Contact Officer Allowance

[brobinson]

Hi,
I've just started a new workplace where a workplace Contact Officer is paid an allowance of $20 per fortnight. Does anyone else's workplace pay Contact Officers an allowance? I am unable to find it referenced in any agreements, awards etc and no-one seems to be able to tell me how or why it was introducted.
Thanks!

[Cottoneyes]

We don't pay contact officer allowances here, however there are about 4 other allowances that we pay to various people in the organisation with no reference to an award. Basically our company has purchased about 6 other companies over the last 20 years and taken on all of the employees from the companies. Some of these people had agreements with the old companies whereby they got paid the allowance and when transferred got to keep all of their entitlements. Might be some history there in you own org to look at.
We've tried to roll these into their base salary, had success with half of them, the other half feel some form of emotional attachment to receiving this extra amount and want it left as is.

[brobinson]

Thanks, that information is helpful! It sounds a bit similar, there are lots of historical things here and all of the organisation knowledge on those sorts of things have since left the business.

We have two contact officers at the moment, one is leaving the business so we will need to backfill and replace - hence I came across the allowance. Ideally would like to NOT pay the new person the allowance, but thats not really equitable as the other still receives it...

Thanks again!