AN160177 – Independent Schools Psychologists and Social Workers Award
(1) (a) A psychologist or social worker shall, upon engagement, be given a letter of appointment in which the general conditions and the special conditions (if any) of his/her appointment are stated. A copy of that letter shall be retained by the school and signed by the psychologist or social worker within one week of commencing work. This subclause shall not apply to a relief psychologist or social worker.
(b) The conditions stated in the letter of appointment shall, while the employment continues, be observed by the parties and shall not be subject to any alteration of significance without the consent of the psychologist or social worker.
(2) When a psychologist or social worker accepts an appointment within an Independent School in Western Australia for the first time, the appointment is probationary and as such the psychologist or social worker is subject to professional appraisal in the second year of employment so as to determine suitability for ongoing employment.
(3) (a) Except in the case of a relief or temporary psychologist or social worker, the termination of the service of a psychologist or social worker shall require a minimum of six weeks' notice by either party to take effect from the close of school business at the end of the school term.
(b) Subject to the provisions of this subclause, failure to give the required notice shall make either party liable to pay or forfeit to the other party an amount equivalent to the period of notice not given.
(c) The requirements of this subclause may be waived in part or in whole by mutual agreement between the psychologist or social worker and the employer. Any request to waive such notice shall not be unreasonably withheld by the employer, where it is deemed that the psychologist or social worker has not been able to give the required notice through no fault of his/her own.
(4) During the school vacation periods or any part thereof during which a psychologist or social worker cannot be usefully employed, the employer shall be relieved of the obligation to provide work and the psychologist or social worker shall not be entitled to payment of salary in respect of any such period during which no work is performed, other than a period during which the psychologist or social worker is on annual leave or a public holiday falls on a day on which the psychologist or social worker would normally be employed to work. Provided that the maximum period covered by this subclause shall be no more than five (5) weeks in any one year. Such period shall be termed “stand down”.
(5) The contract of service of a temporary psychologist or social worker shall be terminable at any time by either party giving not less than one week's notice, except in the case of continuous service exceeding one (1) year, notice shall be as prescribed in subclause (3) of this clause.
(6) The engagement of a relief psychologist or social worker shall be by the day and where the period exceeds five consecutive days the notice shall be one day. Where the employment is for five days or less the engagement shall be considered to be a specific period and notice shall not be required.
(7) A part-time psychologist or social worker shall receive payment of sick leave, long service leave and vacation leave on a proportional basis to a full-time psychologist or social worker.
(8) Upon termination of service a statement of service when requested by the psychologist or social worker shall be provided to the psychologist or social worker by the employer.
(9) Nothing within this clause detracts from the employer's right to dismiss summarily any psychologist or social worker for serious misconduct in which case salary shall be paid up to the time of dismissal only.
