Conversion from Fixed-Term to Continuing Appointment
Overview
A staff member who is engaged on a fixed-term contract of employment and who at the expiry of the contract is offered further fixed-term employment in the same position or a position with substantially similar duties may apply for conversion to continuing employment on the same salary and classification.
Eligibility for conversion
In order to be eligible for conversion:
- The staff member must have been appointed through a competitive and open selection process;
- There must be a record of satisfactory performance in the position as defined by the applicable performance management process;
- The staff member must have the requisite qualifications and/or skills to undertake the duties of the position; and
- The position to be converted to continuing must be on the same salary and classification.
Grounds for Refusal of conversion
The University may refuse an application for conversion on reasonable grounds, which may include but are not limited to:
- the position is funded by identifiable funding external to the University (which may include research/ grant funds but does not include Government operating grants or funding from fees paid by or on behalf of students);
- the position is required to fill a temporary vacancy or is meeting a curriculum requirement for recent professional practical or commercial experience;
- the position is for a specific task or project;
- the position is in a new organisational area for up to 2 years; or
- the position is in a discontinuing organisational work area or part of such an area consisting of 3 or more staff.
Exclusions
This conversion process shall not apply to:
- Staff whose fixed-term contract commenced prior to 22 November 2005 (or in the case of trades and services staff prior to 30 November 2005). However the University will consider applications by staff members whose employment commencement prior to these dates on a case by case basis;
- General staff employed above HEW level 10;
- Professorial appointments as listed below:
- Professors appointed for a fixed-term
- Professorial Fellows
- Adjunct Professors
- Research Professors
- Professors appointed conjointly
- Deans or above;
- Research/ grant funded staff;
- Staff on performance-based contracts in accordance with clause 17 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and General staff) 2005;
- Staff employed on a pre-retirement contract or in receipt of any form of Australian retirement income or benefit that it dependant on them having retired.
Conversion process application
Staff wishing to make an application to convert to a continuing position should discuss this possibility with their Head of Unit.
A Head of Unit should consult with their key Human Resources contact as to a staff member’s particular circumstances and eligibility for conversion.
If the Head of Unit identifies that a staff member is eligible for conversion he/she should complete a Notification of Conversion form, which must be signed by the Dean/ Divisional Director. The completed form should be forwarded to Human Resources.
If the application for conversion is approved, Human Resources will issue a new contract to the staff member offering a continuing position.
If the application for conversion is not approved Human Resources will inform the staff member in writing outlining the reasons the application was not accepted.
No probation on conversion
Where a staff member is converted from fixed-term to continuing employment he/she will not normally be subject to a probationary period.
Associated Documentation
Further information
Any enquiries regarding the University's conversion process should be directed to HR Inquiries on 9902 0400. |
