1. The procedure for the appointment of an institution-based educator to a higher vacant and funded post in an acting capacity and information on the payment of an acting allowance in such cases, were communicated in Circulars 0031/2003 and 0045/2002. This minute supplements the provisions of the previous circulars.

2. The following procedures, as per the stipulations of Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) Collective Agreements 8/2001, 8/2002 and 1/2008, on the payment of acting allowances must be adhered to when nominating institution-based educators for appointment to a higher vacant and funded post in an acting capacity.
2.1 General measures

  1. Only an employee permanently employed by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) may be appointed to a higher vacant and funded post or in a post where the permanent incumbent is absent (subject to paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 below). Any contract appointment must thus be made on the higher post level.
  2. An educator, complying with the minimum requirements in paragraph 2(2) of Chapter B of the Personnel Administration Measures, shall be appointed by the institution head/principal to the higher vacant and funded post in an acting capacity in writing. The educator must therefore meet the minimum requirements of the higher post in order to qualify to act in that post and must accept or decline the appointment in writing.
  3. An educator shall assume all the responsibilities pertaining to the post for the period he/she is appointed.
  4. An educator may only be appointed to act in a higher vacant and funded post that is one level higher than his/her current position. Any deviations must be fully motivated and recommended by the circuit manager and district director.
  5. An acting allowance is the difference between the employee’s current salary notch (without benefits) and the starting salary notch of the higher vacant and funded post (without benefits).
  6. If an employee is on a salary notch (including a personal notch) higher than the starting salary notch of the higher vacant and funded post to which he or she is appointed, the acting allowance will be 6 notches.
  7. An acting allowance is non-pensionable.
  8. Where the acting appointment is at an institution or office that is geographically removed from the employee’s current place of work, the payment of an applicable subsistence and travel allowance shall also be considered.
2.2 Higher vacant and funded posts
An acting allowance will only be paid to an educator on the following conditions:

  1. The acting appointment is to a higher vacant and funded post.
  2. The period of appointment is uninterrupted and longer than six weeks, but limited to a maximum of 12 months.
  3. The post should be advertised and filled within 12 months of becoming vacant.
  4. A new application must be made for a period that exceeds 12 months. Such application will not be regarded as an extension and will be treated as a new application/contract/acting period.
  5. Compensation will be backdated to the date on which the educator commenced acting, provided that the first payment takes place in the month following the completion of the six weeks referred to in paragraph b) above.
2.3 Acting in a higher vacant and funded post where the permanent incumbent is absent

  1. If the period of acting is longer than 12 weeks but limited to a maximum of 12 months, an acting allowance will only be paid to an educator who acts in a post where the permanent incumbent is absent due to the following:
    1. Maternity leave
    2. Sick leave
    3. Suspension
    4. Secondment
    5. Approved special leave
  2. Compensation will be backdated to the date on which the educator commenced acting, provided that the first payment takes place in the month following the completion of the 12 weeks referred to in paragraph a) above.
3. The nomination process

  1. The institution head/principal must make the nomination.
  2. The institution head/principal must verify that the nomination adheres to prescripts and ensure that all documentation is attached before recommending and sending the application to the circuit manager.
  3. The governing body shall be requested to recommend to the WCED that the educator, nominated by the institution head/principal, is appointed to act in a higher vacant and funded post.
  4. Where there is more than one candidate, the principal and governing body must go through an objective selection process.
  5. The policy of the WCED also makes provision for excess staff or other suitably qualified employees in the section to be afforded the opportunity to act on a rotational basis.
4. The attached application form for an acting allowance must be submitted to the Director: Recruitment and Selection for the processing of payment. A full written motivation must accompany any deviation from the prescripts.

5. The authority to approve acting appointments for institution-based educators is vested in an official at post level 6 (circuit manager) from the district office in which the institution is situated. Every effort must be made to obtain approval before the commencement of an acting appointment.

6. The post being acted in should be advertised and filled within 12 months of becoming vacant except where the permanent incumbent is on maternity leave, on sick leave, suspended, seconded or on approved special leave. Such applications should be accompanied by a motivation.

7. Employees must note that their acting appointment does not give them a right to, or expectation of permanent appointment to the post as soon as it is advertised.

8. Kindly bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all employees.


SIGNED: L ELY
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: CORPORATE SERVICES
DATE: 2018:07:06

Nomination for an acting appointment  (size: 101 KB)