Employment policy advice service: client service charter

Published

Overview

This Service Charter sets out the services that the Employment Policy advice service (the Advice Service) will provide and the standard clients can expect of those services. This charter will be reviewed as needed, including in response to significant policy changes or government priorities.

The Advice Service provides advice on the APS employment framework to APS Human Resources (HR) practitioners to assist them in carrying out their agency HR functions. This includes senior executive service HR practitioners, managers making decisions under the employment framework, and providers of HR services assisting APS agencies.

We provide

The Advice Service provides advice on the APS employment framework, including:

If your enquiry is outside the scope of the advice service the Contact us webpage lists the contact details for other areas of the Commission you can contact directly.

We do not provide

The Enquiry Service does not provide:

  • legal advice
  • case management or advocacy
  • advice on legislation or policy that does not relate to the APS employment framework
  • advice on leave entitlements
  • advice on internal agency policies and processes
  • review or comment on how agencies have applied policy.

The Advice Service is not a complaints handling service and cannot assist with receiving reports, investigating, or resolving complaints relating to the application of the APS Employment Principles. Where appropriate, we will refer you to the Merit Protection Commissioner’s complaint and inquiry services.

The Advice Service cannot provide advice on an individual’s personal circumstances including their employment circumstances or actions taken by an agency. The following avenues may be open to individuals and members of the public:

  • APS employees seeking advice about matters relating to their own employment circumstances, including how APS policies have been applied in their agency, should seek assistance from their agency’s HR area.
  • Members of the public seeking advice on recruitment or employment matters should contact the relevant APS agency in which they are seeking employment.
  • Researchers should direct their questions to the media unit.

If your query best sits with another area of the Commission we will refer you to that area.

The service you can expect from us

We are committed to delivering our services in line with the standards expected under the APS Values and Code of Conduct. When you engage with us, we will:

  • Treat you with respect and courtesy
  • Explain our role and what we can and cannot do
    • If we cannot assist you, we will try to direct you to other avenues of assistance, where appropriate and practical.
  • Treat information disclosed in accordance with the APSC’s Privacy Policy and with Australian law
  • Limit or cease engagement with clients who engage in abusive or harassing conduct, or who continue to engage with the Advice Service after being advised that the service is unable to provide assistance on a particular matter.

We aim to respond to queries within 3 working days.

We are unable to transfer you to, or provide the contact details of, employees of the Commission. Where you need to speak to another member of the Commission, you will be asked to provide your name, organisation and contact details for a call-back request.

Advice provided by the Advice Service is not legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Any decision or action taken on the basis of advice provided by the Advice Service will be the responsibility of the individual or agency client.

Telephone calls

In responding to your query, we will:

  • Respond to telephone calls promptly between Monday – Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm AEST/AEDT. The phone line is not monitored on public holidays and the Commission’s shutdown period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
    • There may be times where we are unavailable to take your call, for example, when already on another call. In these instances we suggest emailing us via EmploymentPolicy@apsc.gov.au, or alternatively leaving a voicemail with your name, agency, query topic and contact details. A member of the team will respond to your voicemail as soon as practicable.
    • There may be times when we will request that your query is provided in writing. This is to ensure we understand the question(s) clearly and can provide you with an appropriate level of detail in our response.

Emails

Our inbox is monitored between Monday – Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm AEST/AEDT. The inbox is not monitored on public holidays and the Commission’s shutdown period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

  • Complex questions may take additional time to ensure we are able to provide a comprehensive response. In these cases, we will keep you updated on the expected time-frame for a response.

Feedback about our services

We are committed to continuing to improve our work processes and services and encourage your feedback. If you would like to provide feedback on the service you have received, please inform us via email at EmploymentPolicy@apsc.gov.au

Was this page helpful?