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Corporate Services:
Effective corporate support for delivery of all AMSA outputs

Staffing Reports

Human Resources Report

Staff Profile

Staff Profile AMSA employed 245 staff at 30 June 2004 with 184 located in its head office in Canberra and 61 located in its regional offices. The following table illustrates AMSA’s staff profile as at 30 June 2004.

	fixed term						ongoing						overall total		Total All Staff
	Fulltime		p/time		casual		fulltime		p/time		casual
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F
Chief Executive	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1
Executive Manager	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	1	4
Senior Manager	14	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14	2	16
AMSA 7	1	1	1	-	6	-	38	6	-	-	-	-	46	7	53
AMSA 6	-	-	-	-	4	-	30	6	-	1	-	-	34	7	41
AMSA 5	-	1	-	-	-	-	65	9	-	2	-	-	65	12	77
AMSA 4	-	2	-	-	1	-	7	7	-	1	-	-	8	10	18
AMSA 3	-	2	-	-	1	3	7	15	-	2	-	-	8	22	30
AMSA 2	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	3	-	-	-	-	1	4	5
AMSA 1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	19	9	1	1	12	3	148	46	0	6	0	0	180	65	245

Graph 1 shows the movement in the number of employees in each AMSA classification over the last four years.

Graph 1: AMSA Staff by Classification

Graph 2 provides the AMSA staff gender and age profile for 2002-03 and 2003-04

Graph 2: AMSA Staff age and gender profile

Employment Arrangements

AMSA has adopted a range of employment arrangements in line with the Government’s Workplace Relations Arrangements for Commonwealth Authorities with the aim of promoting efficiency and flexibility in its workforce. In June 2004, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations released revised Supporting Guidance for these arrangements emphasizing the need for certified agreements and Australian Workplace Agreements to foster direct relations between employers and employees.

The majority of AMSA staff employed at 30 June 2004 (176 or 72 per cent) are engaged under either Australian Workplace Agreements or individual employment contracts. There are 68 employees (28 per cent) employed under the AMSA Certified Agreement, which was certified under section 170LK of the Workplace Relations Act 1996 in December 2002. All executive and senior managers are engaged under individual employment contracts.

During 2003-2004, all staff under these employment arrangements had their salaries reviewed in relation to the median percentage movement in remuneration as assessed by the National Remuneration Centre’s salary survey as at the previous October to each employee’s applicable review date. The survey assessed a median percentage to be 3.85 per cent in October 2002 and 3.2 per cent in October 2003.

Graph 3 demonstrates the number of employees engaged under the AMSA certified agreement, Australian workplace agreements or under contract in the last four years.

Graph 3 AMSA employment arrangements

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The implementation of the AMSA Certified Agreement in late 2002 has contributed to a closer alignment of employment conditions for staff covered by the certified agreement and those under individual employment agreements. Features of the new agreement included:

• Greater flexibility in determining remuneration with a minimum salary provided by the National Remuneration Centre’s Jobscore remuneration system;
• Enhanced flexibility in working hours to meet AMSA’s needs;
• Strengthened performance arrangements with streamlined mechanisms to address misconduct and underperformance;
• Adoption of a single “resolution of disagreements” procedure to cover industrial and personal disputes arising between AMSA and its staff and/or trade unions; and
• Inclusion of specific employee requirements arising from confidentiality of official information and intellectual property rights.

Further refinement continued through 2003-2004 to human resource management policies and procedures in consultation with senior management and staff. These supplement the terms and conditions of employment that are provided in AMSA’s employment arrangements under Australian Workplace Agreements, management contracts and the AMSA certified agreement, and under relevant legislation.

Training and Development Programs

AMSA’s performance management system commits the organisation and its people to training and development opportunities tailored to improvements in service outcomes and personal effectiveness. This commitment is demonstrated by AMSA’s ongoing investment in education and training. During 2003-2004, a total of $0.583 million or 2.5 per cent of actual salary costs (compared to $0.421 million or 1.8 per cent in 2002-2003) was expended on training and development activities.

Studies Assistance Scheme

The Studies Assistance Scheme provided support to nine employees engaged in formal tertiary education in 2003-2004. Under the scheme, students are provided with a range of financial and other assistance, including payment of fees and charges and paid leave to attend classes, examinations and to complete assignments. Currently courses are being undertaken in the areas of maritime studies, business administration, science and technology, training and development and public policy.

Occupational Health and Safety Report

During 2003-2004 AMSA maintained its keen focus on the occupational health, safety and welfare of its employees, contractors, third parties and visitors to its workplaces. Major developments and efficiencies in the management of occupational health and safety prevention programs and the delivery of workers compensation services, included:

