Casual academic staff payment review update

Contingent Workforce Project includes measures such as a new enterprise timesheeting and claims management solution.

Earlier this year, Inside UNSW reported on UNSW’s initiation of a project to identify any underpayments of our casual academic staff from 2014 to 2019. Work on this project has continued intensively since that time, with additional resources being committed to the project by the University’s Management Board in recognition of its importance.

The University is committed to rectifying any identified underpayments and we will continue to update staff via Inside UNSW. In addition, if you have any queries or concerns about your own situation, please let us know by clicking here.

As a part of the Contingent Workforce Project established in 2019, we have been focused on improving the way we engage and manage our contingent workforce. This includes implementing additional measures to better ensure our casual academic staff are paid correctly and minimise risks of errors, including:

• investing in new technology systems to better integrate casual and permanent staff employment and payroll systems
• revised operating procedures, and
• continuing to provide additional training and education for managers and other staff.

The University is working on significantly improved long term solutions, including a new enterprise timesheeting and claims management solution. Release of the new system is planned for the second half of 2021. The new system will further support and enhance the University’s payment processes. 

While the long term systems development and implementation are progressed, UNSW is putting in place additional interim processes and controls for the payment of work completed by casual academics. For example, from 22 October, all casual academics who are due to receive a payment in their fortnightly pay period will receive a system-generated email identifying the activities and hours recorded for payment and inviting them to check and report variations, such as working more or fewer hours than scheduled.

For information about these new processes please refer to the HR Hub or contact the Contingent Workforce Project