• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The staffing strategy of the University of Western Sydney (UWS) aims to improve and strengthen the University's organisational capability, and to attract, retain, recognise, reward and develop high quality staff. UWS, through its staffing strategy, seeks to provide reward, recognition and incentive schemes. The local achievement reward scheme is one of a number of programs in place that have been developed to meet that strategy.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) The University of Western Sydney (UWS) recognises within its staffing strategy that its continuing success and growth depends upon its organisational capability and individual staff capacity for distinctiveness, innovation and diversity.

(4) Local achievement rewards provide a mechanism where an ongoing or fixed-term employee can be recognised for extraordinary service and/or performance at an operational unit level. Casual employees are not eligible to receive a local achievement reward.

Section 4 - Procedures

(5) A local achievement reward acknowledges an ongoing or fixed-term employee that demonstrates exemplary service or who performs well above expectations in the workplace. Examples include, but are not limited to, where an ongoing or fixed-term employee:

1. implements an innovation resulting in increased efficiency, productivity or revenue;
2. shows professional or personal leadership above and beyond that expected;
3. addresses an issue or changes a behaviour improving customer service, safety, accuracy, or timeliness;
4. consistently works at a high level to ensure deadlines are met during a period of exceptionally high or unexpected workload;
5. provides exceptional customer service.

(6) A supervisor can recommend an ongoing or fixed-term employee for a local achievement reward to the relevant Dean , Director, Pro Vice-Chancellor, or Deputy Vice-Chancellor for approval. Where the Dean / Director is recommending the reward it should be approved by the next highest delegate, and so on.

(7) The supervisor's recommendation must be supported by a written submission outlining the performance outcomes, and/or how the work was achieved, and the benefits to the unit. The recommendation should also include the type and value of the reward to be given, and whether the employee has been a recipient of a local achievement reward in the past.

(8) The approving officer may approve the reward if the recommendation meets the requirements of this policy. The approving officer may also reject a recommendation if the submission does not meet the requirements of this policy.

(9) An approved recipient of a local achievement reward will receive:

1. a certificate/letter signed by the approving officer, and
2. a gift voucher up to a maximum of $100, e.g. a gift voucher for two movie tickets, a gift voucher for books to the value of $75, a gift voucher for theatre tickets to the value of $90, a shopping voucher to the value of $60, as recommended by the supervisor.

(10) Rewards must be a gift voucher and cannot be cash, nor can they be paid through the payroll. Rewards generally should not be for a meal or alcohol. Some rewards such as payment for a meal may attract FBT and where this is the case, the FBT is payable from the rewarding unit. Further information can be obtained from the Tax and Insurance Accountant.

(11) An employee can only be recommended for a local achievement reward once a year. No more than 20% of the total number of ongoing and fixed-term employees (not FTE) in a unit can receive a reward in any calendar year.

(12) Rewards are funded by the operational unit that initiates the recommendation.

(13) Recommendations for local achievement rewards must be recorded on the employee's TRIM personnel file. Heads of Units are required to report on the bestowing of rewards, from time-to-time and where no rewards have been approved Heads of Unit should indicate why.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(14) Nil.