Identify the need for a variation
A principal can only make a variation to a part-time employee’s number of hours and/or days and/or times of attendance where it can be demonstrated that such a variation is required as a result of a change in enrolment, organisation, funding, curriculum, structure, program or technology.
Specific reasons that may require consideration of variation of hours and/or days and/or times of attendance for part-time employees may include one or more of the following:
- the number of new enrolments is decreasing
- the requirement for some specialist classes is decreasing
- there is a change in the delivery of a program, e.g. change of day or times
- an employee is returning from parental leave on a part-time basis
- to avoid a redundancy
- the use of new technology, decreasing the number of hours required to undertake a task
- there is a reduction in funding for a particular program by 2 hours per week.
Further information is available in the Clause 15: Variation of Hours and/or Days and/or Times of Attendance for Part-time Employees – Information Guide for Schools, as well as Template Letters.
Process
In accordance with the VCEMEA, employers will need to undertake the following prior to varying a part-time employee’s number of hours and/or days and/or times of attendance:
- consult with employees and give due consideration to the impact of the variation
- advise the employee why the variation is required
- implement the variation if no other appropriate alternatives are available
An employer cannot vary the hours and/or days and/or times of attendance of a part-time employee unless that have complied with the provisions of clause 15.1 of the VCEMEA and provided the employee with a minimum of eight weeks’ notice.
Further information can be reviewed in the Variation of Hours procedures.