Extra voluntary redundancies at the taxpayer’s expense, late redundancy payouts and question marks over a scheduled pay increase.
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It’s the shemozzle that is the Revenue NSW Maitland office restructure.
Revenue NSW confirmed in May that 35 positions were no longer needed in the service unit as part of a “targeted change management program” to create a new integrated service delivery model to improve productivity, fines and debt resolution and staff engagement.
But a total of 57 staff are now in the process of gaining voluntary redundancy, meaning 22 extra payouts from taxpayers’ money.
Public Service Association industrial officer Matthew Drake-Brockman said after the initial 35 redundancies were granted, the remaining staff were forced to apply for roles in the new structure rather than be directly appointed.
He said many staff were deemed unsuitable and were offered voluntary redundancies or three months training. This resulted in 22 more electing to take voluntary redundancies.
“The extra VRs are a complete waste of taxpayer’s money,” PSA organiser Ian Little said. “They shouldn’t have been given.
“Why did so many people want to leave the organisation?”
A spokesperson for Revenue NSW said the extra staff were able to take redundancy as a result of self-assessing themselves as unsuitable either for medical, personal or other reasons.
And on top of the extra claims, the Public Service Association said Revenue NSW had missed the agreed payout date of July 2, leaving staff tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket until the next pay run on July 12.
Mr Drake-Brockman said staff were told verbally and in writing they would be paid on July 2, and made financial plans based on that commitment.
“The implications are pretty dire,” he said.
“For some people we’re talking a year’s worth of pay,” Mr Little added. “For something as significant as this, they should get it right.”
Cessnock MP and Shadow Finance Minister Clayton Barr claims that the delay in payment could result in staff being entitled to a scheduled annual pay increase of 2.5 per cent.
Mr Barr believes because the increase kicks in a full pay cycle after July 1, that means staff should be entitled to the increase.
He says the pay increase per person would add up to about an extra $100,000.
“Are these people going to get that increase or not?” he asked.
“If not, it’s incredibly unfair and needs an explanation and if so, who is responsible for the $100,000 stuff-up?
“They rushed to sack them before the end of the financial year so they could avoid this.”
The Revenue NSW spokesperson said last day of service for affected staff was July 2, 2018.
“Staff have been informed throughout the change management process that redundancy payments will be paid in the first full pay after their last day of service,” the spokesperson said.
“To be eligible for the pay increase staff must be employed in the public service on July 13, 2018.”
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison said it was “appalling treatment” of people who have had their lives turned upside down.
“It fails any test of fairness or compassion,” she said.