The Finance Enterprise Agreement 2019 came into effect on 21 February 2019 with a nominal expiry date of 20 February 2022. The agreement provides non-SES staff with competitive remuneration and employment conditions. The Department’s remuneration offer was a 6 per cent increase over three years (2 per cent on commencement of the agreement and in each of the following two years). Staff allowances also increased by 6 per cent over three years. Employment conditions for SES staff are set out in individual determinations made under subsection 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999. Many of these conditions are aligned with the Department‘s enterprise agreement.

Table 16: Employment arrangements for SES and non-SES staff, at 30 June 2019

Table 17: Salary ranges by employment classification, at 30 June 2019

APS performance pay

Finance does not provide performance pay.

Non-salary benefits

The Department offers staff a number of additional benefits that are not included under the provisions of the Enterprise Agreement:

• annual influenza immunisation
• mentoring and coaching programs
• in-house capability development programs
• a confidential employee assistance program for employees and their immediate families
• access to a serious illness register
• study assistance to eligible employees
• access to flexible working arrangements
• contributions to relevant professional memberships.

Performance management

In 2018–19, the Department refreshed or introduced a range of initiatives to better support employees and managers in managing performance, including:

• resources and tools to promote regular and meaningful performance conversations, owned jointly by employees and managers, that encourage high performance with a focus on the future
• face-to-face workshops to provide guidance to staff and managers on Finance’s performance management processes and support resources
• resources and tools to encourage staff to build their capabilities, supported by learning and development offerings that provide opportunities through education, exposure and experience
• methods to provide and seek performance feedback from more than one manager and from team members, supporting a more holistic view of performance.

In 2019, the Department will launch a refreshed capability framework, which will better enable employees and managers to define the skills, capabilities, knowledge and behaviour that they need to have or develop in order to perform and progress their career.

Recognition of outstanding performance

Finance recognises and rewards outstanding performance as a critical element in attracting and retaining the best people. Finance formally recognises exceptional contributions by staff by presenting the Secretary’s awards to teams and individuals whose work exemplifies Finance’s values and who make significant contributions to the Department’s outcomes.

Recipients of the 2018 Secretary’s awards, as well as staff who received 2019 Finance Australia Day awards and other external awards, are listed in Appendix D.

Machinery of government changes

No machinery-of-government changes affecting the Department of Finance occurred
during 2018–19.