Brisbane City Council
Summary of employment conditions
Revised 25 August 2015
Note: This is intended as a guide only of Council’s key employment conditions. It is not exhaustive and does not override the
Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA), relevant Awards, or your employment contract. Potential employees should refer to
their individual offer of employment to determine their actual terms and conditions of employment. For more information about
your conditions, please contact your team leader, or refer to Working at Council on Council’s intranet. For example, there may
be some variations depending on applicable EBA or Award conditions. Employment conditions may also vary for temporary and
casual employees.
NOTE: This Summary of employment conditions does not apply to applicants for positions under Specialist & Senior
Professional (SSP), Professional Services Employment (PSE), Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Officer Service
(SOS). Candidates should refer to the specific offer of employment for details of terms and conditions.
1. VALUES AND CONDUCT
We all have a role to play in keeping our corporate
values alive and visible by making sure our behaviour is
consistent with the following values.
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Passion for Brisbane
Responsive customer service
Respect for people
Courage to make a difference
Working together
Getting things done
Value for money
All Council employees, regardless of their employment
status or position must understand and follow the spirit
and content of the Code of Conduct (attached).
Future Council is our approach to how we want to work
together within Council. It provides a framework for
delivering value to Brisbane based on four simple ideas:
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We deliver value to our city
We are One Council
We continually improve
I am capable and effective.
We use these principles to encourage collaboration,
initiative and continuous improvement. They connect to
Council’s values and relate to all our jobs and positions.
Working together we aim to create equitable and
inclusive workplaces in which we all contribute as a
diverse workforce to providing valued, cost-effective
services. We are committed to the principles of equal
employment opportunity.
Procedures for fair treatment and equal employment
opportunity help us to ensure that employment
practices are non-discriminatory and to fully utilise the
talents and resources of all employees. As a Council
employee you will contribute to building a workplace
that welcomes differences and is free from intimidation,
bullying and harassment.
2. SAFETY
We are all committed to Zero Harm in the way we
conduct our business. One of Council’s objectives is to
be an employer of choice for a capable workforce, so
that we are positioned to achieve the Brisbane Vision
2031.
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To achieve this means that every Council employee must
be committed to maintaining a healthy and safe work
environment – “We aim to be well for life and achieve Zero
Harm in our workplace”.
Health and safety is our greatest priority in the way we
conduct our business. We have a mindset where people
know it is possible to work free of harm, regardless of what
type of work they perform. People who want to work with
us are expected to share this view and ensure high
standards of safety.
We encourage employees to be active, safe and healthy,
both at work and at home, and believe that this is the best
way we can live our values.
3. STANDARD WORK HOURS
Full-time salaried staff employees work an average of
36.25 hours per week. Some work areas have flexible
working hours, while others work standard 7 hour 15
minute days, nine-day fortnights or as per a roster.
Full-time city, trade and passenger services employees
work an average 38 hours per week over four or five-day
week arrangements, nine days per fortnight, or work
according to a roster.
4. GETTING PAID
Each week you will need to complete a timesheet
recording your start, finish and meal times and make sure
your team leader approves it. Employees with access to
Council computer systems will use an online timesheet,
while other employees will use paper forms. Payment is
made weekly into your nominated bank or building society
account. You can arrange for certain payments to be paid
by direct debit.
5. SUPERANNUATION
Permanent employees engaged under the current EBA
are required to join Brisbane City Council’s
Superannuation Plan, LGsuper, from their date of
appointment and contribute 5% of their salary to the plan.
This contribution and additional voluntary contributions
can be made from pre-tax earnings on a salary sacrifice
basis, which can help reduce the tax you pay. Council
contributes a further 14%. You can select a level of
insurance for Total and Permanent Disablement and
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Death. Salary Continuance Insurance is also available
at an additional cost.
Part-time employees must work a minimum average of
14.5 hours per week to qualify for this insurance.
Contact LGsuper for more information on 1800 444
396.
