Employee housing policy This is a mandated policy under the operational policy framework. Any edits to this policy must follow the process outlined on the creating, updating and deleting policy documents page.

Overview The purpose of this policy is to:

• provide information to Department for Education (the department) employees about accessing government employee housing (GEH), where available

• outline the department’s policy about rental subsidy for employees eligible for GEH

• provide guidance on departmental housing procedures for department employees.

Scope The allocation of housing for all government employees is determined within government policy settings and administered by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT).

Eligibility for department employees is determined within departmental policy and may vary from time to time. In addition, changes to government policy may impact on eligibility for department employees to access GEH.

This policy applies to eligible departmental employees applying for GEH in most regional areas of South Australia and is to be read with the DIT government employee housing (Eligibility and) Allocation policy and procedure (PDF 83KB).

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Contents Employee housing policy ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Overview .......................................................................................................................................................... 1

Scope ............................................................................................................................................................... 1

Detail................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Background .................................................................................................................................................. 3

Eligibility criteria .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Other considerations ................................................................................................................................... 4

Application process ..................................................................................................................................... 4

Allocation procedures ................................................................................................................................. 5

Approval of government employee housing ............................................................................................... 5

Application of government employee housing ........................................................................................... 5

Concessions ................................................................................................................................................. 5

Appeals ........................................................................................................................................................ 5

Vacating accommodation ............................................................................................................................ 5

Roles and responsibilities ................................................................................................................................ 6

Director, Workforce Management and Capability ...................................................................................... 6

Assistant Director, Workforce Management .............................................................................................. 6

Employees ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Senior People Support Officer (Removals) .................................................................................................. 6

Supporting information ................................................................................................................................... 6

Related legislation ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Related policies ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Record history ................................................................................................................................................. 7

Approvals ..................................................................................................................................................... 7

Revision record ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Contact ............................................................................................................................................................ 8

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Detail This policy provides:

• an informed, consistent and reasonable approach to the allocation of government housing for departmental employees

• the development and management of reasonable criteria and approval processes which reflect departmental needs and priorities

• consistency with broader government policy for the allocation of government housing.

Background GEH is offered as an incentive to attract prospective employees to work in country locations.

Eligibility criteria The following employees are eligible for GEH in most regional areas of South Australia:

• teachers appointed as an ongoing (permanent) employee working in preschools and schools, part time or full time

• contract (temporary) teachers appointed for 1 term or more working in preschools and schools, part time or full time

• school services officers (SSOs) recruited to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands (only where an excess of housing is available as teachers have priority)

• teachers appointed as an ongoing employee working at country education offices

• Public Sector Act 2009 employees recruited to a country location where the department has identified a specific need for specialised services (for example speech pathologists).

In exceptional circumstances the Assistant Director, Workforce Management may approve GEH for contract teachers appointed for less than 1 term and short term eligibility for temporary relieving teachers (TRTs) in hard to staff areas.

GEH will not be provided to any employee who is working at a site within 100kms of the Adelaide central business district (CBD). However, in special circumstances the department may apply to DIT for an exemption, such as where it has been determined that it is a requirement of the position that the incumbent reside on site.

In line with DIT’s government employee housing (Eligibility and) Allocation policy and procedure (PDF 83KB), GEH will not be provided to an employee if they, their spouse or a dependent owns or rents housing within 40kms of the employees work location.

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Other considerations

Employees on leave Employees who are not on active duty, but who retain a substantive appointment within a given locality will retain eligibility for GEH while on annual leave, maternity/paternity leave, long service leave, country incentive leave, extended sick leave or parental leave. Eligibility for GEH while on other types of leave, for example leave without pay, will be at the discretion of the Assistant Director, Workforce Management.

Employees owning residences Employees who purchase their own residence within 40kms of their work location while living in GEH become ineligible to continue to reside in GEH. In certain circumstances, an exemption may be approved by the Assistant Director, Workforce Management. Employees no longer eligible to reside in GEH will be required to vacate the accommodation within 21 days of settlement on the purchase of their own residence.

Employees who sell their own residence, and submit an application for GEH whilst building or purchasing a new residence in the same location, will not be eligible for GEH. In harder to staff locations, an exemption may be approved at the discretion of the Assistant Director, Workforce Management.

Employees residing in other communities Employees seeking GEH in a community that is not the one in which they are employed may be granted GEH as a low priority. Such employees may be required to move to GEH in the community in which they are employed, if an applicant appointed to the community in which they are residing requires GEH. Any such move will be at the employee’s own expense.

Each case of relocation due to the above circumstances will be examined on its merits in consultation with the Assistant Director, Workforce Management before a request to move is finalised. This does not apply in those cases where appropriate accommodation cannot be provided in the community in which the employee has been appointed.

