Benefits and Conditions

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) provides you with an excellent career choice with many rewarding experiences. At ISLHD we are not just offering jobs, we are offering you the opportunity to excel in your chosen field and to experience a work life balance

Work flexibility is very important at ISLHD and we provide our people with a range of benefits and conditions to assist with balancing the demands of work and personal life where possible.

Leave Entitlements

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Paid maternity, adoption and parental leave

We offer attractive maternity, adoption and parental leave options for employees who have completed 40 weeks of continuous service within NSW Health. This includes 14 weeks paid maternity leave and one week paid parental leave with up to 51 weeks of unpaid parental leave is also available to the other parent. Paid and unpaid adoption leave provisions are also available to all full-time and part-time employees who are adopting a child and are to be the primary care giver. Payments may be made, on a normal fortnightly basis, in advance in a lump sum, or at the rate of half pay over 28 weeks for maternity and adoption leave or two weeks for parental leave.

Allocated Days Off (ADO)

If you are a full time employee and work 40 hours a week then you can take a day a month as a paid ADO. You can accumulate up to three ADOs at a time.

Family and Community Services Leave (FACS)

FACS leave is available for a range of personal reasons encompassing family responsibilities, performance of community service or cases of pressing necessity.

Career Break Scheme for Nurses

All Nurses and Midwives employed in NSW Health have the option to apply to participate in a Career Break Scheme. The Scheme allows employees to defer twenty per cent of their net salary for four years, and be paid this deferred salary with interest earned in the fifth year. Employees approved to participate in the Scheme may take a break of one year away from their position covered by the Award – the Deferred Salary Leave Year. This one year absence may be for professional and personal development, such as participation in other industry experience; post graduate study; working in overseas health systems; or for other activities, including those of a non-professional nature unrelated to the practice of nursing and midwifery.

Orientation and Induction

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ISLHD is dedicated to recruiting and retaining high-quality staff. Our orientation and induction are crucial initial steps in fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between ISLHD and our new employees.

To support our new employees effectively in their roles, we have developed a comprehensive orientation and induction program. We have transitioned our corporate orientation to an eLearning module, enhancing accessibility and flexibility for our staff. This module covers a wide range of topics, including our CORE Values, communication, and work health and safety.

The nursing component of the orientation, however, continues to be delivered face-to-face to ensure practical skills and direct interaction are prioritised.

Induction is about familiarising a new employee with their workplace, role, and responsibilities. On their first day, new employees at ISLHD will receive a site induction, introducing them to the work environment and focusing on pre-commencement and first-week tasks. Position induction, which is specific to individual job roles, may also be undertaken, especially for certain professions or disciplines.

Performance Appraisal System

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Our organisation has a performance appraisal system in place to ensure that everyone in the workplace is clear on what is expected of them. It’s a great way to ensure that employees know what they are tasked and how they are progressing. The system includes the setting of goals, development to support achievement of goals and regular feedback on work performance. The focus is on helping our employees to achieve their full potential.

Professional Development

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Our people are the very heart of our organisation and we passionately believe that the growth and development of each individual within ISLHD is fundamental to our organisation.

Our aim is to improve our organisation’s capability to operate as an integrated and productive organisation, where levels of staff motivation and engagement are high.

We can do this by providing a range of development activities that enable staff to learn the skills relevant to their current role, and develop skills and abilities that will equip them for their career advancement.

There are a range of profession specific development programs including nursing, medical and allied health that are run throughout the year.

ISLHD is also committed to developing our leaders and managers and offer a wide range of programs that increase their knowledge and skills. This is supported by ISLHDs Leadership Practices Framework and Guide.

Additionally, all staff are required to undertake a range of role specific mandatory training programs to ensure they are skilled to undertake their role and provide quality and safe services to our community.

Recognition and Reward

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Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District's impressive performance has been achieved through the passionate commitment, outstanding achievements and hard work of our staff.

We value and celebrate the achievements and performance of our staff through ISLHD’s Recognition and Reward Framework. ISLHD has five (5) key formal recognition awards:

Staff and Volunteer Recognition (SAVR Awards)

The SAVR Awards are ISLHD’s way of formally recognising the contribution and effort of employees and volunteers in our Local Health District with 14 award categories along with the annual Chief Executive Award.

SAVR is open to all ISLHD employees and volunteers and are peer/colleague nominated.

Nursing and Midwifery Awards

The Nursing & Midwifery awards recognise the high achieving and inspirational nursing and midwifery staff employed at ISLHD. Nominated by their peers and colleagues for outstanding professional achievements and demonstrated commitment and dedication to going the extra mile.

These awards are for all the nurses and midwives that work within ISLHD, regardless of role and clinical specialty where nurses and midwives can be nominated across seven (7) categories.

ISLHD Quality and Innovation Awards

The District Quality and Innovation Awards are an annual internal forum/awards process that offers teams/staff the opportunity to showcase their quality projects.

There are seven (7) categories that link to the NSW Health Innovation Awards. Those projects that are winners in their categories are then selected to present their work at the NSW Health Innovation Awards as well as other NSW government award processes.

Staff Continuous Service Awards Each year staff with 10 or more years’ continuous service with ISLHD are provided recognition for their loyalty to the District.
Lunch with Leaders

“Lunch with Leaders” is another way that ISLHD formally recognises employees for their excellence in commitment and contribution.

Members of the Strategic Executive Committee will nominate (Individuals or teams) who will be invited to join the Strategic Executive Committee for a luncheon to recognise and celebrate their success.

In addition to formal activities to recognise and reward staff performance, ISLHD is committed to ensuring staff are recognised and rewarded locally. These local activities have the opportunity to be more immediate, thereby quickly reinforcing desired performance and behaviours. Local recognition and reward activities should be a part of regular team activities, a way to acknowledge people’s contributions and celebrate their success.

Salary Packaging

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An opportunity exists for you to reduce your taxable income – this means more take home pay!

Employees working for public health facilities may elect to receive part of their pay through salary packaging. Salary packaging works by reducing the employees gross salary by the cost of the benefit provided (which includes the employer’s share of the tax savings and the administration fee).

The maximum dollar value of benefits that employees can ‘package’ without creating a Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) liability is $9,005 per annum (which equates to grossed up taxable value of $17,000).

If you package, your tax savings can be between $489 and $2160 per annum depending on your income.

Salary packaging can be used for a variety of living expenses such as mortgage repayments, residential rent payments, credit card payments, school fees etc.

Employees are encouraged to contact a financial adviser for further advice regarding taxation considerations relevant to salary packaging.

Superannuation

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All eligible employees are paid super into a complying super fund or retirement saving account (RSA). They have the freedom to choose their own superannuation scheme or alternatively, if no election is made, an account will be set up with First State Super. Contributions are based on minimum legislative requirements and calculated based on ordinary hours of work. Salary sacrifice is available for all non-Senior Executive employees, including temporary and casual employees.

Fitness Passport

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Would you and your family enjoy having access to multiple gyms and pools in the area for less than the cost of membership for just one gym or pool?

Permanent employees and their immediate family members are eligible to participate in Fitness Passport.

ISLHD staff can sign-up with Fitness Passport, an external service provider. Fitness Passport offers employees access to gyms and fitness services that are current members of its program on a minimum 12 month contract.

A Fitness Passport means you're not locked into just one facility but have access to all the member facilities as part of your contract - and prices are generally cheaper than a standard gym membership at one facility.

Check current prices and find out more about the facilities on the website https://www.fitnesspassport.com.au/IHS