Definitions
Cross-agency
Cross-agency transfers are when employees move between APS agencies.
Home organisation or home agency
A home organisation or home agency is the entity providing one of their employees to another entity through a temporary move. A home organisation can be any type of entity, whether Commonwealth, State and Territory government, local government, private sector, or a community organisation. Home agency is used when referring to Agencies for the purposes of the Public Service Act 1999.
Host organisation or host agency
A host organisation or host agency is the entity receiving an employee from another entity through a temporary move. A host organisation can be any type of entity, whether Commonwealth, State and Territory government, local government, private sector, or a community organisation. Host agency is used when when referring to Agencies for the purposes of the Public Service Act 1999.
Micro-assignment
Micro-assignment refers to situations where an employee from one organisation works for or at another organisation, without an MoU or secondment agreement in place. Examples of this type of mobility include virtual taskforces and arrangements where an individual works a few days each week on a project led by another agency.
Internal move
An internal move is the movement of an employee within their agency.
Mobility
Mobility in the context of the APS Mobility Framework is the temporary movement of capability—skills and experiences, as represented by people—within and between APS agencies, other jurisdictions, and the private sector, including academia and not-for-profit organisations. Mobility can happen through the initiative of an agency or an individual. It can be achieved through secondments, temporary transfers, leave without pay arrangements, and even informal verbal agreements between organisations. Employees often move locations as part of these arrangements, but it’s also possible for moves to be virtual.
Secondments and temporary transfers
Secondments and temporary transfers are often used as synonyms by employees. For the purposes of the Mobility Framework, the following distinction is made:
- A secondment is where an employee agrees to a movement to a host organisation but continues to be an employee of their home organisation. The home organisation remains responsible for the payment of salaries and other terms and conditions of employment however the employee will take day-to-day direction from the host organisation.
- Temporary transfers are where an APS employee agrees to a movement between APS agencies under section 26 of the Public Service Act 1999.
Taskforce
A team of people brought together for a limited period of time to focus on addressing specific problems across organisational or functional boundaries. More information on taskforces can be found in the Taskforce Toolkit.
Temporary moves
Secondments, temporary transfers and internal moves are referred to collectively in the APS Mobility Framework as ‘temporary moves’.