I refer to my announcement in Atlanta of the NSW Government's decision to provide special opportunities for the employment of potential 2000 Olympians and Paralympians in the public sector. The announcement is in accordance with the commitment in the Government's pre-election policy on the Olympics. Details of the NSW Government's Work Scholarships for Olympians scheme are set out in the attachment to this Memorandum. Under the scheme, public agencies are encouraged to employ potential 2000 Olympic or Paralympic competitors to enable athletes to participate in elite sport and, at the same time, gain work experience while performing the duties of suitable positions. It is anticipated that the scheme will provide athletes with the foundation for a career in public administration. Public agencies stand to benefit from strong customer support and through the opportunity to draw employees from a pool of highly motivated, professional and dedicated athletes.Public service regulations have been changed to enable potential competitors employed by public service departments to have up to 50 per cent of their paid time available for training and competition purposes. Public agencies outside the public service may need to vary formal employment arrangements to allow their participation in the scheme.I should be grateful if you would draw this matter to the attention of all agencies within your administration. State Owned Corporations are invited to participate in the scheme.

 

Bob Carr Premier

Issued by: Premier's Department

Contact: Marina Kapetas (02) 9228 3146

Date: 18th November 1996

 

NSW GOVERNMENT WORK SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OLYMPIANS

The NSW Government is committed to providing special opportunities for employment of potential 2000 Olympians and Paralympians in the public sector. Details of the Work Scholarship scheme are set out below.

(1) The objective of the scheme is to assist potential competitors in the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics secure permanent employment in the NSW public sector so they will have careers available to them on completion of their sporting careers.

(2) The scheme operates as part of the Australian Olympic Committee's Olympic Job Opportunities Program (OJOP), sponsored by Ernst & Young and also supports the preparation of athletes with disabilities under the Australian Paralympic Federation.

(3) Athletes nominated by their National Federation and ratified by the Australian Olympic Committee or the Australian Paralympic Federation as potential competitors in the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics are eligible to participate in the scheme.

(4) Public agencies may select endorsed athletes from the Olympic Job Opportunities Program register managed by Ernst & Young. Public agencies are asked to identify and provide a description of the position/s that can be filled by athletes. Ernst & Young will review the qualifications, career interests and training schedules of participating athletes to carefully match them with these positions. Details of athletes for consideration will be forwarded to the public agency. In every case, the public agency makes the ultimate hiring decision and is under no obligation to offer employment if the position criteria are not met.

(5) Public service agencies are authorised to employ endorsed athletes as temporary employees for up to three years, with the intention of providing appropriate opportunities during this period for these employees to compete on merit for advertised vacancies for permanent employment. For public service agencies, temporary employment is to be on the basis of 4 month periods at a time. Public service agencies have delegated authority to re-employ at the end of each four month period for whatever total period the employee is required (refer to Industrial Authority delegation dated October 1991). If endorsement by the athlete's National Federation is withdrawn, the athlete would be required to change to the usual work pattern for full-time temporary employees in the same work category and continuation of the temporary employment would be determined by the operational needs of the agency.Public service agencies must seek the approval of the Premier's Department to dispense with the services of employees employed for continuous periods in excess of 12 months.Non public service agencies may engage temporary employees under this scheme in accordance with their usual temporary employment arrangements.

(6) Athletes who successfully compete for advertised vacancies for permanent employment may continue in the scheme while they are endorsed by their National Federation. If endorsement is withdrawn, the athlete would be required to change to the usual work pattern for full-time permanent employees in the same work category.

(7) Athletes are to be employed on a full-time basis, with salary up to $25,000p.a. in accordance with the value of the work to be performed, with approved absences for up to 50% of the full-time work time for training (including educational and vocational training) and competition.If required, advice on an individual athlete's training and competition requirements may be sought from the Olympic Job Opportunities Program.Athletes are to be encouraged by their employing agencies to pursue educational and vocational training appropriate to the agency's and individual athlete's needs.The minor additional cost of, in effect, providing a full-time job for part-time service is to be met by the employing agency as part of their contribution to the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paralympics.At the public agency's discretion, special unpaid leave may be approved in extraordinary circumstances for absences beyond the 50% of full-time work threshold.

(8) Positions occupied by athletes are to be designated as special Olympic trainee positions under the Olympic Job Opportunities Program.

(9) Working hours may be balanced out over a full year in order to allow for overseas competition and full-time training and competition at various times.The athlete must clearly communicate to their employing public agency all training and / or competition schedules as far in advance as possible and be prepared to provide an official letter from their National Federation and / or the Australian Olympic Committee or Australian Paralympic Federation confirming these requirements.(10) Athletes are entitled to the same leave conditions as other full-time temporary employees in public agencies, with the following provisos:annual holidays are to be used in full-time training or competition and are to be included in the approved absences of up to 50% of work time allowed under this scheme; current public service provisions enabling competitors to be granted up to 4 weeks special leave for participation in Olympic and Paralympic Games are overridden under this scheme.

(11) Agencies should have regard to the following equity considerations when implementing this scheme:athletes engaged under this scheme should not displace existing employees in any employment capacity; other employees should not be expected to perform extra work as a result of the scheme; that established and recognised merit standards be applied to determine the position to be filled by an athlete; that recognition be given to the effect of employing an athlete under this scheme, on the career paths and aspirations of existing employees.

(12) Employment of athletes under this scheme does not grant rights to public service agencies or non-public service agencies to imply any connection with the 2000 Olympic Games, any Olympic team, an OJOP athlete, or the year of the Games for the agencies' own marketing or promotional purposes, except as proscribed in the Olympic Job Opportunities Program guidelines.(13) Contacts for advice regarding the scheme are:

 

Ernst & Young: Katherine Halliday on (02) 9248 4648 re: register of athletes and advice on training and competition requirements; Premier's Department: Marina Kapetas on (02) 9228 3146 re: employment arrangements.