Page 2407 - Week 07 - Thursday, 17 August 2006
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workforce. Disciplinary action is taken under Section 9 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994 and in accordance with the current certified agreement.
(5) The Department does not have aggregated data on complaints of ‘bullying’ of staff by staff, however the following are the recorded investigations into claims of conduct that may be considered as ‘bullying’ (both teaching and administrative staff):
• 2002-2003 – 6
• 2003-2004 – nil
• 2004-2005 – 6
(6) The following are numbers of mediations conducted as a result of reports outlined in part (5):
• 2002-2003 – nil
• 2003-2004 – nil
• 2004-2005 – 1
This figure does not represent the numbers of mediations that were offered to employees as an option for resolving their complaint.
(7) Mediation by an experienced and independent person is considered as an option for resolution for most matters relating to claims of bullying. The Teaching Staff Certified Agreement 2004-2006 and Staff Certified Agreement 2004-2007 provide that for an internal review, where appropriate, and agreed by the employee who made the application or their representative, the Chief Executive must consider mediation as an option before arranging for a full investigation. The mediator will be agreed between the employee and the Chief Executive.
(8) The following are numbers of staff reprimanded or dismissed as a result of substantiated complaints regarding behaviours that could be considered ‘bullying’:
• 2002-2003 – 2
• 2003-2004 – nil
• 2004-2005 – 1
(9) Records of matters regarding behaviours that could be considered ‘bullying’ are maintained by the individual line area and/or the Department’s Employee Relations Section and are not kept on individual employee personnel files.
In accordance with the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness a matter of this nature, having been dealt with through the discipline procedures, would not normally be considered as part of the process of an employee applying for another position, unless the matter was specifically relevant to the assessment of the employee's suitability for a particular position.
(10) The Safe Schools Policy Framework has been developed and is currently in the consultation process. This framework consists of revised and new policies under the following areas:
• student management and well being/suspension transfer and exclusion
• bullying, harassment and violence
• racial harassment
• sexual harassment
• young carers, young parents.
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