadsheet; use simple menu utilities.
Following standard procedures to template for the preceding functions using existing models/fields of information.
Create, maintain and generate simple reports.
Keyboard Typing - skill level 2
Accurately produce documents and correspondence using knowledge of standard formats, touch type, audio type within established procedures.
Copy type at 40 wpm with 98% accuracy.
Word Processing - skill level 2
Use one or more software packages to create format, edit, proof read, spell check, print and save text documents, e.g. standard correspondence and business documents.
Apply additional functions such as search and replace, variable fonts, moving and
11.2.3 (c) Secretarial - skill level 1
Take shorthand notes at 80 wpm and transcribe with 98% accuracy. Arrange travel bookings and itineraries, make appointments.
11.2.3 (d) Enterprise/industry, specialist skills - skill level 3
Apply a working knowledge of the organisation’s products/services, functions, locations and clients. Respond to and act upon most internal/external inquiries in own function area.
11.2.3 (e) Information handling skills - skill level 3
Oversee record management systems including review and analysis.
11.2.3 (f) Business/financial skills - skill level 2
Maintain financial records and journals, maintain payroll records; prepare accounts payable for payment.
11.2.4 Grade 4 clerical officer
Adults |
Weekly award rate $ |
606.00 |
11.2.4 (a) Employees in this grade perform clerical and office tasks using a more extensive range of skills and knowledge at a level higher than required in Grade 3. They are responsible and accountable for their own work, and exercise discretion and initiative in the organisation of work within prescribed limits. Supervision is limited.
11.2.4 (b) Keyboard typing - skill level 3
Format complex documents including technical data, technical language, tables, graphs, text design, indexing, variable type face; produce documents requiring specified form or to comply with regulations or standards.
11.2.4 (c) Computer - skill level 3
Apply knowledge of intermediate functions to manipulate data, i.e. modify fields of information, develop new basic databases or spreadsheet models; spreadsheet, perform reconciliation.
11.2.4 d) Word processing - skill level 2
Use one or more software packages to apply advanced functions such as text columns, money columns, tables, e.g. to produce financial statements, printed forms, sorting, boxes, create displays of charts or graphs in report format, select style sheets appropriate to final presentation.
11.2.4 (e) Secretarial - skill level 2
Take shorthand notes at 100 words per minute and transcribe at 95% accuracy; manage executive appointments; respond to invitations; organise internal meetings on behalf of executive; establish and maintain reference lists/personal contact systems for executives.
11.2.4 (f) Enterprise/industry, specialist skills - skill level 4
Provide detailed advice and information on the organisation’s products and services; respond to client/public/supplier and internal organisation inquiries, within own function area, using such techniques as personal interview and liaison; explain organisation's viewpoint to clients and appropriate persons; using knowledge of internal/external regulatory requirements related to own function area. Acquire and use specialist vocabulary, i.e. technical/medical/legal within the scope of this grade.
11.2.4 (g) Information handling skills - skill level 4
Create new forms of files and records as required using computer-based records systems; e.g. customer/client/supplier and subscription lists. Access, identify, and extract information as required from external sources, e.g. databases, libraries, local authorities.
11.2.4 (h) Business/financial skills - skill level 3
Prepare cash payment summaries and banking reports; apply purchasing and inventory control requirements; reconcile debtors, creditors and general ledger accounts to balance; follow-up unpaid accounts by telephone liaison/interview, prepare documentation on overdue accounts for senior officers or referral to debt recovery processes; calculate wage and salary requirements including tax, superannuation and other deductions and transfer payments for authorisation; calculate stock valuations; prepare bank reconciliation; calculate costing using established formulae for all inputs and margins.
11.2.4 (i) Supervisory - skill level 1
Allocate work tasks to individuals, check work progress and correct errors.
11.2.5 Grade 5 administrative officer
Adult |
Weekly award rate $ |
639.00 |
11.2.5 (a) Employees in this grade perform clerical and administrative duties using a more extensive range of skills and knowledge at a level higher than required in Grade 4. They are responsible and accountable for their own work, and may have limited responsibility for the work of others. They exercise initiative, discretion and judgement within the range of their skills and knowledge. Supervision is minimal.
