Concurrence for Principals

Agreement to pay additional remuneration to principal for duties performed beyond their normal responsibilities has to be sought from the Industrial Relations Unit on behalf of the Secretary for Education. Boards cannot pay any additional payment to principals without Ministry concurrence.

Any additional remuneration or benefit should be for the limited purpose of recognising and compensating the principal for the performance of additional duties or responsibilities that are for the benefit of their school and outside the scope of the normal duties and responsibilities of a principal.

• Period of Concurrence
• When to apply for a concurrence
• Funding for concurrence payments
• How do I apply?
• Granting of concurrence

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Period of Concurrence

Granted for one school year only, concurrence payments are paid fortnightly in addition to the principal's base salary.

The Board must reapply if the payment is to be continued for a further defined period.

New concurrence is required following the renegotiation and settlement of the applicable principal's collective agreements and offer of new IEA's.

When to apply for a concurrence

The concurrence payment should only be for those duties or responsibilities that are for the benefit of the school and that are outside the normal scope of the duties and responsibilities of the principal.

It is not for duties which are expected to be part of a principal's normal role or for reimbursement of a private expense, eg: health insurance.

Funding for concurrence payments

Concurrence payments are funded by the board from the school's Operational Funding. The board is liable for the payment. It must acknowledge that it accepts liability for the payment and has the finances available to pay the additional remuneration without it having a negative impact on the financial position of the school.

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How do I apply?

Step	Action
1	Consider what additional duties the principal is to perform for which concurrence is requested.
2	Make a record of the additional duties, remuneration and other relevant terms agreed to in a variation of the principal's employment agreement.
3	Send a letter to the Ministry of Education, Industrial Relations Unit for concurrence (PO Box 1666 Wellington). All applications must include: details or supporting documents explaining the principal's additional responsibilities the specific amount of the additional payment for which concurrence is requested written acknowledgement the board accepts liability for the payment and has the finances available to pay it acknowledgement the board is aware of the current applicable remuneration of the principal a copy of the full draft IEA where concurrence is sought to provide additional remuneration or benefits to a principal on an IEA that provides for different terms and conditions than the promulgated IEA (for employees on an IEA only).
4	Respond to any requests from the Ministry for further information.

Granting of concurrence

A letter will be sent from the Ministry confirming that concurrence has either been granted or declined.

Where concurrence is	then...
granted	the board will need to attach a copy of the letter granting concurrence together with a Pay Details Change Form for Teaching Staff ESP2t to its pay centre when requesting that these payments be made.
declined	the Ministry will advise the reasons in the letter. In appropriate cases, depending on the reasons for the decision, the Ministry can invite the board to re-apply at a later date.