Lodge a Teaching Service grievance

The right to a grievance review

Teaching Service employees such as executive class, principals, assistant principals, teachers, casual relief teachers, education support staff and school council employees may be able to lodge a selection or personal grievance under the provisions of the current applicable Act or Ministerial Order.

The relevant grounds can be found in the following:

• Principal selection: Ministerial Order 1006
• Teaching Service selection: Part 9 of Ministerial Order 1388
• Teaching Service personal: Part 5 of Ministerial Order 1388
• School Council Employees personal: Part 5 of Ministerial Order 1389

Teaching service grievance applications must be lodged within 14 days of notification of the decision. Applications lodged outside of the 14-day period are considered to be out of time and may not proceed.

Appellants should make every effort to seek written confirmation of the decision which has given rise to the grievance. Where an appellant is provided only with verbal advice of a decision, a grievance can still be lodged. In some circumstances the decision maker may be asked by the Registrar to provide written advice of their decision should they fail to provide this to the appellant.

Lodging a grievance out of time

If a personal grievance is lodged outside of the 14-day period, the appellant may request a Merit Protection Board consider the “special circumstances” which have led to the late application. Where the special circumstances are accepted by a Merit Protection Board a late application will proceed.

Special circumstances can include:

• medical emergencies
• documentation incorrectly dated by either party
• incorrect legal or representative advice
• written decisions not provided in a timely manner.

If a personal grievance is lodged outside of the 14-day period without a request for special circumstances to be considered, a Merit Protection Board may offer the appellant the opportunity to do so. This opportunity will only be provided to those applications that a Merit Protection Board determines fall within the jurisdiction of the Board to hear and determine. The fact an appellant does not know about the Merit Protection Boards or their right to lodge a grievance is unlikely to be accepted as a special circumstance.

Learn more about the Teaching Service grievance process

Lodge a grievance application, continued

To lodge a grievance application click here.