University of New South Wales - Human Resources - probation, general staff, UNSW, human resources, professional and technical staff, employment

Approving Authority:	Director, Human Resources
Date of Approval:	August 2007
Last Amended:
Contact Officer:	Faculty HR Consultant

The purpose of probation is principally "to allow an assessment to be made of an employee's aptitude and capacity to do the work once trained". It is a period during which an employee should be critically tested and assessed by the supervisor to determine whether or not he or she can perform the duties and responsibilities required of them to the standard expected by the University.

Industrial Requirements

(a) An employee may be required to serve a period of probation at the commencement of employment. The period of probation will be reasonable having regard to the nature and circumstances of the employment.

(b) Any second or subsequent fixed term contract will not contain a period of probation where the employment is a continuation of the initial fixed-term employment.

(c) An employee will be advised of, and given an opportunity to make response to, any adverse material about his/her performance or conduct which the University intends to take into account in a decision to terminate the employment upon or before the expiry of the period of probation.

[Clause 29.0 of the UNSW (General Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2006]

Length of Probationary Period

The standard probationary period for professional and technical staff (Levels 1-9) is 6 months.

For senior appointments at Levels 10 and above, the probationary period will vary from6 to 12 months depending on the length of contract and the nature of the position.

The University reserves the right to vary the above periods in light of the nature and the circumstances of the position and/or the relevant experience of the employee.

Separate to the probationary period is the qualifying period specified by the Workplace Relations Act 1996 (as amended). Employees at all levels are subjected to a qualifying period of 6 months during which an employee cannot make a valid application for unfair dismissal.

Best Practice Guidelines for Management of Probation

The supervisor should meet regularly with the employee and provide them with feedback on their performance during the probationary period. Assessment of the employee should be against the duties and responsibilities of the position as specified in the position description.

In accordance with the Enterprise Agreement, the University must advise the employee of any concerns about their performance or conduct prior to any recommendation being made to terminate the employee within the probationary period and allow the employee to have an opportunity to make a response to the concerns.

A recommendation to terminate the employment within the probationary period should be provided to the Chief Operating Officer prior to the end of the probationary period. The employee must be notified of any decision to terminate their employment within the probationary period prior to or on the last day of the probationary period.

Advice on dealing with an employee within the probationary period should be obtained from the Industrial Relations Unit or from your Faculty HR Consultant at the earliest possible stage.

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