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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
These regulations set out the complete employment framework for staff of the Repatriation Commission, covering permanent officers and temporary employees. They establish recruitment and probation requirements, a four-division pay and grading system with indexed salaries, leave and overtime rules, conduct and disciplinary standards, and retirement and gratuity provisions.
They mattered during World War II by standardizing pay, conditions and integrity controls for the workforce administering veterans’ pensions, medical care and rehabilitation.
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Zoe can write the in-depth analysis on top of the summary above: how it works, who it affects and what each part actually does.
Direct links to the current provisions in Repatriation (Staff) Regulations.
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
STATUTORY RULES.
1941. No. 259.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS’ REPATRIATION ACT 1920–1940*
I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Australian Soldiers’ Repatriation Act 1920–1940.
Dated this fifth day of November, 1941.
(SGD.) GOWRIE
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
Minister of State for Repatriation.
———
REPATRIATION (STAFF) REGULATIONS.
Part I.—Preliminary.
Citation.
Repeal.
Parts.
Part I.—Preliminary.
Part II.—Appointments.
Part III.—Administration and Functions of Officers.
Part IV.—Classification and Salaries.
Part V.—Vacancies, Promotions and Transfers.
Part VI.—Attendance, Hours of Duty and Overtime.
Part VII.—Leave of Absence and Holidays.
Part VIII.—Allowances.
Part IX.—Retirement of Officers.
Part X.—Offences.
Part XI.—Miscellaneous.
Part XII.—Temporary Employees.
* Notified in the Commonwealth Gazette on , 1941.
6614.—20/20.10.1941.—Price 2s.
Definitions.
“Auxiliary Services Staff” means officers appointed under the Act in connexion with institutions or factories conducted by the Commission;
“branch office” means the administrative office established by the Commission in the capital city of each State of the Commonwealth, but does not include the Auxiliary Services administered therefrom;
“classification” means the arrangement of officers in Divisions and grades and includes the allotment to offices of salary ranges according to the value of the work;
“classified office” means an office in the Service the classification of which is prescribed by, or allotted by the Commission pursuant to, these Regulations;
“Deputy Commissioner”, in relation to officers employed in any State, means the officer occupying the office and exercising the functions of Deputy Commissioner in that State;
“factory” means a factory established for the purposes of manufacture or repair of artificial replacements and surgical appliances;
“grade” means the ranking of a classified office in the classification according to the salary range allotted to that office;
“General Orders” means General Orders issued by the Commission;
“Headquarters” means the Commission’s central administrative office;
“institution” means an institution established for the purposes of medical treatment or care;
“officer” means a person, appointed to a classified office by the Commission, whose name has been published in the Gazette pursuant to sub-section (3a.) of section 21 of the Act, and includes a person appointed on probation under regulation 7 of these Regulations;
“Regulations” means Regulations made under the Act;
“Rulings” means rulings made and promulgated by the Commission;
“standard salary” means the rate of salary payable to an officer under these Regulations exclusive of any variation of that rate pursuant to regulation 24 of these Regulations;
“temporary employee” means a person, employed by the Commission, who is not appointed to a classified office;
“the Act” means the Australian Soldiers Repatriation Act 1920–1940, and, if, at any time, that Act is amended, means that Act as so amended;
“the Chief Clerk” means the officer occupying the office of Chief Clerk at the branch office in any State;
“the Commission” means the Repatriation Commission appointed under the Act;
“the Department” means the Department of Repatriation;
“the Secretary” means the officer appointed as Secretary of the Commission;
“the Service” means the service of the Commission, but does not include temporary employment.
“the war” means any war in which His Majesty has been engaged since the fourth day of August, One thousand nine hundred and fourteen, or in which His Majesty is, or may be, engaged.
Part II.—Appointments.
Medical examination of prospective appointees.
Evidence of age
6.—(1.) A person appointed to a classified office shall, within fourteen days of a request being made therefor, forward to the Deputy Commissioner a properly certified extract from an official register of births, or other evidence of age satisfactory to the Commission.