11.2.5 (b) Computer - skill level 4
Use a variety of application software packages within a micro/personal computer network including importing data from one package to another. Evaluate usefulness or applicability of software programs (using existing software programs) and recommend preferred solutions to meet new or different application requirements. Use advanced spreadsheet functions (e.g. Macro functions etc) to enhance operation of the spreadsheet. Use a central computer resource to an equivalent standard.
11.2.5 (c) Word processing - skill level 3
Use all preceding word processing functions and integrate word processing software with other application software packages to produce complex text and data documents. Apply knowledge of desktop publishing to integrate complex documents. Apply advanced functions including Macros, moving columns for complex formatting of documents such as multi-column reports and presentations, including booklets. Apply complex maths functions.
11.2.5 (d) Secretarial - skill level 3
Take shorthand notes at 120 words per minute and transcribe at 95% accuracy; attend executive/organisational meetings and take minutes; answer executive correspondence from verbal or rough hand-written instructions; organise teleconferences.
11.2.5 (e) Enterprise industry, specialist skills - skill level 5
Apply detailed knowledge of the industry in which the organisation operates to complex issues/arrangements in such areas as consumer/client services, special products/service knowledge, and respond within established internal/external regulatory parameters and policies. Indicative Specialist Skills Include; apply detailed knowledge of customs law and regulations to overseas sales and ordering. Apply detailed knowledge of inventory/stock requirements to obtain competitive quotations and initiate purchasing. Apply detailed knowledge of internal/external regulatory parameters and policies relating to industrial employment law, occupational health and safety, workers compensation claims procedures, superannuation requirements.
11.2.5 (f) Information handling skills - skill level 5
Develop, plan and implement new paper based/manual filing records systems for the enterprise; assist in separate undertaking research (locate/solicit, summarise/extract and interpret information) related to function areas.
11.2.5 (g) Business/financial skills - skill level 4
Post transactions to ledger and prepare a trial balance; prepare end of the period adjustments and transfers using general journal; prepare financial/tax schedules for periodic tax requirements such as payroll, sales and group tax returns; reconcile general ledger accounts; determine costing by calculating input costs and margins.
Apply detailed knowledge of organisations credit terms to new accounts and to following up significant debtors, prepare periodic debtor statements.
11.2.5 (h) Supervisory - skill level 2
Resolve operational problems for staff in lower grades, co-ordinate work flow within a section or unit, and counsel and advise staff who are under routine supervision.
11.2.6 Grade 6 administrative officer
Adults |
Weekly award rates $ |
679.00 |
11.2.6 (a) Employees in this grade perform clerical and administrative duties using a more extensive range of skills and knowledge at a level higher than required in Grade 5. They are responsible and accountable for their own work, and may have responsibility for the work of a section or unit. They exercise initiative, discretion and judgement within the range of their skills and knowledge. Supervision is by means of reporting to more senior staff as required.
11.2.6 (b) Computer - skill level 5
Operating/co-ordinating a group of computers such as a small multi-user system or a large group of personal computers which may include operating a help desk, running and monitoring batch jobs and performing regular back-ups and restores.
11.2.6 (c) Enterprise/industry, specialist skills - skill level 6
Apply knowledge of the organisation's objectives and performance, and apply specialist knowledge, in areas such as projected growth, product trends and general industry conditions, examples include: knowledge of competitors and major clients market structure in the performance of own responsibilities; import/export activities. Indicative Specialist Skills Include; Use knowledge of basic statistics to interpret data from spreadsheets, statistical tables, graphs and frequency tables in the performance of own responsibilities. Administration of workers compensation claims, insurance and disputed claims.
11.2.6 (d) Supervisory - skill level 3
Plan and organise work priorities of a unit or section; re-schedule workloads as necessary and resolve operational problems for unit or section; monitor work quality of those supervised; use observations, diagnosis and intervention skills to ensure unit/section meets objectives; organise and chair necessary work meetings/conferences; assist in planning future sectional/office organisational resources and equipment needs.
