The NSW General Election will be held on Saturday 24 March 2007. In order for the Election to operate smoothly, the State Electoral Office will employ both election officials and returning officers. Election officials are employed to work on Election Day only, at polling places established throughout NSW, whereas returning officers are appointed for a period of approximately 8 weeks during the election period as front-line managers.
 
Departments are advised of the following employment arrangements:

1. Election Officials
Section 59 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 (PSEM Act) provides that public servants are not to undertake any other paid work without the permission of the appropriate Department Head. This includes employment as an election official on Election Day.

Department Heads are strongly encouraged to provide approval to public servants seeking to undertake employment as election officials on Saturday 24 March 2007.

2. Returning Officers
Recent changes in relation to the payment and leave arrangements for returning officers are:

• The honorarium paid to returning officers has increased to $13,050.64; and
• "Special leave" is no longer available to public servants who are appointed as returning officers.

Public servants are required to apply for other forms of leave to cover any such absences from work, such as recreation leave, extended leave, or leave without pay. Public servants seeking to undertake duties as returning officers must comply with the secondary employment requirements in accordance with s 59 of the PSEM Act.

Separate leave arrangements apply for teachers who are appointed as returning officers.

C Gellatly
Director-General

Issued : Employee Relations Policy and Advice (Public Employment Office)
Contact: Kestrel Leevers, Assistant Employment Relations Adviser
EMail: [email protected]
Telephone no: 9228 3595 Facsimile: 9228 4056
File no: PSM/05718 PT 1
Date: 30 October 2006
This circular has not superseded any other Memorandum/Circular