52. Community Language Allowance Scheme

52.  Community Language Allowance Scheme (CLAS)

(a) Staff members who possess a basic level of competence in a community language and who work in locations where their community language is utilised at work to assist clients and such staff members are not:

(1) Employed as interpreters and translators; and

(2) Employed in those positions where particular language skills are an integral part of essential requirements of the position,

shall be paid an allowance as specified in Item 17 of Table 1 - Allowances of Part B Monetary Rates, subject to subclauses (b) and (c).

(b) The base level of the CLAS is paid to staff members who:

(1) are required to meet occasional demands for language assistance (there is no regular pattern of demand for their skill); and

(2) have passed an examination administered by the Community Relations Commission, or who have a National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) language Recognition award..

(c) The higher level of CLAS is paid to staff members who meet the requirements for the base level of payment and:

(1) are regularly required to meet high levels of customer demand involving a regular pattern of usage of the staff member's language skills, as determined by the Department Head; or

(2) have achieved qualifications of NAATI interpreter level or above. This recognises that staff with higher levels of language skill will communicate with an enhanced degree of efficiency and effectiveness.