11.2.6 (e) Business/financial skills - skill level 5
Administer individual salary packages, travel expenses, allowances and company transport. Administer specialist salary and payroll requirements, e.g. Eligible Termination Payments, Superannuation Trust Deed Requirements, Redundancy Calculations, Maintenance Support Schemes, etc.
11.2.6 (f) Secretarial - skill level 4
As well as having shorthand skills of Skill Level 3, arrange conferences and external meetings, including venues, agendas, documentation, audio-visual requirements, catering, transport and accommodation; originate executive correspondence; assist executive in preparing, attending and following up appointments, interviews, meetings, etc; assume responsibility for Designated areas of executive's work, on delegated authority.
11.3 Supervision:
Employees are subject to five defined levels of supervision which can be generally categorised as follows:
Direct - the employee receives detailed instructions on work to be performed and is subject to frequent personal progress checks.
Routine - the employee receives broad instructions on work to be performed except when new or unusual features require more specific instructions. Work in progress is checked intermittently while all work is checked on completion.
General - the employee receives specific instructions only when new procedures or tasks are involved. Work is checked on completion.
Limited - the employee is subject to work checks which are generally confined to establishing that satisfactory progress is being made. Work is reviewed on completion.
Minimal - the employee is subject to final review/report back on work and may receive assistance with specific problems.
NB. Supervision is not a criteria for determining classification levels but should be used as a guide in determining the overall level of responsibility and autonomy expected of the principal functions of the job.
11.4 Junior Employees
Base Rate (per week) expressed as a percentage of the rate prescribed for the relevant year of experience at the Grade in paragraph 11.1 hereof appropriate to the work performed by the junior employee -
% | |
At 15 years of age |
40 |
At 16 years of age |
50 |
At 17 years of age |
60 |
At 18 years of age |
70 |
At 19 years of age |
80 |
At 20 years of age |
90 |
11.5 Casual Employees
11.5.1 A casual clerk may be employed at an hourly rate for a lesser period than four weeks and shall be paid while so employed, twenty-five percent in addition to the Weekly award rate prescribed by this award with a minimum engagement of four hours: Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this subclause, the basis and terms of employment of a casual clerk may be varied by agreement in writing between the employer and the Union.
11.5.2 Subject to any agreement between the employer and the employee to the contrary, subclause (6) of Clause 7. - Hours of Duty, shall not apply to such casual employee.
11.6 Part-time Employees:
11.6.1 A part-time employee shall be an employee engaged at an hourly rate for a lesser period per week than the hours usually worked in each establishment.
11.6.2 Progression through the incremental levels of the appropriate grade in this clause shall be strictly related proportionally in accordance with the number of hours worked, to the conditions prescribed in each establishment for full-time employees.
11.6.3 Payment of annual leave and sick pay for part-time employees shall be strictly related proportionately in accordance with the number of hours worked, to the conditions prescribed in each establishment for full-time employees.
11.6.4 Subject to any agreement between the employee and the employer to the contrary, subclause (5) of Clause 7. - Hours of Duty, shall not apply to part-time employees.
11.7 Implementation:
An employer shall grade clerical employees according to this clause no later than the first pay period on or after the 1st October 2004 and, if such grading entitles an employee to an increased weekly wage in accordance with this clause, such increase shall be implemented and paid in the following manner -
where the increase to an employee is 3% or less, such increase is to be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st October 2004:
where the increase to an employee is more than 3%, but 6% or less, half the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 st October 2004 and the total increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st January 2005;
where the increase to an employee is more than 6%, but 9% or less, one third of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 st October 2004 , two thirds of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 st January 2005, and the total increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st April 2005;
where the increase due to an employee is greater than 9%, one quarter of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 st October 2004, half the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 st January 2005, three quarters of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 st April 2005 and the total increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1 July 2005.
