VPRS 10618 Salary History Cards

Full description

Salary History Cards provided an ongoing record of each employees classification, salary, salary deductions, entitlements, and work location. They provided evidence of employee and employer rights and obligations, both during and after the period of employment, and would have been subject to audit. They were maintained by the Education Departments Accounts Branch.

Information on the cards includes:

Name and date of birth;
Personal Record Number;
School number where employed (or location number for non-school based employees);
Position title (usually in abbreviated form eg. HT for Head-Teacher);
Classification;
Annual and fortnightly salary; and
Any allowances, salary additions or deductions (gross and net pay totals are shown).

Detailed sections exist for recording:

Additional information regarding salary deductions.
Leave details - study leave, leave without pay, long-service leave, etc. (this section was not always completed).
Insurance payments.

Provision was also made for recording:

Departmental file and correspondence numbers associated with any salary, position, or classification changes recorded on the cards (only occasionally filled in).
Auditors initials.


VPRS 10618 includes records for the following Education Department employees:

Primary Teachers;
Post-Primary Teachers;
Professional Officers; and
Public servants.

VPRS 10618 provides the only known record in P.R.O. custody relating to the employment of the following Education Department staff:

Primary Teachers;
Post-primary teachers post 1925/1926; and
Professional officers post 1946.


Background to the Education Departments Personnel Function

Over time responsibility for classifying and determining employment conditions for staff working within the Education Department shifted between the department and the Public Service Board/Public Service Commission (VA 886). Responsibility for maintaining service history records for different categories of staff has shifted accordingly.

The Public Service Act 1883 established separate provisions for the classification and employment of teachers (including junior assistants, assistants, pupil-teachers, sewing mistresses and students in training) as distinct from public servants (clerical and professional officers) working within the department. The Education Department is believed to have assumed responsibility for maintaining Service History records for the teaching body. Responsibility for maintaining Service History records for staff other than teachers was assumed by the Public Service Board (although the situation is not so clear cut for post-primary teachers see below).

In 1946 a teaching-service was established, independent of the public service under the control of a teachers tribunal (Teaching Service Act 1946). The teaching service was defined to include professional officers as well as primary and post-primary teachers. The Education Department is believed to have assumed responsibility for maintaining the records of professional officers from this time. Classification and employment conditions for clerical/administrative staff working within the department continued to be determined by the Public Service Board/Public Service Commission (and their records maintained accordingly).

There is some uncertainty surrounding the circumstances of post-primary teachers prior to the establishment of a separate secondary classification system by the Teachers Act 1925. The Public Service Board is known to have maintained records for post-primary teachers until their transfer to the Classified Roll (Secondary) in 1926. However, responsibility may have varied between the department and the board depending on individual circumstance. The department is believed to have assumed responsibility for maintaining the records of post-primary teachers after 1926 (trade inspectors, however, appear to have remained the responsibility of the Public Service Board until 1946).

With the passing of the Education Service Act 1981 the distinction between the teaching service and the public service within the Education Department was removed. The act established an Education Service defined to include teachers, principals and all other persons necessary to provide effective administration and services for the Education Department [Part II, Division 1, Section 3]. The Teachers Tribunal was abolished in late 1982. The implications of this change have not been researched.


Employment History Records in P.R.O custody for Education Department Employees

Public servants

VPRS 4402 Registers of Officers, 1884-1924
VPRS 9889 Record Cards of Public Servants, 1925-1977

Professional officers (prior to 1946)

VPRS 4402 Registers of Officers, 1884-1924
VPRS 9889 Record Cards of Public Servants, 1925-1977

Employment history records for professional officers, post 1946 are not in P.R.O. custody.

Post-primary teachers (prior to 1926):

VPRS 4402 Registers of Officers, 1884-1924
VPRS 9889 Record Cards of Public Servants, 1925-1977

Employment history records for post-primary teachers, post 1926, are not in P.R.O. custody.


Other Salary Records in P.R.O. custody for Education Department employees

The P.R.O. maintains several series of salary history cards for Emergency Teachers, Casual and Relief Typists, and Adult Migrant Education Teachers for the period 1960s to c1981. Researchers are advised to consult the series recorded for the Education Department (VA 714) in the List of Holdings or the Summary Guide for details.

For the period up to 1929 salary records for public servants working in the Department may be found in registers maintained by the Auditor General (VA 1031); for example, VPRS 1986 Salary Registers C2, 1879-1929. Researchers are advised to consult the series recorded for the Auditor General in the List of Holdings or the Summary Guide for details. Researchers should note, however, that these records have not been fully researched in relation to the maintenance of salary records for Education Department staff.