HR P 003

PIRSA CARERS POLICY

PIRSA is committed to the recognition and support of employees who provide ongoing care and assistance to a person who has a disability, who is frail and requires assistance to carry out everyday tasks or who has a chronic illness, including mental illness, as defined by the Carers Recognition Act 2005. In addition to recognising and supporting those employees providing care as described above,

this policy also recognises and supports employees who have parenting care roles and those employees who are required to provide occasional/short-term care.

This policy is one of PIRSA’s suite of People and Culture policies, procedures and guidelines that

commit PIRSA to the ongoing pursuit of family friendly employment.

Document Control

Managed by: People and Culture Unit Responsible position:

General Manager, People and

Culture

Version: 1.2

Contact person:

Bruen Holman-Bates Approved by: Chief Executive File & document number:

CORP F2009/000938

A3508833

Contact position:

General Manager, People

and Culture

Date approved: 21 March 2018 Status: Approved

Contact number:

(08) 8429 0802 Next review date:

21 March 2021 Security classification:

Public

CONTENTS

1. TITLE.............................................................................................................................................. 4

2. POLICY STATEMENT....................................................................................................................4

3. PURPOSE.......................................................................................................................................4

4. SCOPE............................................................................................................................................ 5

5. OBJECTIVES................................................................................................................................. 5

6. POLICY DETAILS...........................................................................................................................6

6.1 Impacts of being a carer..........................................................................................................6

6.2 Support for employees with a caring, parenting and/or occasional/short-term care role.........7

7. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.................................................................................................8

8. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REVIEW................................................................................9

9. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS..........................................................................................9

10. ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS.........................................................................................................9

10.1 External documents.................................................................................................................9

10.2 Internal documents..................................................................................................................9

11. REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

Revision Record

Date Version Revision description

12/10/2009 0.1 Minor formatting and other edits made by Human Resources representatives and the Information

Management & Policy Strategist.

11/02/2010 0.2 Feedback included from Marie Farley, DFC Office for Carers31/08/2010 0.3 Edits from Marie Farley, DFC Office for Carers

11/03/2010 1.0 Policy approved by the Chief Executive.

14/01/2015 1.1 Policy converted to new policy template, and reviewed and updated ready for PIRSA-wide consultation.28/04/2015 1.1 Policy approved by PIRSA Executive.21/03/2018 1.2 Policy review, and minor updated links and content, approved by the General Manager, People &

Culture.

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1. TITLE

PIRSA Carers Policy HR P 003. This policy is one of PIRSA’s suite of People and Culture policies,

procedures and guidelines that commit PIRSA to the ongoing pursuit of family friendly employment.

2. POLICY STATEMENT

PIRSA is committed to the recognition and support of employees who provide ongoing care and

assistance to a person who has a disability, who is frail and requires assistance to carry out everyday

tasks or who has a chronic illness, including mental illness, as defined by the Carers Recognition Act 2005.

In addition to recognising and supporting those employees providing care as described above, this

policy also recognises and supports employees who have parenting care roles and those employees

who are required to provide occasional/short-term care.

3. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that PIRSA employees who are carers are recognised and

supported. It endeavours to ensure that PIRSA is consistent with the spirit and intent of the Carers

Recognition Act, SA Carers Charter (published as Schedule 1 of the Carers Recognition Act), and SA Government We Care Plan for South Australian Carers; and the by reflecting the principles of how

PIRSA provides services to its carers and the people they care for.

Carer roles may be attributable to intellectual, psychiatric, cognitive, neurological, sensory or physical

impairment or a combination of those impairments; and these impairments are ongoing and it results in

the person having a reduced capacity for social interaction, communication learning, mobility, decision

making or self-care and the need for continuing support services.

PIRSA recognises that carers may be mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, partners, children,

grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbours, friends; and may play a crucial

role in enhancing the health and wellbeing of others.

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4. SCOPE

This policy applies to all PIRSA employees who provide care and assistance to another person in an

ongoing way; and to those employees who have parenting roles or who provide occasional/short-term

care.

This policy does not apply to external contractors, sub-contractors, consultants or volunteers.

5. OBJECTIVES

The objective of this policy is to ensure that PIRSA employees who have an ongoing caring role,

parenting role or who provide occasional/short-term care have access to flexible work practices to assist

in balancing their work and carer roles. It also aims to:

acknowledge the importance of carers and parents in the lives of those they care for

raise awareness of carers’ and parenting issues across all levels

recognise the diverse needs and circumstances of carers and parents

focus on the rights and needs of carers and parents in their own right, not just as an extension of

the person that they care for

provide easily understandable and accessible information regarding support for PIRSA employees

who are carers and parents

ensure that resources are properly allocated to carers’ matters

ensure strategies that support carers and parents are advanced at PIRSA and SA Government

forums

ensure that the needs of carers and parents are properly considered in PIRSA strategic, business

and operational planning activities

ensure PIRSA complies with the spirit and intent of the Carers Recognition Act, SA Carers Charter (published as Schedule 1 of the Carers Recognition Act), and SA Government We Care Plan for South Australian Carers

ensure that PIRSA’s recognition and support for carers and parents is reported in SA Government

annual carers reports

ensure that People and Culture Consultants are able to recognise diverse needs based on different

situations and can provide advice on support available to PIRSA employees who have carer and

parenting roles or who provide occasional/short-term care.

