The classifications and classification descriptors for all Academic and General staff to whom this Agreement applies (except for Trainees) are set out in Schedule 2, and English language teaching classifications are defined in Schedule 5.

General staff positions will be classified in accordance with the General staff classification assessment descriptors set out in Schedule 2. Positions will be classified at the level which most accurately reflects the work to be performed, taking into account the duties and responsibilities of the position.

The following general principles apply to classification assessment:

1. all positions are subject to these procedures, regardless of funding source or availability;
2. the classification assessment will be of the position not the occupant;
3. classification assessment decisions will be based only on an assessment of the documentation of positions against the classification descriptors in Schedule 2; and
4. equity principles and the classification descriptors will be applied consistently across positions.

Classification assessment will be undertaken by the University’s classification assessment team, which will be led by a specialist, nominated by the University, who can consider and validate the attributes of the position against the position assessment descriptors. The classification assessment team will also be responsible for conducting position description surveys University-wide every two years and reporting those results to a Classification Monitoring Panel (CMP) which will be established within three months of the commencement of this Agreement.

The CMP will comprise three staff appointees, being General staff nominated by the staff representatives on the Management and Staff Consultative Committee and three management appointees, being staff nominated by the University. In addition to reviewing the classification assessment statistical profile bi-annually, the CMP will determine disputes relating to position descriptions and applications for classification reassessment. The head of the classification assessment team will provide training to members of the CMP in the principles and processes of classification monitoring. For the purposes of determining disputes relating to applications for classification reassessment, the CMP will be supplemented by a pool of suitably qualified staff and external appointees who will be appointed by the University (in consultation with the Unions through the Management & Staff Consultative Committee) to act as Chairpersons.

Each General staff position will have a position description which will include the following information:

1. the purpose of the position and its overall context within the workplace;
2. the duties required of the position (provided a staff member has been performing particular duties for a period of six months with the knowledge of their Supervisor, those duties will be deemed to have been required for the period during which they were performed);
3. the degree of task complexity; the scope for decision-making; the level of knowledge, experience and skills required; and
4. the relationship of the position to other positions within the team or work group.

Position descriptions must be approved by the authorised Delegate at the Faculty/School or work unit level. A staff member who does not agree their position description accurately describes their role, may, after seeking to resolve the matter with the relevant Delegate, refer the matter to the CMP.

Disputes relating to position descriptions referred to the CMP will be dealt with in the first instance by two CMP members (one staff nominee and one management nominee), and any matter that remains unresolved will be referred to the CMP for resolution.

A staff member or their Supervisor or Union may apply for a reassessment of the classification of the staff member’s position once during any 12 month period.

Applications for classification reassessment will be determined by the University’s Classification Assessment team, and should normally be determined within six weeks of the date of lodgement unless an extension is approved by a sub-committee of the CMP which will be established for this purpose. If an application for reassessment is not determined by the Classification Assessment team within six weeks of being lodged (or such longer period as may be approved by the CMP sub-committee), the applicant may ask the CMP to determine the application.

Where a decision is taken to upgrade a position to a higher level, the effective date of the reclassification will be the date on which the changes that warranted the upgrading occurred.

Where a decision is taken to not approve the application for a change in classification to a higher level, the Head of the Classification Assessment team will provide the incumbent and the Supervisor of the position with written reasons for the decision.

Where a position is assessed as being at a lower classification than its present level, the Classification Assessment team will provide the incumbent and the Supervisor of the position with written reasons for the decision, but the incumbent’s salary will not be reduced.

A staff member may appeal to the CMP against a determination of the Classification Assessment team.

Appeals must be lodged within 14 days of notification of the decision and must specify how the process of decision making was flawed and/or the grounds on which the classification assessment decision was in error.

Appeals will be determined by an Appeal Panel convened from the membership of the CMP comprising one staff appointee, one management appointee and a Chairperson.

The CMP will determine the merits of the classification assessment decision on the basis of whether the descriptors have been correctly applied, and may make its determinations on the basis of written submissions only or to conduct a meeting to review the written submissions.

Appeals will be heard and determined within four weeks of being lodged, and the CMP will publish reasons for its decision. The decision of the CMP will be final and not subject to further review.