By Mardi O'Keefe
It’s O-Week! While the focus of orientation is essentially to induct you into your new role of doctor, there are a couple of important industrial matters specific to O-Week that we want to make you aware of. Taking some time to prepare now will help ensure you are work ready and have covered the essentials before your first rotation on Monday 12.
Mandatory training
As a new employee, you will be required to complete certain mandatory training as part of your onboarding. Any training/qualification that was not a requirement to apply for the job must be done in paid time. This can be in the form of time during your working week, or as overtime.
If you have been directed to do training before starting or in your own time, you are entitled to be paid for that. You should claim it on your first timesheet as overtime. It is important that you make the claim, we cannot follow up on the non-payment until you do.
Annual leave
As an intern your health service has likely already given you a schedule for when they want you to take annual leave for the next 12 months. If you are happy with that then there is no action required.
However, if you have a significant personal event or a specific time you want to take off then it is important that you inform Medical Workforce this week. Under your Employment Agreement you are entitled to leave at a time that is agreed between yourself and the health service, this means that neither party can dictate when leave will be taken. The health service has an additional obligation in that they cannot ‘unreasonably withhold’ their agreement. So, the sooner you get your written request in the harder it will be for them to reasonably refuse. You must give 6 weeks’ notice in writing of you intention to take leave.
Mardi O’Keefe is the Director of Engagement & Professional Growth at AMA Victoria.