Using your personal vehicle for work
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 6, 16 August 2019, page no. 27
The QTU recently engaged in a dispute with the Central Queensland Region over a decision not to pay members their kilometric allowances for using their personal motor vehicle for work purposes.
The Teaching in State Education Award – State 2016 states that “where the Department of Education requires an employee to use their own vehicle in or in connection with the performance of their duties, the employee shall be paid an allowance for each kilometre of authorised travel”.
It is unfortunate that the Central Queensland Region’s unwillingness to honour this clause forced the QTU to refer the dispute to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission for a resolution. Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and the Commissioner recommended that the member be paid the kilometric allowance that they were entitled to.
To avoid another situation resulting in members being denied their entitlements, the QTU is urging anybody who currently uses their personal vehicles for work purposes to seek urgent clarification as to whether this travel is approved, whether they should be accessing a departmental vehicle instead, or whether the travel should cease.
The QTU advises that you should seek written advice from your principal regarding:
whether you are required to use your personal vehicle for the travel undertaken in connection with the performance of your duties, and therefore have authorisation for this travel and will subsequently be paid a kilometric allowance, or
an explanation of the process for accessing a departmental vehicle, confirmation of eligibility to access such a vehicle, confirmation of the availability of departmental vehicles in your geographical area, and what steps you should take if there is no departmental vehicle available for use on a day you need to travel as part of the performance of your duties.
It is important to seek this clarification as a matter of urgency, because, in the view of this particular region at least, members should not be using their personal vehicles at all, unless there is prior approval.
More information can be accessed by viewing the Motor Vehicle Allowances Directive at https://www.forgov.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/186276/2016-20-motor-vehicle-allowances.pdf
Members who have questions regarding this matter should contact their Organiser as soon as possible.