Report snapshot: Managing unplanned leave and overtime

Objective

This audit assessed whether Corrective Services NSW, Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Ambulance are effectively and efficiently managing unplanned leave and overtime.

Key findings

The agencies have clear policies and procedures to monitor the use of sick and carers leave 

The agencies require evidence like medical certificates when leave exceeds set limits. Managers monitor usage and meet with staff when thresholds are reached, ensuring leave is taken appropriately. 

There are clear procedures to manage overtime but for some staff this is still significant 

The agencies have clear, fair procedures for offering overtime shifts when this is operationally necessary. While this promotes transparency and helps prevent excessive hours for most staff, some employees, particularly those with specialist skills or in high-demand roles, still work significant overtime hours. 

The agencies monitor trends in unplanned leave and overtime 

The agencies have systems for tracking staff attendance, with executive oversight. They regularly compare unplanned leave and overtime rates across workgroups, monitoring trends over time. Agencies are also creating dashboards to give managers and executives real-time access to attendance and overtime data.

Condensed roster patterns limit opportunity for recovery between shifts 

The agencies use roster patterns with long hours and clustered workdays, giving staff more days off between shifts. SafeWork NSW highlights that longer hours and condensed shifts raise fatigue risks, which must then be managed. Extra overtime hours can add to these risks, especially in emergency services and custodial roles. 

The agencies are reviewing the factors that most impact staff availability 

For Corrective Services NSW, higher workers compensation rates are a key factor. Fire and Rescue NSW faces ongoing shortages of on-call firefighters. NSW Ambulance is seeing steady changes in the workforce gender balance.  

The agencies generally have enough staff for planned leave, but rising use of workers compensation and parental leave means current staffing formulas are falling behind. This leads to greater reliance on overtime to fill shifts.

The agencies are implementing tailored initiatives to target the causes of overtime 

The agencies are developing targeted initiatives to address overtime. Progress is slower where extra funding or increased staffing is required. Agencies are actively monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of these measures. 

Recommendations

Recommendations have been made to each of the 3 agencies to consistently apply sick leave policies, review rostering and shift arrangements, update staffing formulas and relief staffing rates, and implement stronger monitoring and evaluation of workforce initiatives.

Further information

Please contact Renee O'Kane, Chief of Staff, on 9275 7347 or by email.

^{1 Fire and Rescue NSW overtime expenses includes payments made to on-call firefighters who fill staffing gaps at a station other than their own.
2 Unplanned leave includes sick leave, personal/carers leave, family and community services leave, compassionate leave, and workers compensation leave.}