Revised: March 2017
Education officer (special duties)
(EOSD)
This document is issued for general guidance only. It does not constitute professional advice. The issues with which it deals are complex and the document
necessarily deals only with general principles. No reader should rely on this document for the purpose of making a decision as to action but should seek the
appropriate advice from the Union on the particular circumstances of that reader. The Union accepts no responsibility for the consequences should any person
act in reliance on this document without obtaining the appropriate advice from the Union.
Education officer (special duties)
Teachers with contemporary knowledge and
expertise in areas of curriculum, teaching and
learning or other areas of strategic importance to
the department may be seconded as an education
officer (special duties), or EOSD, to undertake
research work or project tasks in a central or
regional office location for a specific period of time.
EOSD pay and conditions
EOSDs work public service hours and accrue four
weeks recreation leave per year. They are paid
additional salary to their substantive rate of pay in
accordance with clause 5.5.5 of the Teachers’
Award – State (see EOSD salaries schedule for
current pay rates).
Classroom teachers who are seconded as EOSDs
are paid an additional $334.50 (as at September
2015) per fortnight in addition to their regular
salary. Such teachers will be entitled to progress
through the salary scale with annual progression.
Teachers in promotional positions (other than
principals) who are seconded as EOSDs will be
entitled to payment at the next salary band above.
For example, if a school-based officer has a ST2-22
classification, as an EOSD he/she will be paid a
salary equivalent to the ST2-32 classification.
Principals do not receive any additional salary if
seconded as an EOSD.
Incremental arrangements apply for all teachers
(unless already at the top of the salary scale) and
for classified officers, to step 3 of the band in which
they are seconded.
Leave arrangements: secondments of
less than 12 months
A teacher or school-based classified officer
seconded as an EOSD for a period of less than 12
months who then returns to their school-based
position prior to or by the end of the school year
will not in normal circumstances be granted
recreation leave during the EOSD secondment
period. The EOSD would not be entitled to school
vacations during the secondment, but under
normal circumstances would be able to access
accrued time off up to a maximum of 36.25 hours
in a work cycle, subject to approval by their
supervisor.
On returning to a school-based position after less
than 12 months of secondment, the EOSD would
be entitled to full payment for the summer vacation
and where the secondment concludes at the end
of a year, the last day of the secondment would
generally be the last day of term 4.
Leave arrangements: secondments of
more than 12 months
If a teacher or school-based classified officer is
seconded as an EOSD for more than 12 months,
recreation leave is accrued from the first day of the
school year in which they are appointed to that
position.
The recreation leave accumulates at the rates
applicable to officers employed under the Public
Service Award.
No waiting period applies to the taking of leave
and, subject to departmental convenience, leave
may be granted in broken periods of not less than
one whole working day.
In normal circumstances, the department will
require an EOSD to use up all recreation leave
accrued up to the date of ceasing duty in the EOSD
position before returning to a school-based
position.
However, if there are special
circumstances that prevent an EOSD taking all
accrued leave prior to the end of the secondment,
the EOSD may apply to take it at a time mutually
convenient to them and the department.
In relation to the summer vacation period, EOSDs
should note that when a secondment ends before
Authorised by Graham Moloney, General Secretary, Qld Teachers' Union, P O Box 1750, Milton LPO Qld 4064
Web: www.qtu.asn.au Email: [email protected] Phone: 07 3512 9000 Fax: 07 3512 9050
Education Officer – Special Duties (EOSD) – Revised: March 2017
the start of the new school year, i.e. in January, they
will not be paid for the summer vacation period
unless they have recreation leave accrued from the
secondment period and can negotiate to use this
leave to bridge the gap between leaving the EOSD
position and recommencing as a teacher.
No pro-rata adjustment is made for the summer
vacation period for those who return to teaching
prior to the end of a school year.
Advice for QTU members considering
an EOSD secondment
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Ensure the position is an EOSD position and
not a public service position, because there
are disadvantages with the latter option, e.g.
increments are not available for the Teachers’
Award classification while a teacher is in a
temporary public service position.
Ensure the start and end date of the
secondment is known before accepting the
offer.
Understand what the leave entitlements will
be, given these dates.
Clarify if there is a possibility that the
secondment will be extended.
Clarify what school and position will be
available after the end of the secondment.
Page 2 of 2
Relevant links
http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au/corp/hr/hr/Pages/Relie
ving-at-Level-and-Higher-Duties.aspx
https://www.qld.gov.au/gov/system/files/docum
ents/18-16-higher-dutiesdirective_0.pdf?v=1465439074
http://qirc.qld.gov.au/qirc/resources/pdf/awards
/t/teaching_in_state_education.pdf
http://www.qtu.asn.au/files//4514/4160/6623/
salary_scales_Education_Officers_Special_Duties
_1Sept2015.pdf
Members who experience difficulty clarifying
information relevant to an EOSD secondment or
who experience difficulties with leave, either during
or at the end of the secondment, should contact
the Union for advice and assistance.
Authorised by Graham Moloney, General Secretary, Qld Teachers' Union, P O Box 1750, Milton BC Qld 4064
Web: www.qtu.asn.au Email: [email protected] Phone: 07 3512 9000 Fax: 07 3512 9050