• Strengthening the occupational health and safety consultative structure and supporting committees. During the latter part of 2003, a review of the overall structure of health and safety representation was undertaken. This resulted in the establishment of a new Canberra Health and Safety Committee to bring about a combined Division approach in focussing on issues arising in the AMSA Head Office environment. The Committee held its inaugural meeting in January 2004. A restructured National Occupational Health and Safety Policy Committee convened in February 2004 to examine AMSA-wide issues and policies including those referred to it by the Canberra and the Regional Health and Safety Committees.
• Reviewing health and safety representation within regional offices, where issues were predominantly operational in nature, with the outcomes of the review implemented during 2003.
• Revising incident reporting systems and associated formats to strengthen participation by line management and supervisors in the management of such reports and their outcomes and including improved documentation and reporting by contractors of health and safety issues.
• Continuing the review of all occupational health and safety policy and guidance material, including its dissemination, accessibility and presentation within the various AMSA information mediums.
• Developing improved occupational health and safety systems’ audits and supporting hazard identification and rectification systems and their integration and interface with the AMSA quality management system.
• Adopting a pro-active consultative role on-site in AMSA’s operational workplaces and processes.
• Fostering greater recognition by individual employees, supervisors, line managers and senior managers of responsibility for development and maintenance of effective workplace health and safety environments that cater for employees’ welfare.
• Encouraging integration of risk management principles, guidance and practice in occupational health and safety systems and practices.
• Promoting a staff culture that embraces a Centre of Excellence concept for occupational health and safety environments and practices through the AMSA national workplace in keeping with its safety charter and as an industry leader.

Incident Reports AMSA continued to improve its performance throughout the reporting period in reducing the number and severity of workplace lost time injuries with two incidents resulting in a total of four days lost time and one journey incident resulting in five days lost time. Graph 4 illustrates the declining trend in average lost days per employee from work-related injury and illness.

Graph 4 Average days lost due to injury per employee

In accordance with Section 68 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991, one dangerous occurrence was notified and reported to Comcare during 2003-2004. Graph 5 shows the total incidents reported each year.

Graph 5 Total occupational health and safety incidents

Workers’ Compensation Premium

The continuing reduction in the number of occupational health and safety incidents is reflected in AMSA’s workers’ compensation premium experience for 2004-2005 compared to all Commonwealth agencies. A reduction of 27 per cent in AMSA’s premium rate, from 0.88 per cent to 0.64 per cent, compared to a rise in the overall Commonwealth premium rate of 17 per cent, from 1.43 per cent to 1.67 per cent. Premium performance also reflected continually improving claims management and associated application of timely return to work programs. Graph 6 shows this trend.

Graph 6 Workers' compensation premium rates

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Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991 Reports

No investigations were required during the 2003-2004 reporting period. No directions were given under section 45 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991 in directing that a workplace not be disturbed. No prohibition notices and no improvement notices were issued under section 46 section 47 of the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991, respectively.

Consultative Structure

The National Occupational Health and Safety Policy Committee, comprising senior management, met regularly during 2004. AMSA’s Canberra and four Regional Health and Safety Committees also met regularly during the reporting period and were supported by their respective Division Occupational Health and Safety subcommittees. Teleconferencing facilities were provided for outposted staff to participate in regional committee meetings.

Health and Safety Representatives

In accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991, Health and Safety Representatives and Deputies have been appointed to all Designated Work Groups and their identities disseminated to staff through AMSA information mediums. Appointments are made as vacancies occur and appointees receive accredited training. AMSA policy also requires the training of Deputy Health and Safety Representatives.

Employee Assistance Program

AMSA provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that delivers free counselling services to staff and their families. In November 2003, a new EAP provider was appointed following a tender process and a program of familiarisation presentations by the new provider was facilitated throughout AMSA’s workplaces.

AMSA’s current utilisation rate is eight per cent including family members, with the response database indicating a high level of service satisfaction expressed by staff. This compares to an utilisation rate of around 14 per cent in 2002-2003.

Disability Strategy Report

During the 2003-2004, AMSA continued to support equity of access for people with disabilities in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Commonwealth Disability Strategy (CDS). AMSA is refocusing its existing policies and procedures to address equity of access across Divisions and regional locations to meet the needs of people with disabilities. This includes improving organisational awareness, information gathering and analysis, in terms of best practice policies and initiatives and the Performance Reporting Framework under the CDS.

Under the Performance Reporting Framework, AMSA has identified the roles of policy advisory, regulator and employer as being most relevant to its reporting responsibilities. AMSA has ensured that the underlying principles and philosophies of the DDA and the CDS are incorporated in its new human resources planning framework and, through the quality management system, in policy development and service delivery.

Of particular interest to AMSA’s stakeholders is the issue of accessibility to information with ongoing work to ensure that no users are disadvantaged in accessing its online services. AMSA’s Internet site is being progressively redesigned to conform with the World Wide Web Consortium’s Priority 1 accessibility standards. Work is also underway to ensure high level conformance at later stages of the development of AMSA’s online resources. AMSA is also ensuring that all development work on its Internet site takes into consideration difficulties of access for stakeholders, including senior citizens, clients in remote locations (including those who may be at sea) and physically or technically disadvantaged users.

AMSA’s relationship with its employees and prospective employees is underpinned by the principles of workplace diversity and anti-discrimination. Accordingly, employment policies and practices comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Prospective employees have access to comprehensive information online and a 24 hour TTY unit for contact. All new employees attend a mandatory induction program that includes education on AMSA’s workplace diversity and anti-discrimination policies. A network of accessible workplace harassment officers and open communication between managers, staff and corporate support areas assists in providing an attractive and supportive working environment.

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