Higher Duties Allowance (Local Government)

Employees are often called upon to relieve in a higher position than their substantive position in an organization when their superior officers are absent from the workplace for any reason. This situation always triggers a question in the relieving employee’s mind “I wonder if I get paid extra for relieving in my Boss’s position whilst he is away?” Different Awards contain differing provisions in respect to the payment of Higher Duties Allowance in these circumstances. In response to queries from our clients, we have posted two articles dealing with this question on our Bulletin Board; one dealing with this question from the perspective of the Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999 and the other dealing with a similar question from the perspective of the Local Government Officers’ (WA) Award 1999.