FAQs

When will I receive the back pay and salary increase? It is likely to take 2 to 3 pay periods for the payroll office at your workplace to process the pay variation, the backpay to 1 January 2008 and the sign-on bonus of $1250 (pro rata for part-time members).

Where can I get a copy of the new Agreement? The new agreement will include the current award provisions, the provisions of the 2004-2007 agreement and the agreed matters and new rates of pay which have just been signed off in the Heads of Agreement.

It will take time to draft the new comprehensive agreement. Until the new agreement is drafted it will still be necessary to go back to the public sector award and the 2004-2007 agreement for conditions matters, together with the 2008 Heads of Agreement which sets out the new pay schedules and conditions of employment.

The award, the 2004-2007 Public Sector Agreement and the 2008 Heads of Agreement are all accessible from the member-only pages of the website (remember to login first).

The VHIA will be sending out a circular to hospitals and health services advising them of the new rates of pay, backpay, sign on bonus and changes to conditions of employment.

What are the new paid maternity leave provisions?  From 1 October 2007 members are entitled to 9 weeks paid maternity leave, increasing to 10 weeks paid leave on 1 October 2008.

If I took paid maternity leave between 1 October 2007 and today, am I entitled to be paid the additional week’s leave as part of my backpay? Yes, you are.

If I resigned from public sector employment between 1 January 2008 and the pay period in which salaries are adjusted am I entitled to the sign on bonus and backpay from 1 January 2008 until the date of my resignation? Yes, you are entitled to the sign on bonus (pro rata for part time members) and backpay to the date of resignation, and backpay on any payment for accrued annual leave, annual leave loading and long service leave.

What are the changes to payment for public holidays for part-time members and when do these changes come into effect? The changes in payment for public holidays for part-time staff will come into effect from the date of the next public holiday – Melbourne Cup Day in November. The only change is to payment for public holidays which fall on a day that a part-time employee does not normally work. Payment for a public holiday on which a part-timer is not normally rostered will be at ordinary rates (pro rata).

Part-timers will continue to be paid for public holidays which fall on days on which they are normally rostered, at ordinary rates if rostered off and at penalty rates if rostered to work. Penalty rates apply to any public holiday on which a part-time employee is rostered to work. 

Watch out for more FAQs next week.