Community education staff

This information supports schools boards and community education staff to understand the pay, allowances, leave and other entitlements that are associated with their roles, as stated in their employment agreement.

Level of compliance Main audience Other

Required

  • Community Education Staff (ACE and OOHMA)
  • School Boards

Who community education staff are

Community education staff work in either a Ministry-funded out-of-hours music and arts (OOHMA) programme and/or an adult and community education (ACE) programme run by a school board at a state or state-integrated school.

From 5 May 2023, out-of-hours music and arts staff are now covered by the terms and conditions of this agreement.

The rights and responsibilities specified in an employment agreement must be adhered to.

Employment agreements

 Community education staff in schools are covered by:

  • the Community Education Collective Agreement (CECA), or
  • an individual employment agreement, with similar terms and conditions as the collective agreement

There are 2 individual employment agreements: one applies to teaching coordinators and the other to all other community education roles.

Who is covered by the collective agreement

You're covered by the collective agreement if:

  • your work is covered by this agreement, and
  • you’re a member of the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association (NZPPTA).

Community Education Collective Agreement 2022-2025

Who is covered by the individual employment agreement

You need to sign an individual employment agreement (IEA) if:

  • your work is covered by the collective agreement, but
  • you're not a member of the NZPPTA.

The Ministry of Education develops and approves the IEA. The terms and conditions of your work are similar to the collective agreement.

Your pay under the collective agreement

For information about your pay refer to part 3 of the collective agreement.

Part 3: Community Education Collective Agreement 

Tutors

Tutors instruct classes or courses in an ACE or OOHMA programme.

As a tutor, your minimum hourly rates are set out in clause 3.1 of the collective agreement. Your pay step depends on your qualifications and experience.

Clause 3.1: Community Education Collective Agreement

Coordinators

Coordinators manage the ACE or OOHMA programme for a school.

As a coordinator, you are either a:

  • teaching coordinator: you're either currently employed as a teacher or were previously employed as a teacher but no longer teach at the school, or
  • non-teaching coordinator: you're not a teaching coordinator.

Different terms and conditions apply to each category of ACE or OOHMA coordinator. These are set out in clause 3.2 of the collective agreement.

Clause 3.2: Community Education Collective Agreement

Teaching coordinators currently working as a teacher at the school

This information applies to ACE staff only.

On top of your normal teaching salary, you're eligible for a time allowance ranging from 1-10 weekly teaching half days over the year depending on your FTE.

Clause 3.2: Community Education Collective Agreement 

If you are the coordinator with overall responsibility for the programme you will also receive a responsibility allowance of up to $5,989 per annum, depending on your FTE. You'll get this allowance as long as you haven’t already been allocated a unit or 3R payment for your ACE role that's more than the coordinator’s allowance.

Clause 3.2.4: Community Education Collective Agreement

Teaching coordinators who previously taught at the school

You are paid your salary when you were teaching, unless you agree more generous terms with your employer in writing. 

Clause 3.2.2: Community Education Collective Agreement

The coordinator with overall responsibility for the programme is eligible for a coordinator's allowance, depending on the size of your position (FTE). You will get this allowance as long as you are not receiving a unit for 3R payment for your ACE role that's more than the coordinator's allowance.

Non-teaching coordinators

Your minimum hourly rates are set out in clause 3.2.3 of the collective agreement.

Clause 3.2.3: Community Education Collective Agreement

You'll be on grade 1, 2 or 3, depending on your duties and responsibilities. The grades are explained in part 2 of the collective agreement.

Part 2: Community Education Collective Agreement

Professional supervisors

You are a professional supervisor if you are employed to assist the coordinator and your duties include assessing, guiding and coaching tutors. 

Your minimum hourly rates are set out in clause 3.3.

Clause 3.3: Community Education Collective Agreement

Coordinator assistants

You are a coordinator assistant if you are employed to assist the coordinator and your duties don't include assessing, guiding and coaching tutors. 

Your minimum hourly rates are set out in clause 3.4.

Clause 3.4 - Community Education Collective Agreement

Allowances under the collective agreement

If you are required to use your own car for work purposes, you can get an allowance under clause 5.1 of the collective agreement of $0.62 cents or $0.47 cents per kilometre, depending on the distance travelled. 

Clause 5.1: Community Education Collective Agreement

Leave under the collective agreement

The different types of leave you're entitled to are covered in part 4 of the collective agreement.

Part 4: Community Education Collective Agreement

If you're a teaching coordinator who is currently teaching at the school, your leave entitlements are covered in the relevant teachers' collective agreement.

Annual leave and holiday pay

Annual leave entitlements are set out in clause 4.2 of the collective agreement.

Clause 4.2: Community Education Collective Agreement

If you are employed for a fixed term for less than 12 months or you are irregularly employed (see section 28 of the Holidays Act 2003), you will be paid holiday pay of 8% of your gross earnings.

Section 28: Holidays Act 2003 – NZ Legislation(external link)

If you are not employed in this way, you will get 4 weeks’ annual leave each year. This would usually apply if you are a non-teaching coordinator.

Sick and bereavement leave

Sick leave and bereavement leave entitlements are set out in clause 4.3-4.4 of the collective agreement.

This entitles you to the leave allowed in the Holidays Act 2003, although you may agree more generous terms with your employer. For more information refer to clause 4.3.

Clause 4.3: Community Education Collective Agreement

You become eligible for sick leave and bereavement leave when:

  • you've worked for 6 continuous months; or
  • over 6 months you've worked on average 10 hours a week (with at least 1 hour every week) and at least 40 hours every month in that period.

After 6 months you're entitled to 10 days’ sick leave a year, which you can carry over to a maximum of 20 days. You can use your sick leave to care for a sick dependent person. You also become entitled to bereavement leave as set out in clause 4.3.

Clause 4.3: Community Education Collective Agreement

Parental leave

Parental leave is granted by the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987.

It applies to a birth mother, their partner/spouse and people who adopt a child aged under 6.

Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 – NZ Legislation(external link)

Parental leave covers 4 types of leave.

  • Primary carer leave: Mothers and employees who are going to have the primary responsibility for a child (under 6 years) can get up to 26 weeks off work from around the time of birth or from the time you become the primary carer for the child in the case of adoption, home for life or whāngai.
  • Partner/paternity leave: If your partner has had a baby or you have adopted a child together, you can take up to 2 weeks off.
  • Extended leave: You may be able to extend your parental leave for an extra 52 weeks.
  • Special leave: Pregnant woman can have up to 10 days’ pregnancy-related leave.

You need to apply to your employer before taking parental leave. The usual notice required is 3 months but this can be reduced in some circumstances, such as if an adoption is arranged in a short time.

The Employment New Zealand website explains how to apply for parental leave.

Parental leave – Employment New Zealand(external link)

Parental leave payment

If you qualify for the parental leave payment, it is paid through Inland Revenue. You need to apply for this payment and your school must confirm that you are entitled to parental leave. 

If you work part time, information on the Employment New Zealand website can also help you work out your parental leave payment.

Parental leave payment – Employment New Zealand(external link)

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