QTAD Q&A
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 125 No 2, 20 March 2020, page no.28
When rostered on first for playground duty, can I leave if the replacement teacher hasn’t turned up?
It is the Union’s opinion that teachers have a duty of care to wait until the next rostered teacher arrives to relieve them of playground duties, and you should not leave the students unattended. If the relieving teacher does not turn up, you should send a message to the office. If there is a recurring pattern of the replacement teacher/aide not turning up on time, this should be raised with administration.
Is attending camps on a volunteer basis for teaching staff?
Duties undertaken outside rostered duty time (e.g. school camps) should only occur on a voluntary basis.
Are teachers required to have a current first aid certificate?
The Department of Education (DoE) is required to have systems in place to provide first aid to injured or ill students. However, it is not a mandatory requirement that all teachers have a current first aid certificate. The school principal should identify which staff, including ancillary staff, may be interested in being trained as the workplace’s first aid personnel. Should they agree to accept the position, they should have access to accredited training, paid for by the school. If a teacher volunteers to undergo the training, it should be during school time and the school should pay for it.
I’m in my third year as a head of department and believe I should have incremented to the next pay point. I contacted payroll and they have said there is a freeze on all increments until March. Is this right?
The QTU has been advised of delays with increments for promotional positions because the department is having problems with the implementation of the new classification structure. The department has advised that a significant amount of testing is required before the TSS system can process increments.
Presently, the processing of increments is postponed until these changes are introduced, but it is scheduled to be completed in early April.