Temporary and casual employees engaged under the
current EBA are required to join LGsuper from their
date of appointment. Council contributes at the required
Superannuation Guarantee charge rate. Temporary and
casual employees are not required to contribute to the
plan, but may choose to make voluntary contributions.
Insurance cover is available for temporary and casual
employees. Contact LGsuper for more information on
1800 444 396.
Superannuation salary sacrifice is available to all
employees to help reduce the tax you pay. This
includes the compulsory 5% minimum contribution by
permanent
employees
and/or
any
additional
contributions. You are strongly advised to seek
independent financial advice prior to entering into
superannuation salary sacrifice arrangements. For
further information contact the Solution Centre on (07)
3407 1111 or LGsuper on 1800 444 396.
6. PROBATION
Probation is an extension of the recruitment and
selection process during which time your work
performance, attendance, conduct and attitude is
assessed by your supervisor.
If you have been offered a permanent or long term
temporary position as a salaried staff employee,
confirmation of your appointment is subject to your
satisfactory completion of a six-month probation period.
If you have been offered a permanent or long term
temporary position as a city, trades or passenger
services employee, confirmation of your appointment is
subject to your satisfactory completion of a three-month
probation period.
7. LEAVE ARRANGEMENTS
 Annual leave (other than casual employees)
(4) weeks annual leave is available after each full year
of service, with 17.5% loading to help you enjoy your
holiday.
Continuous shift workers are entitled to five (5) weeks
leave after each full year of service and are paid either
as per their roster or 17.5% leave loading, whichever is
the greater amount.
Part-time employees accrue annual leave on a pro-rata
basis.
Employees are encouraged to take annual leave and
are allowed to accrue up to eight (8) weeks leave or ten
(10) weeks leave for shift workers.
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Personal leave (Sick and Carer’s) (other than casual
employees)
New employees will accrue 15 days personal leave for
each completed year of service (which can be accessed
after six (6) weeks service) accrued on a daily basis.
Unused personal leave is cumulative; however personal
leave will not be paid out on cessation of employment
under any circumstances.
Part-time employees accrue personal leave on a prorata basis.
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Employees are able to access a maximum of 15 days of
their personal leave in any one (1) year for caring
purposes.
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Christmas/New Year close-down
Some Council areas are subject to a partial or total closedown during the Christmas/New Year period.
Your
manager will advise you if your area is to be subject to a
close-down.
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Long service leave
At the completion of ten (10) years service employees are
entitled to thirteen (13) weeks long service leave on full
pay. However, an employee, who has completed a period
of seven (7) years continuous service, is entitled to a
proportionate amount based on the rate of one and threetenths of a week for each year of service.
Part-time and casual employees are entitled to a
proportionate amount of long service leave calculated on
their ordinary hours worked, after ten years of continuous
service.
Continuation of accrued rights to long service leave (with
transferred funds) will be granted to employees previously
employed with a local government other than Brisbane
City Council or a local government corporate entity,
provided that:
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the period between ending employment at a relevant
entity and beginning employment at Council is not
more than one (1 year), and
the employee did not receive payment from their
former employer of an amount as cash equivalent for
their accrued right to long service leave.
Recognition of “service or time” with an employee’s
previous employment with Commonwealth or State
Government
authorities
or
Government-Owned
Corporations, shall be given for the purpose of calculating
long service leave, where the authority has in existence, a
reciprocal arrangement with Council and continuity of
service is unbroken by no more than three (3) months.
Documentary evidence of previous service must be
provided when you begin your employment with Council.
8. FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS
Salaried staff employees may work extra time to meet
business needs, without additional payment, and accrue
flex-time leave, except where employees work in
accordance with a defined roster. You will need to check
with your team leader whether this applies to you.
Flex-time leave must be taken at a time convenient to
operational workflows and where prior approval has been
obtained by your supervisor. You should accumulate the
equivalent amount of flex-time by the commencement of
the day, upon which the leave is to be taken.
