Important QH payroll update from your Union

Published: 9 December 2011

Today Queensland Health announced that it will implement a package of measures designed to progress payroll matters.

Queensland Health intends to introduce the following initiatives after consultation with unions:

1. A change of the pay cycle to increase the gap between the end of the pay period and the pay day for that period.

The overall objective of the pay cycle change is to eliminate the variation in employees’ pays as a result of the pay run commencing before the end of the pay cycle and not having enough time between the end of the pay cycle and the pay day to get last minute changes processed. The current situation makes it impossible for a significant number of pay adjustments and roster changes to be reflected in employees’ pays.

To ensure that employees will not be disadvantaged, Queensland Health proposes that the transition to the new pay day will be accompanied by a loan of equivalent value to one week’s ordinary pay, inclusive of penalties but excluding overtime to each eligible employee. This will ensure that employees are not short-changed in the pay cycle that is moved.

Queensland Health is yet to advise on the timing of the change to the pay cycle but we are seeking assurances that it will give sufficient notice to allow staff to make any necessary arrangements with their financial institutions.

We are seeking further consultation on the detail of the loan repayments to ensure they are interest free, and also commitments from Queensland Health that staff won’t be disadvantaged as a result of the move, including in respect of existing direct debit arrangements.

It is essential that any change to the pay day is well planned and subject to rigorous system testing prior to change occurring. Consideration should also be given to the support required at the local facility level to ensure the successful implementation of the change, including the potential need for additional support for line managers given their centrality to successful local change management.

2. Progressively lifting the moratorium (hold) on the recovery of historic overpayments (up to 31/12/2011) starting with the highest value overpayments, and offering employees the opportunity to repay outstanding amounts through fortnightly instalments only after the outstanding amount is agreed or independently validated.

Queensland Health will first recommence the recovery of overpayments in relation to 250 employees with the highest value of overpayments, on average $25,700 per employee.

The vast majority of staff will not be required to repay any overpayment at this stage, unless that is, you choose to.

All staff will be able to access a case manager if they disagree with their alleged overpayment. Recovery of an overpayment cannot occur until staff agree with the overpayment amount or the overpayment amount is independently verified. Any underpayments will be settled first. Staff will be given two years to repay the overpayment through fortnightly pay deductions.

3. Moving to develop and implement a new electronic rostering system.

Queensland Health plans to trial a front-end electronic rostering system that has been developed at the Gold Coast Hospital.

The first trial of the electronic rostering system is expected to be undertaken outside of the Gold Coast in early 2012 and following a formal evaluation, will be trialled and rolled out to other facilities on a voluntary basis.

Queensland Health says the electronic rostering system will significantly reduce the workload of line managers, including the number of forms required to be submitted each fortnight, and therefore the inaccuracy of pays.

We believe that comprehensive trialling and robust evaluation is essential – any extension of the trial must be done in a staged and planned manner. The driving imperative must be that any new rostering system supports health service delivery and the workforce (rather than the service delivery/the workforce adjusting to meet the design of a system). In particular, the impact on part-time, concurrent, casual and agency staff must be adequately addressed by the new system.

We have had a number of initial discussions with Queensland Health about these initiatives, and there is still much to do before the initiatives are implemented.

While we are supportive of certain measures planned by Queensland Health, this support is based on assurances given to us that the proposed changes will demonstrably remedy the payroll issues facing members.

Unfortunately it has not been possible to obtain broad agreement on the Heads of Agreement as a way forward. In light of this, we believe it is essential to find a way forward in order that the systemic generation of overpayments and underpayments are addressed.

Our hard work will continue.

In the interim, we encourage you to report and address any underpayment that may have occurred by contacting Queensland Health’s payroll hotline on 1800 239 074.

To read the QNU’s response to Queensland Health’s proposed way forward click here.