Author Topic: Employers and Interstate / Longer Term Deployment (Read 8180 times)

straps · « **on:** February 17, 2009, 09:24:28 AM »

Hi All,
I am curious/keen to get some feedback from people as to how they manage their employers when faced with a pending or actual long term deployment (i.e. 5 - 10 days).

Do people have Union Awards / EB's that accommodate emergency service leave..??

Do people have supportive employers that are happy to release staff as required..??

Do people just say "to hell with it" and tell the employer they are leaving..??

How do people that are self-employed manage the above..??

Do you get actual confirmation from the outset from your emergency service that you are required and thus can formally request leave from your employer or are you given a request for availability and can tentatively broach with the employer (with the view of seeking formal approval once formally requested..

Finally, I am aware that SAFECOM present Employer Recognition certificates, however what do individual staff and brigades/units do to recognise employers..

I welcome your personal experiences on this topic as well as any thoughts and ideas you have for your emergency service to better manage this area..

Cheers
Shane

chook · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2009, 09:54:55 AM »

From Memory, the only legal protection an employee would have is if a state of emergency is declared - this would not cover interstate deployments.
Our employee EBA's only allow for Emergency services leave for local area emergencies - again interstate deployments don't count. I took annual leave to go to Newcastle for the storms.
Those who just said"stuff it I'm going" would be putting their payed job at risk. Having said that our company released this as part of bigger statement - "A number of our staff are actively involved with volunteer organisations assisting with these disasters. Our business is fully supportive of them taking emergency services leave, and will work with their managers to ensure that they are given the necessary support and time away from work once the disaster concludes, to aid in their own personal recovery."
So it really depends. hope this helps.
cheers

Pixie · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2009, 09:58:24 AM »

I work for Woolworths, and they have "State Emergency Services Leave" Built into the EBA. although it is always referred to as SES Leave, they have internal polices regarding this, and it also covers the other volunteer emerg. services (I.e. Sea Rescue/ Coast Guard Emergency Call Outs, CFS and vol.SAAS.).
This leave is on full pay, and covers incidents both in our area and interstate.

So for me it is simply a case of ringing work and telling them where I am going, what I am doing, and when I expect to be back.

On all occasions that I have had to use this leave my workplace has been really really good, and after big jobs have usually given me an extra day off to relax.

Pipster · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2009, 10:06:00 AM »

Under my Award, I can have 5 days of Emergency Services Leave per year, (almost) fully paid.

But, due to my position, I have to take into account staffing, and whether my position can be covered during the time I intend to be away. If staffing doesn't permit, then I don't go

Pip

Zippy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2009, 10:07:54 AM »

I was rung up by my employer 30 minutes before my captain paged the brigade on the first sunday: "do you require time off to go to victoria". And my employer is a typical City dweller..

My reply: "ehh i dont even know if im going yet, but thanks, it might be needed".

Shiner · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2009, 10:22:04 AM »

I work for the State Government (Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure) and they are very supportive of my time off for my CFS duties.

I am lucky in so far as I get paid my basic wage regardless of time away from the office, classes as 'Special Leave with Pay for Emergency Services Duty'.

Mike · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2009, 10:25:05 AM »

Its something I discussed with the boss when I first started, and bring up at reviews to ensure it hasnt been causing any problems. However, like Pip I need to consider what staffing levels are like and who will cover for me.

Best to be proactive in these things.

Bagyassfirey · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2009, 10:34:30 AM »

being a selp employed farmer it doesn become a problem for me...but i know the business around my area let there employees go out the door with out notice. thats small country business tho

mattb · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2009, 11:14:43 AM »

My company allows 5 days a year Emergency Service Leave, I can use these as I like but I have always kept them for the larger deployments, or any big jobs in our own Group.

I think in the Ten years I've been there I may have used 6 days. If I go over my 5 days I can then use my own annual leave without any problems.

misterteddy · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2009, 11:23:36 AM »

being a self employed contractor...it's pretty easy- decide and go,keeping in mind that in 7-8 weeks time (the usual lead time to get invoices paid these days

) there isnt going to be any money coming into the bank for that week away

bajdas · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2009, 07:08:28 PM »

Paid emergency service leave is available via Bargaining Agreement. But it depends on ensuring my current work is handed over to someone else. If one of the major computer systems stop working or are not upgraded, this can cause bigger community issues than what I am responding to (eg hospitals). So difficult when on shift & on call.

If I am requested for a long period of time while away from the workplace, I can call the oncall shift leader telephone to ensure they know.

In the current team I work with, I do have a supportive Manager. In a different team that I worked with previously (same company), the Team Leader was not supportive.

Do people just say "to filtered with it" ===> Never. At a different employer, I nearly lost my job even though my direct Manager said OK. The big boss did not like his computer system to stop working while I was away.

Where possible, SES will give a 'heads up' (eg storm warning, large incident, etc) so I can ask my Team Leader. Can be embarrassing when you are not used & have already asked for leave. But my Team Leaders now understand.

bajdas · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2009, 07:16:19 PM »

"...I am aware that SAFECOM present Employer Recognition certificates,..."