Employees are allowed to carry a maximum of 14 hours
30 minutes of flex-time over to the next fortnight. You are
encouraged to work with your team leader to contain the
accrual of excessive flex-time and ensure that you can
access flex-time leave without disruption to business
operation.
9. FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS
Access to flexible work arrangements is negotiated
between an employee and their team leader when it is a
viable option with an identified benefit to Council. Equal
consideration is to be given to the achievement of
business goals and the needs of the employee. Flexible
work arrangements are subject to ongoing review.
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Job share is when two (2) permanent or temporary
employees work part-time to share a full-time job. It is a
voluntary arrangement, can be applied to a position
provided that customer service levels are maintained or
improved and benefits Council and both employees.
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Paternity leave
After twelve (12) months service a ‘non-birth parent’ may
access up to four (4) weeks paid paternity leave. This
leave is to be taken as a block within twelve (12) months
of the child’s birth.
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Permanent part-time employees work fewer hours
than a full-time employee. You can apply to work parttime in your existing position or when a part-time
position is advertised. Not all positions are suited to
part-time. Consideration must be given to whether
customer service levels can be maintained or improved,
the type of work, and the potential impacts on
colleagues and the general workplace.
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Adoption/Surrogacy leave is paid leave for employees
who are the principal care giver or the principal care
giver’s partner to be taken in one (1) block at the time of
placement of the child or on obtaining custody of a
surrogacy arrangement child, provided that the child is
under six (6) years of age. The principal care giver is
entitled to twelve (12) weeks and the partner is entitled to
two (2) weeks paid adoption/surrogacy leave.
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Telecommuting is when full-time or part-time
employees work remotely on a regular (formal) or ad
hoc (informal) basis. It may be applied to positions that
are relatively independent without the need for a high
level of face-to-face interaction and where the
employee has the appropriate skills.
11. WORKING WITHIN SKILL AND SAFETY LIMITS
Depending on which Award your position is covered by,
here are the conditions related to your work, skills and
Council’s Zero Harm commitment.
10. FLEXIBLE LEAVE OPTIONS
 Career break (permanent employees only)
A career break is an extended period of unpaid leave,
between three (3) months and one (1) year, designed to
give you the opportunity to meet life and family needs.
A career break can be combined with other leave to
provide for an absence of up to two (2) years. It is
unpaid leave but you can defer a percentage of your
ordinary earnings from six (6) months up to four (4)
years before you take your leave, which is then paid as
a lump sum or a salary during the leave period.
You should have at least twelve (12) months continuous
service with Council before applying for a career break.
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Half-pay Annual leave (other than casuals)
You can take twice the period of accrued annual leave
at half pay i.e. three (3) weeks leave over a period of six
(6) weeks. The minimum period of half-pay leave is one
(1) week i.e. you are paid half your ordinary hours for
one (1) week. The maximum period is eight (8) weeks
leave i.e. four (4) weeks pay.
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Self-funded leave (permanent employees only)
You may self-fund additional periods of leave each year
by contributing a percentage of your weekly pay toward
funding the leave.
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Cultural and Ceremonial leave
Employees from indigenous and Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse backgrounds can use flexi-time,
annual leave or accrued time in lieu so that they can
fulfil their cultural obligations to observe days of cultural,
ceremonial and/or religious significance away from the
workplace.
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Parental leave
Parental leave is unpaid leave taken over an extended
period (up to two (2) years) for employees who are, or
are about to become parents. This leave may be taken
at any time up until a child's sixth birthday and may be
taken in two (2) or more blocks. This includes those in
same sex relationships.
Maternity leave
Permanent employees with at least twelve (12) months
service who become birth mothers may access fourteen
(14) weeks paid maternity leave immediately following
the birth of their child. Long-term casuals, flexible
permanent part-time and temporary employees can
access paid maternity leave after at least two (2) years
of regular and systematic employment in Council.
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Brisbane City Council – Salaried Staff Award 2004
Council may direct an employee to carry out such duties
as are within the limits of the employee’s skill, competence
and training, consistent with the classification structure of
this award, provided that such duties are not designed to
promote de-skilling.
