Australian Capital Territory
Corrections Management (Prisoner Remuneration) Policy 2009
Notifiable instrument NI2009-153
made under the  
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14(1) (Corrections policies and operating procedures) 

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Corrections Management (Prisoner Remuneration) Policy 2009.
2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is notified.
3	Policy
I make the

Prisoner remuneration policy

attached to this instrument, to facilitate the effective and efficient management of correctional services.

James Ryan
Executive Director 
ACT Corrective Services
       25 March 2009

Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC)

Prisoner Remuneration Policy

Purpose
Authority
Policy
Principles
Unemployment Allowance
Prisoners on remand
Employment Profiles
Level 1 									2
Level 2 									2
Level 3 									2
Prisoners may be dismissed
Management of Remuneration System
Frequency of payment
Attendance
Public Holidays
Prisoner Working Hours
Industrial action
Remuneration rates
Forms/Templates
Related policies and procedures

Purpose
To outline the prisoner remuneration policy.

Authority
Legislation
Corrections Management Act 2007, section 14.

Policy
Principles
Prisoners must receive remuneration for participating in approved programs and employment. 

This policy is inclusive of all approved prison employment, criminogenic programs and vocational education and training courses, modules and certificates available at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

This policy provides for any combination of these approved program activities to be undertaken as having equal merit and rehabilitative value in relation to an approved Prisoner Rehabilitation Plan.

Three levels of remuneration are available based on the level of experience and knowledge required; level of responsibility/trust/initiative required; level of skill and ability required; and level of supervision. 
Education programs and activities that are not approved as part of the Prisoners Rehabilitation Plan are not remunerated in the prisoner wage system.

Unemployment Allowance
An unemployment allowance must be paid to Prisoners who:
•	are temporarily or permanently medically unfit for employment (a medical certificate must be provided);
•	for whom a work position is not currently available, including those on Management or Protection Orders; or
•	on remand unless they are in receipt of a higher rate of remuneration for approved program participation.

Prisoners on remand
Prisoners on remand are not required to be employed and where they do not work will be eligible for an unemployment allowance. If a remand prisoner chooses to work they must be paid in accordance with this procedure.

Prisoners on remand who undertake approved criminogenic programs and/or vocational education and training programs will be paid in accordance with this procedure.

Employment Profiles
Each program employment area must have an approved employment profile that sets out the number of positions available in the area and what level of remuneration is applied to each of theses positions.

Positions for Prisoners participating in approved criminogenic and approved vocational education and training programs as part of their Rehabilitation Plan will form part of the Alexander Maconochie Centre Prisoner employment profile. 

Prisoners will commence approved activities at Level 1 remuneration. A Prisoner may only be promoted to a higher Level of remuneration when an appropriate classified position becomes available. 

Level 1: 
Prisoner is actively engaged in approved criminogenic program, and/or education, and/or employment; or any combination of these approved activities as per the prisoners Rehabilitation Plan and performing at a consistently acceptable standard.

Level 2: 
Promotion to Level 2 will be based on merit, performance, experience, qualifications and involves accepting a high level of responsibility within the designated activity area/s. Appointment to Level 2 will involve job applications, interview, and current CV to be provided as per common external employment processes.

Level 3: 
Promotion to Level 3 will be based on merit, performance, experience, qualifications and involves accepting a high level of responsibility within the designated activity area/s. Appointment to Level 3 will involve job applications, interview, and current CV to be provided as per common external employment processes.
Prisoners may be dismissed
Prisoners may be stood down from an approved program by a work area supervisor for failing to met the minimum acceptable performance or behavioural requirements of the program area. The Prisoner Employment Manager will review the employment status of all Prisoners who have been stood down and may subsequently dismiss them from that employment position. 

Prisoners who are dismissed will be classified as Non Workers and will receive no remuneration from the date of dismissal for seven days. The Prisoner’s employment status will be reviewed at the end of the seven day period after which the Prisoner may either be re-employed or be classified as unemployed. The reasons for dismissal must be recorded and the prisoner notified accordingly.

Sentenced Prisoners who refuse to participate in any approved programs, including work must not receive any unemployment allowance or any remuneration.

Management of Remuneration System
Frequency of payment
Remuneration must be paid at least weekly to all prisoners entitled to its receipt.
Payment must be authorised by the Superintendent and processed in accordance with the Prisoner Trust Funds procedure.

Attendance
Attendance at approved programs will be monitored and recorded through the confirmation function in Prisoner Electronic Diary entries. Prisoner payments will then be made on the number of confirmed hours the prisoner has spent in approved activities at the identified level of remuneration. 

Payments will be made weekly into the Prisoners Trust Account based on the number of confirmed approved activity hours in each individual prisoner’s electronic diary and the level of approved remuneration.

Prisoners will not be paid for any unauthorised absence from an approved activity.

Public Holidays
Prisoners engaged in approved programs activities on a public holiday will be remunerated at the same Level as a standard day. 

Prisoner Working Hours
Prisoner working hours will be monitored to ensure compliance with area Employment Profiles. Prisoners will generally be required to complete a minimum of 30 approved program hours including employment per week. The maximum amount of remunerated hours is 42 per week. The Superintendent must ensure that all relevant provisions for workplace health and safety legislation are complied with at all times.

Industrial action
Prisoners must not be paid for participating in prisoner strikes involving the withdrawal of labour. If the Prisoners work program is affected by industrial action and resources are diverted elsewhere, remuneration must be paid at the normal rate.

Remuneration rates
Refer to appendix 1– Remuneration rates

Forms/Templates
Prisoner Employment Application Form
Prisoner Employment Agreement 

Related policies and procedures
Prisoner Employment Policy

Appendix 1 – Remuneration rates

Non Worker		Nil payment

Prisoners classified as Non Workers will not receive any remuneration.
This classification is for temporary use only and as such must be reviewed on a weekly basis.

Unemployment	Per hour	= $0.50 
Per 6 hr day	= $3.00
5 days only	= $15.00 per week maximum

Level 1 		Per hour	= $0.83 
Per 6 hr day	= $4.98
5 days 	= $24.90 per week maximum
6 days 	= $29.88 per week maximum
7days 		= $34.86 per week maximum

Level 2 		Per hour	= $1.17 
Per 6 hr day	= $7.02
5 days 	= $35.10 per week maximum
6 days 	= $42.12 per week maximum
7days 		= $49.14 per week maximum

Level 3 		Per hour	= $1.67 
Per 6 hr day	= $10.02
5 days 	= $50.10 per week maximum
6 days 	= $60.12 per week maximum
7days 		= $70.14 per week maximum