The Australian Services Union (ASU) – Victorian Authorities and Services Branch and the Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association (VHIA) have developed a new publication to guide the introduction of family and work life balance provisions for employees in the social and community services (SACS) sector. The comprehensive guide, Best Practice: Family and Work Life Balance – Manual for the SACS Sector, contains a wealth of background information, including legislative considerations, as well as step by step instructions on how to introduce the new provisions.
ASU Assistant Branch Secretary, Lisa Heap, said according to a 2006 Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) survey, the staff turnover rate in the social and community sector is three to five per cent higher than other Australian industries.
“By introducing provisions to improve work life balance, the industry hopes to redress this,” she said. “The manual provides examples of how work life policies can be highly cost effective by reducing staff turnover and increasing the pool of appropriately qualified workers to choose from when recruiting. Work life provisions enable experienced staff to remain in the workforce, which is good for employers and clients as well as staff.”
ASU Victorian Authorities and Services Branch Secretary, Darrell Cochrane, said although Local Governments in Victoria currently have family friendly provisions in their enterprise bargaining agreements, there is room for improvement.
“The Union is currently in discussions with the Victorian Government to develop and distribute a more generic manual that can be used as a resource for Local Government,” he said. “This new best practice manual will be used as the basis for the more generic publication, which will be able to used across a number of industries.”
In addition to the more well known work life provisions such as parental leave, bereavement leave and carer’s leave, the new manual includes model clauses for lesser known provisions including the following:
- lactation breaks for breastfeeding mothers to feed their infants or express milk
- IVF leave to attend treatment sessions
- antenatal/prenatal leave for both the pregnant woman and partners to attend medical appointments
- keep in touch programs to maintain contact with staff on extended leave so they are kept in the information loop and don’t find a return to work daunting
- carer’s room facilities that allow for staff to carry out caring duties, such as having children in the office during school in service days
- purchased leave – the ability to exchange pay for more leave and have remaining salary averaged out across the year, for example, the 48:52 model.
The provisions are not solely aimed at women with children but all workers, male and female, who have caring responsibilities. Caring responsibilities range from the care of children to caring for family members who may be sick, disabled or aged.
The manual was funded by the Victorian Government through Industrial Relations Victoria, Better Work and Family Balance Grants Program.
For further information contact Julie Kun, ASU Research Officer, on 0419 506 178.