Any direction issued by the employer shall be consistent
with the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and
healthy working environment.
Brisbane City Council – Construction Maintenance
and General Award 2003
Council may direct an employee to carry out such duties
as are within the limits of the employee's skill, competence
and training consistent with the classification structure of
this Award, provided that such duties are not designed to
promote deskilling and are in accordance with the Work
Health and Safety Act 2011.
Brisbane City Council – Miscellaneous Workers’
Award 2012
Council may direct an employee to carry out such duties
as are within the limits of the employee's skill, competence
and training consistent with the classification structure of
this Award, provided that such duties are not designed to
promote deskilling and are in accordance with the Work
Health and Safety Act 2011 and Regulations.
Brisbane City Council – Plant Operators’ Award 2012
An employer may direct an employee to carry out such
duties as are within the limits of the employee's skill and
competency, consistent with the classification structure of
this Award, provided that such duties are not designed to
promote de-skilling.
All directions issued by an employer will be consistent with
the employer's responsibilities to provide a safe and
healthy working environment, in accordance with the Work
Health and Safety Act 2011.
Building Trades Public Sector Award – State 2012
An employer may direct an employee to carry out such
duties as are reasonably within the limits of the
employee's skill, competence and training.
An employer may direct an employee to carry out such
duties and use such tools and equipment as may be
required, provided that the employee has been properly
trained in the use of such tools and equipment.
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Any direction issued by an employer will be consistent
with the employer's responsibilities to provide a safe
and healthy working environment.
Engineering Award – State 2012
An employer may direct an employee to carry out such
duties as are within the limits of the employee's skill,
competence and training consistent with the
classification structure of this Award provided that such
duties are not designed to promote deskilling.
An employer may direct an employee to carry out such
duties and use such tools and equipment as may be
required provided that the employee has been properly
trained in the use of such tools and equipment.
Any direction issued by an employer shall be consistent
with the employer's responsibilities to provide a safe
and healthy working environment.
17. NOVATED LEASE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE
If you are a permanent or long-term temporary employee,
Council offers you the opportunity to take out a novated
lease on a car.
A novated lease is a three-way agreement between you,
Council and Council’s preferred financier/s. This
arrangement may provide convenience and savings on
the purchase and operation of a car.
RemServ is Council’s sole provider for novated leases.
Call them on 1300 73 14 29 for a quote.
You are strongly encouraged to obtain independent
financial advice before making a decision to proceed.
Parking arrangements
arrangement.
do
not
form
part
of
this
12. EMPLOYEE STUDY ASSISTANCE
Permanent employees who complete further outside
study relevant to Council’s business needs may be
eligible for study assistance.
You can apply for study assistance through your
supervisor who will put your application to the manager
for consideration. In considering your application, the
manager will consider different levels of study
assistance; leave, financial assistance or a combination
of the two.
Temporary and casual employees are not eligible for
study assistance.
13. CORPORATE WARDROBE
Employees who are required to wear Council's
corporate clothing will be provided with this at no cost.
Other employees may purchase items from the
corporate wardrobe collection.
14. LOCAL INDUCTION AND CORPORATE
ORIENTATION
All new employees must complete a local induction
within one (1) month of commencement and a
Corporate Orientation program within six (6) weeks of
commencement. Further information is available from
your team leader.
15. MANAGING IMPACT OF CHANGE
If, due to organisational, technological or operational
reasons your position is no longer required, Council will
consult with you about alternate placement or
employment options. Voluntary redundancy may be
offered at Council’s sole discretion under some
circumstances if placement is not possible.
16. TERMINATION NOTIFICATION
To terminate your employment (resign):
Salaried staff employees are required to give a
minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice.
City, trade and passenger services employees must
give at least one (1) weeks’ notice.
If Council needs to terminate your employment then
notice and termination payments may apply, subject to
a scale relating to your length of service. In the event of
serious misconduct, Council can terminate employment
and pay accrued entitlements, up to the time of
termination (i.e. Summary Dismissal).
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