Application process Eligible employees will be provided with information about applying for GEH in their letter of appointment to a country location.

To apply for GEH, employees are required to complete and submit the online application for accommodation form via the DIT website.

Sufficient lead-time should be given to allow for administrative arrangements to occur, including assessment of available housing, offers to tenants, inspections and the collection of keys. Immediate availability of GEH is not guaranteed.

Once a GEH application has been submitted, DIT will verify the employee’s appointment with the department’s People Support Unit before the application can be processed.

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Allocation procedures The allocation of GEH to departmental employees is the responsibility of DIT. The allocation recommendations will be submitted by the DIT housing manager who will consult with local accommodation committees as necessary.

Where DIT is unable to offer suitable housing from within the stock of owned houses, lease accommodation will be sought from the private rental market, with reference to the DIT allocation policy and procedures (PDF 83KB).

Approval of government employee housing The authority to approve applications for GEH lies with the following DFE personnel:

• Executive Director, People and Culture

• Director, Workforce Management and Capability

• Assistant Director, Workforce Management

• Senior People Support Officer (Removals)

Application of government employee housing Employees are expected to accept suitable available housing at the time of offer. Refusal of an offer of suitable housing, without a justifiable reason, will result in the applicant being moved to the end of the waiting list. Choice is not a feature of the GEH program and refusal of a reasonable offer of government owned accommodation does NOT guarantee qualification for a private lease.

Concessions GEH concessions are applied to full rental costs. Further information about concessions can be found at government employee housing concessions (staff login required).

Appeals Employees can appeal to DIT if they believe their housing allocation has not been made in line with the criteria for determining priority.

Vacating accommodation Employees are required to provide DIT with 21 days notice of their intention to vacate occupancy of a GEH property, consistent with the requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995. Failure to give the required notice will result in rent continuing to be charged for the full 21 days.

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Roles and responsibilities

Director, Workforce Management and Capability The director has a responsibility to:

• develop and implement effective policies and procedures for managing the employee housing policy within the department

• make sure that the employee housing policy is reviewed on a regular basis.

Assistant Director, Workforce Management The Assistant Director has a responsibility to:

• make sure that the employee housing policy is available to employees

• make sure that appropriate records are kept and maintained to meet reporting requirements

• manage the employee housing policy so that the expected outcomes are achieved

• consult with affected employees prior to any decision to enter into or terminate an individual agreement.

Employees Employees seeking GEH have a responsibility to:

• be familiar with the procedures and how they operate

• request and receive approval before signing a lease for GEH

• give prompt and appropriate notice of change of circumstances.

If an employee considers that they have been treated unreasonably or unfairly through the application of this procedure, they can seek redress through the employee complaints procedure (PDF 421KB).

Senior People Support Officer (Removals) Responsible for the authorisation and verification of eligibility of GEH applications for accommodation.

Supporting information Government employee housing concessions (staff login required)

Related legislation Education and Children’s Services Act 2019 (SA)

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Public Employees Housing Act 1987 (SA)

Public Sector Act 2009 (Cth)

Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA)

Related policies (Eligibility and) Allocation policy and procedure (PDF 83KB)

Record history Published date: February 2023

Approvals OP number: 069 File number: 15/14413 Status: approved Version: 2.5 Policy officer: Project Officer, Education and Children’s Services Act Implementation (Workforce), Employee Relations Policy sponsor: Director, Workforce Management and Capability Responsible Executive Director: Executive Director, People and Culture Approved by: Assistant Director, Workforce Management Approved date: 14 February 2023 Next review date: 14 February 2026

Revision record Version: 2.5 Approved by: Assistant Director, Workforce Management Approved date: 14 February 2023 Review date: 14 February 2026 Amendment(s): Updated department names, positions and unit titles, broken hyperlinks and contact details.

Version: 2.4 Approved by: Director, People and Culture Operations Approved date: 24 April 2020 Review date: 24 April 2023 Amendment(s): Updated references to the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019. Update also in line with the departmental style guide.

Version: 2.3 Approved by: Executive Director, People and Culture Operations Approved date: 20 March 2018

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Review date: 31 October 2020 Amendment(s): Transfer to new template and update hyperlinks.

Version: 2.2 Approved by: Executive Director, people and culture Approved date: 20 March 2018 Review date: 31 October 2020 Amendment(s): Updated to new person title changes. Update to link to GEH allocation and eligibility policy and procedure.

Version: 2.1 Approved date: 30 June 2015 Amendment(s): Updated to new template. Person title changes. Previously recorded as HR33.

Version: 2.0 Approved date: November 2012 Amendment(s): Updated including change in government policy regarding provision of GEH within 100km of Adelaide.

Version: 1.0 Approved date: July 1988 Amendment(s): New department procedure.

Contact People Support Unit

Phone: 8226 1356 or lodge a form through edHR