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6. POLICY DETAILS

6.1 Impacts of being a carer

While often unacknowledged, the work of carers is extraordinary and potentially may be a long term

commitment. For example, carers can be carers for the life of the person concerned such as a child with

a disability; a spouse with dementia; or parents who have the role until the child becomes independent.

While caring can be rewarding, it can also be difficult as the impacts of caring and associated costs for

carers include:

higher levels of stress, anxiety and poorer health than non-carers

difficulties with work and study

restricted social and recreational opportunities

feelings of grief, anger, resentment, frustration, isolation and emotional upheaval

financial pressures.

There are many reasons why it is important for PIRSA to support carers. Supporting carers:

is essential to the wellness of our community, as enhancing carers’ capacity to give care enables

the people they care for to continue living and participating in the community

enhances the relationship between carers and the people they care for

helps families

affirms the contribution carers make to our society.

6.2 Support for employees with a caring, parenting and/or occasional/short-term care role

To support employees who have a caring role, parenting care role or occasional/short-term care role,

PIRSA will ensure that flexible work practices are made available in accordance with the PIRSA Working Arrangements Policy HR P 025 (Note: this hyperlink to the policy published on the PIRSA

intranet is accessible by SA Government and PIRSA employees on the StateNet and PIRSA networks

only). These can include, but are not limited to:

flexibility around the taking of special leave with pay, leave without pay and other types of leave

carer’s leave

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flexitime

time off in lieu (TOIL)

compressed weeks or working hours over fewer days

variations in start and finish working times

part-time work options

job sharing

purchased leave

varying roster arrangements or break times

the provision of adequate notice where usual hours of duty or location of work is varied.

Refer to the PIRSA Flexible Work Arrangements intranet page, PIRSA Working Arrangements Policy HR P 025 and PIRSA Leave Procedure HR R 008 for more information (Note: these hyperlinks to

documents published on the PIRSA intranet are accessible by SA Government and PIRSA employees

on the StateNet and PIRSA networks only).

Support offered to employees may also include:

ensuring access to the PIRSA Health and Wellbeing Program / Employee Assistance Program EAP,

including for family members

ensuring breastfeeding employees have access to flexible working arrangements, lactation breaks,

and breastfeeding facilities and information in accordance with the PIRSA Breastfeeding Policy HR P 004

allowing employees to undertake ‘Keeping in Touch’ work and activities in accordance with the PIRSA Keeping in Touch Policy HR P 005 .

(Note: the above hyperlinks to documents published on the PIRSAs intranet are accessible by SA

Government and PIRSA employees on the StateNet and PIRSA networks only.)

7. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Party / Parties Roles and responsibilities

Chief Executive Approving the policy.

Providing ongoing support for a carer and parent friendly workplace.

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Party / Parties Roles and responsibilities

PIRSA Executive Implementing the policy (including communication, awareness and training).

Managers Ensuring that PIRSA employees who have a caring or parenting role are

recognised and supported in accordance with this policy.

General Manager,

People and Culture

Ongoing management of the policy (including feedback, review, document and

records management requirements, updating policy versions and removal of

revoked policies).

Providing policy advice and assistance, including interpreting policy

requirements.

Evaluating, monitoring and reviewing the policy.

Ensuring compliance with this policy across PIRSA.

People and Culture

Consultants

Providing policy advice and assistance.

Employees Complying with the policy and performing any particular policy actions or steps.

8. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REVIEW

People and Culture will:

review this policy with relevant stakeholders every three years or when changes so require

monitor and report on usage and details associated with the uptake of flexible working

arrangements by PIRSA employees who have a caring role

ensure that delegates and employees are appropriately informed as to the contents and intention of

this policy.

9. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Term Meaning

Carer PIRSA employees who provide ongoing care and assistance to a person who has a

disability, who is frail and requires assistance to carry out everyday tasks or who has

a chronic illness, including mental illness, as defined by the Carers Recognition Act.

Occasional/short- Refers generally to other aspects of care not covered under carer or parenting care

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Term Meaning

term care arrangements, e.g. care for a sick parent.

TOIL Time Off in Lieu. Refers to time off for hours worked in lieu of overtime payment.

10. ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS

10.1 External documents

Carers Recognition Act 2005

SA Carers Charter , published as Schedule 1 of the Carers Recognition Act

SA Government We Care Plan for South Australian Carers

10.2 Internal documents

The following hyperlinks to agency documents published on the PIRSA intranet are only accessible by

SA Government and PIRSA employees on the StateNet and PIRSA networks, except where indicated.

PIRSA Breastfeeding Policy HR P 004 *

PIRSA Flexible Work Arrangements intranet page

PIRSA Health and Wellbeing Program / Employee Assistance Program (EAP) intranet page

PIRSA Keeping in Touch Policy HR P 005 *

PIRSA Leave Procedure HR R 008

PIRSA Working Arrangements Policy HR P 025

*Note: these documents are also publicly accessible via the PIRSA Internet > Careers > Working at

PIRSA website.

11. REFERENCES

Carers SA website

Carers SA Online Resources website (including the Planning Ahead website)

Carers Australia website

Equal Opportunity Act 1984

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Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Commonwealth)

SA Office of Carers website

SA Government sa.gov.au Carer’s website

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