Part-time Work
Part-time work for professional staff members entails working less than the standard weekly or fortnightly hours, for which all entitlements are paid on a pro-rata basis. The standard weekly hours for staff members is 36.75 hours per week (7.35 hours per day).
Academic staff members are not required to work specified hours. Rather they are assigned duties and self-directed tasks which correspond to the equivalent of full-time or part-time work. Academic staff wishing to convert from full-time to part-time work can negotiate a reduction in workload with Head of School.
Types of the part-time work arrangements include:
- Weekly fraction: working 0.5 on the basis of two and a half working days each week
- Fortnightly fraction: three working days one week and two working days the next week within a pay period.
- Annual fraction: working 0.5 time for the whole year but working six months full time and six months off.
- converting from full-time work to part-time work for a defined period of time is also negotiable. This enables a phased return to work following extended or prolonged leave (eg. maternity or sick leave) or phased exit before retiring.
Benefits
- Part-time employees are better able to manage their working hours to suit their personal, family, social and community responsibilities and interests. For example, the 2006 Your Voice Staff Survey conducted by the University found that staff employed on fixed term contracts or part-time employment tended to be more satisfied than staff on continuing or full-time employment, on the Life Balance Scale in relation to:
- having time to do well in their job
- keeping stress at an acceptable level
- maintaining a good balance between work and other aspects of life
- meeting their family responsibilities.
- Employers have greater capacity for attracting and retaining high performing, innovative employees who might otherwise have difficulty in working full-time.
- Organisations that demonstrate an appreciation of part-time work and flexibility in assisting staff to manage work-life balance enjoy an enhanced public perception.
Potential Disadvantages
- Salary, superannuation and other entitlements may be affected by a reduction in working hours.
- There may be a need to cover load/hours when part-time employees are not working, especially for roles previously performed on a full-time basis.
- There is potential for overloading other staff members with work to cover load/hours when part-time workers are not working, especially for roles previously performed on a full-time basis.
Suggestions for overcoming potential problems
- Staff seeking adjustments to their work patterns can check the impact of a variation from full-time to part-time work on superannuation, long service leave and other entitlements by:
- By planning well prior to the introduction of the flexible work arrangement, managers can ensure that when part-time staff members are not working, the work unit is adequately covered. Effective planning and clear communication amongst the parties concerned shall ensure that staff members are not burdened with an overload of work. The University provides information for managers, including steps to be followed in negotiating flexible work arrangements and a checklist to assist with this process. Guidelines to be followed by staff in constructing a flexible work proposal are also provided.
The Part-time Work Pattern form is available for staff seeking to:
- increase or decrease in their current working hours
- change their working pattern but retain current working hours.
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