(2.) If the appointee does not, within the time specified, forward the required certificate or other satisfactory evidence of age, or if he furnishes evidence of age which is not considered satisfactory by the Commission, the Commission may cancel the appointment.
Appointments to be on probation.
7.—(1) Except as hereinafter provided, every person appointed to a classified office shall, in the first instance, be appointed on probation only, and may be continued on probation for a period of six months, but his services may be dispensed with by the Commission at any time during that period.
(2) After the period of six months on probation has expired, the Commission may, upon a report from the Deputy Comissioner, confirm or annul the appointment, or extend the period of probation for a further period, but the whole term of probation shall not in any case exceed twelve months.
(3.) The Commission may at any time during an extended period of probation, upon a report from the Deputy Commissioner, confirm or annul the appointment.
(4.) Upon the expiration of the extended period of probation of any probationer whose appointment has not been confirmed or annulled under the provisions of the last preceding sub-regulation, the Commission shall, upon a report from the Deputy Commissioner, confirm or annul the appointment.
(5.) Unless otherwise directed by the Commission, annulment of appointment shall take effect from the date on which the probationer ceases to perform the duties of the office.
(6.) Unless otherwise determined by the Commission, a probationer whose appointment has been annulled shall not be again eligible for appointment on probation at any time within twelve months from the date of annulment.
Oath or affirmation.
8.—(1.) An officer on commencing duty may be required to make and subscribe an oath or affirmation in the form in the Second Schedule to these Regulations.
(2.) A member of the Commission, a Deputy Commissioner or any officer thereunto authorized in writing by the Commission or a Deputy Commissioner may administer the oath or affirmation.
Part III.—Administration and Functions of Officers.
Exercise of powers and functions.
Responsibility of Deputy Commissioner.
Officers to be given written instructions.
(a) unless otherwise directed by the Commission, each officer is supplied with written instructions as to his duties, and that a copy of these instructions signed by the officer concerned is filed in his office; and
(b) a copy of all instructions from the Commission is issued to each officer affected by them.
Excess officers.
12.—(1.) Whenever a Deputy Commissioner finds that the number of officers at a branch office, institution or factory under his control is greater than the volume of work demands, or can be reduced through re-arrangement of duties or improved methods of working, he shall forthwith report the circumstances to the Commission.
(2.) In reporting to the Commission that, in his opinion, the staff of a branch office, institution or factory may be reduced, the Deputy Commissioner shall furnish a recommendation as to the officer or officers whose services he considers should be dispensed with and shall furnish his reasons for the recommendation.
(3.) If at any time the Commission finds that the number of officers employed in any branch office, institution or factory is greater than is necessary for the efficient working of that, branch office, institution or factory, the Commission may transfer any officer in the branch office, institution or factory to such other position of equivalent grade as the officer is competent to fill, and if no such position is available the Commission may transfer the officer to a position of lower grade. If no position is available for the officer, the Commission may retire him from the Service.
Functions of officers in charge of sections.
13.—(1.) An officer in charge of an institution or factory or a section of a branch office shall be responsible to the Deputy Commissioner for the proper and efficient working of the institution, factory or section, and shall afford the Deputy Commissioner his utmost aid and support.
(2.) Any such officer shall report in writing to the Deputy Commissioner—
(a) when he considers that a reduction of staff can be made by reason of decrease in the volume of work or by re-arrangement of duties; and
(b) any breach, of the Act, Regulations or official instructions that comes to his knowledge.
Functions of clerks in charge of sub-sections.
14.—(1.) A clerk in charge of a sub-section of a branch office shall be responsible to the officer in charge of the section for the proper and efficient working of his sub-section, and shall afford the officer in charge his utmost aid and support.
(2.) The clerk in charge of a sub-section shall report in writing to the officer in charge of the section—
(a) when he considers that a reduction of staff can be made in his sub-section by reason of a decrease in the volume of work or by the re-arrangement of duties; and
(b) any breach of the Act, Regulations or official instructions that comes to his knowledge.
Part IV.—Classification and Salaries.
Divisions of Service.
