50% completion

[Bensos]

I have a full cert 3 and have been employed as an assistant educator for almost 2 years. I started a diploma corse and have credit transferred the Cert 3 so am just making up the units to complete.

My line manager several months ago (before starting my diploma) had said that when our current room leader takes leave- which will now be in about a months time - she would like me to take over as room leader as I have been doing a lot of the planning etc already. Fast forward to last week and I am now told i cannot do it because I am not 50% through my diploma.

I have 3 of 10 units left to complete, and thought a Cert 3 was literally half the diploma - am i incorrect?

My course tutor indicated that some centres calculate it differently but is having student services send me a letter to outline how much progress i have made. Its very frustrating because i am one week off completing the practical hours requirement and submitting my skills workbook, i have one unit that i can submit this week after my manager signs of the risk assessment. But marking timeframes are 4-6 weeks so i may not have results in time for them to be considered.

Am i being oversensitive about the sudden change in plan when it wasnt a problem before i started the diploma. My manager has said that i can do all the planning if i want to but she wont consider me a room leader without a letter from my course provider and a transcript. (So she will let me do the job without paying for it)

Id really appreciate any thoughts or opinions on this. ACECQA specifies that you can be counted as working towards a diploma if you have completed all the Cert 3 elements - i've clearly done this so am not sure what to do next.

Thanks

[AMH]

I would ask if they will back pay you once you get the transcript from your training provider. My centre also did not give me the pay rise for completing my diploma until I was able to provide them with my certificate but I was not performing any duties beyond what I was already doing. If they want you to do the work of Room Leader but aren't willing to pay you until you provide a transcript, get it in writing that once the transcript is provided, they will back pay you from the date you started performing as a Room Leader.

[Lorina]

I apologise for my delayed response... I recently had a baby so please bear with me as I adjust to balancing work and family.


You can still have a Room Leader position, without having complete your Diploma qualification. As you have said, ACECQA states:

You can be counted towards meeting the diploma level qualification requirements if you can satisfy all of the above and one of the following:

hold an approved certificate III level qualification OR
have completed the approved certificate III units OR

Since you hold a cert 3 qualification, I don't see why you cannot be a Room Leader. Are you able to provide the Cert 3 unit transcript to your manager? You could also state that you meet the Diploma level requirements, as per ACECQA.

In regards to pay, you will not be paid as a fully qualified Diploma room leader, however, you should be paid a minimum Level4A. This is for an Educator who holds the Room Leader position without the Diploma qualification.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

,
Lorina

[shilpa2019]

Hi Lorina just wanted to ask you that I have working as an ECT (waiver) since 2017 February. I completed my diploma in 2017 before bachelors. I changed my centre in 2018 and I was the EL and performed all the duties of an ECT and EL. now I am hired as a director in the same centre but new management. What should my wages be? Its a 90 place centre. I will complete my ECT in November 2019. Thank you.

[Lorina]

I would like to get back to you on this. The Children's Services Award has a set of wages for a Director who has an ECT and also the Educational Services Teachers Award has another set of wages for the same... I would like to contact Fair Work to know the difference between both of them before giving you an answer... hope you don't mind!

,
Lorina

[shilpa2019]

Thank you Lorina. Another question that I wanted to ask is that new management is decreasing the wages of ECTs (waiver) to diploma wages though they are hired as ECTs and perform same duties. Is that legal? It is a new role for me and I don’t know if it is legally right.
If they get ECT rate then should their experience count or they will be given level 1 or 3 though they are doing 4 year course and are in final year with 3 years experience as ECT? It is so confusing and I want to support my team but I should know the rates correctly.
Thank you for your help.

[Lorina]

Just wanted to let you know that I'm still awaiting a response from Fair Work Australia ... I'll let you know once I hear back from them.

,
Lorina

[shilpa2019]

I am waiting for your reply Lorina. Thank you for taking the time out to help.

[Lorina]

I am waiting for your reply Lorina. Thank you for taking the time out to help.

I'm still awaiting a response... I'll follow up with them and see what's happening...

,
Lorina

[Lorina]

I finally received the following response:

Hi Lorina

MA000077: Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010 covers a university qualified early childhood teacher if the employee is a Director: "director" means the employee appointed by the employer to be responsible for the overall management and administration of a service in which an early childhood/preschool teacher is employed.

By contrast, the Children's Services award excludes a teacher in clause 3 (definitions) because the employee is covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010: "employee means national system employee within the meaning of the Act but does not include an employee covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010".

Regards FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

So, this means you are covered by the Educational Services Teachers Award 2010, as a Director. Also how many years trained are you, regarding your degree?

,
Lorina

[shilpa2019]

Thank you Lorina. I have just completed my bachelors this month and was a waivered ECT since 2018 July.

[Lorina]

Please check the following to confirm your pay rate:

ECT Award Wages

,
Lorina