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Article from PPTA News (the newsletter of the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association) February 2010 p. 13
Salary assessment process
New and beginning teachers must get their salary entitlement assessed to get on their correct pay step.
A salary assessment is when payroll assesses certified copies of a teacher’s qualifications and teaching experience.
A certified copy is the copy of a document that is stamped and signed as a true copy of the original by a person who is allowed to take declarations.
A photocopy of the certified copy is not a certified copy.
School principals can certify true copies.
Teachers should complete the salary assessment form ESP7t (Application for Salary Assessment Form) and attach the certified copies to this.
Teacher salaries are determined by qualifications, training and experience. Evidence of each of these must be presented to the Salary Assessment Unit (SAU) in the form of certified copies.
Once payroll receives all documentation they need to do the assessment, it will take no longer than 15 working days.
Teachers will receive the untrained, unqualified pay rate until payroll has assessed their salary.
Delays in the salary assessment process
Sometimes there can be delays and these can occur at any step in the process. The most frequent delay is when teachers have not completed the form correctly or have failed to provide the necessary documentation to the salary assessment unit.
If you are claiming relevant work experience (see Appendix A, clause 1.4 of the STCA), this must be documented by the employer stating the nature of the work, the dates you were employed and whether it was full time. Often this evidence is difficult to gather, businesses have closed, the work may be freelance, or documents need translation.
We recommend submitting qualifications and training evidence even if the work experience documents are pending. At least this will get you off the untrained, unqualified step.
First pay - what to watch for
Teachers’ pay starts from 27 January or a date after that when the principal required new teachers to be at school. This is often a day prior to the students returning. That is the date you will be paid from. So the first pay is typically for 10 days rather than the 14 many are expecting. You may want to be at school earlier than the formal start date which is a matter of goodwill.
However, if you are required to be there and participate in meetings or professional development then you should be paid.
To check the salary rates look at clause 4.2 of the STCA.
If you are not paid accurately on your first pay, or have queries about your pay, contact your branch chair and then through them if necessary your field officer. Many schools will advance teachers funds if there is an issue with pay.
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