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Ingram Calls For School Workcover Concerns To Be AddressedIndependent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has raised concerns with the Education Services Minister, Jacinta Allen, concerning a Workcover impost on Victoria’s schools. By news@gippsland - 13th November 2003 - Back to News "I have had discussions with representatives from schools in my electorate who are extremely concerned about the impact of the move to require schools to fund the Workcover performance costs from their budgets, up to a capped $10,000," Mr Ingram said.
"The schools argue that they have limited ability to influence Workcover performance other than providing a safe and enjoyable place of work
"There is a view that this decision could impact on the employment of some teachers and could discriminate against older teachers or those teachers seen as a greater risk of stress related claims.
"Schools are quite concerned about the potential impact of this decision on the finances of their school."
Mr Ingram said some schools have been impacted with the full $10,000 and this money will have to come from other school programs.
"The schools believe that the principle of this decision is wrong in that the teachers are employed by the education department," he said.
"The department pays the teachers wages and therefore should also pay the Workcover fees.
"There is also an impact on a principal’s ability to have any influence on underperforming teachers in that any action that could cause a teacher to take stress related leave would be a major financial penalty to the school.
"In rural areas, there is also a strong community link and if it became public that a school was being financially penalised because of a teacher’s Workcover claim it could lead to prejudice against a teacher.
"I have called on the Minister for Education services to address these concerns," Mr Ingram concluded.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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