The First Division;
The Second Division;
The Third Division; and
The Fourth Division.
Composition of respective Divisions.
16.—(1.) The First Division shall include the members of the Commission.
(2.) The Second Division shall include officers who are required to exercise executive or professional functions in the more important positions in the Service, and whose offices the Commission directs to be included in that Division.
(3.) The Third Division shall include all officers whose offices the Commission directs to be included in that Division.
(4.) The Fourth Division shall include all officers not included in the First, Second or Third Division.
Standard salaries of officers of the Second Division.
17.—(1.) The limits of standard salary payable to an officer of the Second, Division shall be the limits respectively specified in Columns 2 and 3 of the Third Schedule to these Regulations opposite to the designation of his office in Column 1 of that Schedule.
(2.) The amount which may, subject to the provisions of regulation 22 of these Regulations, be paid to an officer of the Second Division by way of an increment of salary shall be the amount specified in Column 4 of the Third Schedule to these Regulations opposite to the designation of his office in Column 1 of that Schedule.
Classification and standard salaries of officers of the Third Division.
18.—(1.) The limits of standard salary payable to an officer in any office in the Third Division shall be the limits of such salary range specified in Table A of the Fourth Schedule to these Regulations as the Commission allots in respect of that office.
(2.) Subject to sub-regulation (1.) of this regulation, the Commission shall allot to each office in the Third Division limits of salary in accordance with the character and importance of the work required to be performed by the occupant of that particular office.
(3.) The rate of standard salary payable to an officer shall be a rate specified in Table B of the Fourth Schedule to these Regulations within the limits of salary fixed for his office in pursuance of the foregoing provisions of this regulation, and, subject to the provisions of regulation 22 of these Regulations, increments of salary may be paid
within the limits of salary fixed in respect of his office of such amount as will raise his salary to the next higher amount shown in that Table.
(4.) Notwithstanding anything contained in this regulation—
(a) the limits of standard salary payable to an officer in an office of the Third Division the designation of which is specified in Column 1 of Table C of the Fourth Schedule to these Regulations shall be the limits respectively specified in Columns 2 and 3 of that Table opposite to that designation; and
(b) the amount which may, subject to the provisions of regulation 22 of these Regulations be paid to such an officer shall be the amount specified in Column 4 of that Table opposite to the designation of his office.
Standard salaries of officers of the Fourth Division and conditions of advancement in certain Fourth Division offices.
19.—(1.) The limits of standard salary payable to an officer of the Fourth Division shall be the limits respectively specified in Columns 2 and 3 of the Fifth Schedule to these Regulations opposite to the designation of his office in Column 1 of that Schedule.
(2.) The amount which may, subject to these Regulations, be paid to an officer of the Fourth Division by way of an increment of salary shall be the amount specified in Column 4 of the Fifth Schedule to these Regulations opposite to the designation of his office in Column 1 of that Schedule.
(3.) An officer occupying the office of Machinist, Grade 1, shall not be eligible for incremental advancement beyond the standard salary rate of £210 per annum, unless the Commission is satisfied that the character of the duties upon which the officer is regularly employed warrants the advancement.
(4.) An officer occupying the office of Machinist shall not be eligible for promotion from Grade 1 to Grade 2, or from Grade 2 to Grade 3, unless she possesses such qualifications as are, in the opinion of the Commission, necessary to enable her to perform efficiently the duties of the Grade.
(5.) An officer occupying the office of Typist, Grade 1, shall not be eligible for incremental advancement beyond the standard salary rate of £210 per annum, unless the Commission is satisfied that the character of the duties upon which the officer is regularly employed justifies the advancement.
(6.) An officer occupying the office of Typist, Grade 1, shall not be eligible for promotion from Grade 1 to Grade 2, unless, on promotion, she will be employed in the supervision of at least five Typists or on duties the character of which, in the opinion of the Commission, warrants the advancement.
(7.) An officer occupying the office of Typist, Grade 2, shall not be eligible for promotion from Grade 2 to Grade 3, unless, on promotion, she will be employed on
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.