I am writing to advise you of the publication of the Manual of Delegations to Department Heads 2004

The Public Employment Office in Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 ("the Act") and the Public Sector Employment and Management (General) Regulation 1996 ("the Regulation") has a number of functions which may be delegated to Department Heads.

When the Act was introduced and commenced in 2002 the existing delegations issued by the Public Employment Office under the former Act (Manual of Delegations 2001) were deemed to be delegations issued under the Act until such time as new delegations are released.

Following the commencement of all remaining provisions of the Act the Manual of Delegations to Department Heads 2001 was updated to include the new references in the Act and Regulation and to remove any obsolete delegations where relevant provisions were repealed.

The new Manual encompasses all current delegations under the Act and Regulation and also separately identifies those sections of the Act where guidelines below have been issued and their date of effect:

• Commentary and Guidelines on temporary employment and casual employment (Part 2.4 and Part 2.6 of the Act applying to Public Service Departments only);
• Procedural Guidelines dealing with misconduct which may be found in the Commentary and Guidelines on the management of performance and conduct (Part 2.7 of the Act applying to officers in Public Service Departments only); and
• Commentary and Guidelines on staff mobility and cross-agency employment (sections, 86, 88 and 100 of the Act applying to public sector agencies).
  This publication replaces the Manual of Delegations to Department Heads 2001 and commences on 3 November 2004.

You should be aware that compliance with these delegated powers will continue to be monitored and your organisation may, on occasion be required to report on the approvals granted.

The Manual also provides that the Department Head may delegate these functions within their Department provided a record is maintained of officers to whom these functions have been delegated.

The Manual has been published in electronic form only and may be accessed through the Premier's Department website at  in the Publications Section under Employment Conditions and Policies.

C Gellatly
Director-General