Personally I think the presentation of the certificates via SAFECOM VSO (or whatever they are called now) at a breakfast or other function is fantastic. I have been to a few & I that some of the certificates are placed on company walls.

I also understand it does not cost your Brgade/Unit anything except time.

Alan J · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2009, 08:38:14 PM »

The theory is that my company offers paid local emergency leave.
It also has provision for a few days of paid leave for declared disasters
(doesn't specify home or away).

Have also made it clear to my manager that I would only be off work or leave
work for genuine & significant jobs.

In practice, staffing is so tight that even on day shift when most people are
in, my manager does a major drama thing - have I been personally requested to
attend? (yeah, right!

) (For this reason I haven't been busting a boiler
to get a recognition certificate - might catch more flies with honey, but I feel
they should be earnt.)
On other shifts, where there are only two of us, and there -must- be two of us
on deck, responding simply isn't an option unless there's plenty of notice to
arrange someone to cover me.

Darius · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2009, 08:05:41 AM »

My company is one of the more generous around and provides 10 days per year as 'special leave' which includes emergency services, army reserves etc. The HR policy says to simply notify your manager as soon as possible.

I have so far used no more than 1 or 2 days per year (and some years none). For these Vic fires, I spoke to my supervisor monday morning about the possibility of 5 day deployments and he was fine with that, just said to ring him and let him know if I was going.

Later that day an email went out to the whole company from the managing director saying anyone involved with the fires could have as much (paid) special leave as they wanted. We had 2 employees in Vic loose their houses and have approx 150 employees on leave involved in the cleanup including 25 CFA volunteers and 50 defence force reserves.

rescue5271 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 18, 2009, 12:30:38 PM »

Well all the staff in our SA office are all CFS members so we work around it or just take annual leave,but i am sure that work would not have a problem with us going as long as someone was still there to answer the phone or do some urgent work....

firegun · « **Reply #15 on:** February 18, 2009, 12:44:53 PM »

My company also has an arrangemet for "special" leave (with pay)for 5 or so days a year for emergency work i.e. CFS and SES.
As we are a 24/7 company the conditions are a bit harder to go at the "drop of the hat" if you are on shift, but easer if on just day work.
We have app 35 CFS members from 10 brigades working at the one site.

From the comments posted here it seems several companies, both large and small have similar arrangements in place.
It shows that they do have an appreciation of the service we provide to the community.
They are all to be congratulated for this.

jaff · « **Reply #16 on:** February 18, 2009, 03:42:43 PM »

Quote from: misterteddy on February 17, 2009, 11:23:36 AM

being a self employed contractor...it's pretty easy- decide and go,keeping in mind that in 7-8 weeks time (the usual lead time to get invoices paid these days ) there isnt going to be any money coming into the bank for that week away

Ditto Tedster, its just another cost associated with being a volunteer..........HAH, "volunteer", we pay to do this job!

Baxter · « **Reply #17 on:** February 18, 2009, 06:44:55 PM »

From all all acounts so far I feel very fortunate as I am given 18 days per year for duty and time of in lue as well. Depending on the time of day I am just relaeased from work with a no question asked

bittenyakka · « **Reply #18 on:** February 19, 2009, 08:35:37 PM »

well my employer is fine if i ring and ask for time off as they only pay me when i am there. It does get a little hard with really late notice. But soo far this year i haven't even been asked to go on a strike team let alone vic. (so i am still in the good books)

misterteddy · « **Reply #19 on:** February 20, 2009, 08:33:27 AM »

Quote from: malleefire on February 18, 2009, 06:44:55 PM

From all all acounts so far I feel very fortunate as I am given 18 days per year for duty and time of in lue as well. Depending on the time of day I am just relaeased from work with a no question asked

mallee....truly a remarkable employer, make sure you get the system (CFS or SAFECOM) to tell them its appreciated in some way

There must be a better way to recognise employers who make available staff WITHOUT penalising them (allowing staff to take leave or sick leave to contribute to the state's emergency services ISN'T worthy of congratulations by the way!). Maybe those employees are exempt payroll tax. Maybe there is a reduction in one of the 100s of state levies or taxes....who knows, but we should be able to do something more for those that supply the manpower at THEIR cost

chook · « **Reply #20 on:** February 20, 2009, 11:05:10 AM »

Yep fully agree - why afterall should they pay ESL?

RescueHazmat · « **Reply #21 on:** February 20, 2009, 01:25:13 PM »

Paid ESL.

Although cant always have it, can get a bit tricky when trying to take ESL from one Emergency Service to go and volunteer for another.

Darren · « **Reply #22 on:** February 21, 2009, 08:47:40 AM »

Same, can't take leave from one service for another. But I do well with my 4 days off anyway.

Author Topic: Employers and Interstate / Longer Term Deployment (Read 8180 times)

misterteddy

rescue5271

misterteddy

Darren