North Sydney Council executives in line for 30 days leave to help work life balance
TOP executives at North Sydney Council will get 30 days leave a year under proposed plans to help work life balance.
North Shore
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SENIOR staff at North Sydney Council could be getting an extra 10 days official holidays a year to help their “work life balance”.
General manager Warwick Winn and six executives, who earn a more than $1.5 million combined, are in line for the benefit.
Senior staff currently receive 20 days holidays a year.
The new arrangement, called concessional leave in council documents, was passed at the last council meeting but the decision has been frozen by a rescission motion.
Mayor Jilly Gibson wants further investigation into the issue and has launched the rescission with two other councillors.
She says such practice is unheard of in both local government and industry.
“Council needs to be mindful of practice in local government generally and in private organisations,” she said.
“I believe other executives out there would be amazed at such a request.”
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Mr Winn explained that it is just the formalisation of a previous arrangement.
“In the past when excessive hours had been worked they were dealt with on an informal basis but given the current situation having some formality and transparency was beneficial,” he said.
“Senior staff work very hard for the organisation and the community and do long hours. This is an opportunity to provide work life balance.”
Council explained that concessional leave is leave on full pay and is not debited from annual or long service leave.
In a response to the Mosman Daily, council stated that senior contract staff regularly work outside core business hours including weekends and public holidays, but do not receive overtime, time in lieu or flexitime like other staff.
“Indoor Council staff work a 35 hour week. Concessional leave therefore gives the senior staff the same flexibility that other staff have through flexi time or rostered days off,” a statement said.
The executives who will be entitled to the leave alongside the general manager are the directors and chief operating officer.
According to the latest annual report the General Manager earned $322,181 and the Directors earned a combined $1,200,690.
An employment law expert told the Mosman Daily said the concessional leave is not a form of statutory leave and is just the name of a benefit afforded to employees.
The council escaped suspension last year and was slapped with a Performance Improvement Order by Local Government Minister Paul Toole.
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