Salary assessment for new and beginning teachers

Attach certified copies of your evidence of qualifications, training and experience to your completed salary assessment form.

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.

Evidence of each of these must be presented to the Salary Assessment Unit (SAU) in the form of certified copies.

If you are claiming relevant work experience, this must be documented by the employer stating the nature of the work, the dates you were employed (start and finish dates) and whether it was full time or part-time.

Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement (STCA) Appendix A

 Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA) Appendix 7

Often this evidence is diffïcult 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.

Once payroll receives all documentation they will do the assessment, it should take no longer than 15 working days. 

Teachers are likely to receive a lower rate of pay than that to which they are entitled until payroll has assessed their salary.

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.

By default, teachers' pay starts from 28 January, or a date when the principal requires new teachers to be at school. This is often a day prior to the students returning. So, the first pay is typically for less than the14 days many are expecting. For beginning teachers or teachers returning after a break in service, it is possible for an employer to nominate a date prior to 28 January when pay entitlements should start. This should happen if you are a beginning teacher attending school prior to 28 January, 

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.

The Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement (STCA) and Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement ( ASTCA) provide detail on the application of salary rates.

 STCA clause 4.2

ASTCA clause 3.2

If you are not paid accurately on your first pay, or have queries about your pay, contact your branch (school) PPTA chairperson and then your PPTA field officer.

Many schools will advance teachers funds if there is an issue with pay.

 Contact your PPTA field officer