Public Service Classification Rules 2000

made under subsection 23(1) of the

Public Service Act 1999

Compilation No. 5

Compilation start date:  5 June 2025

Includes amendments up to: F2025L00646

About this compilation

The compiled instrument

This is a compilation of the Public Service Classification Rules 2000  that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 5 June 2025 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending Acts and instruments and the amendment history of each amended provision.

Uncommenced provisions and amendments

If a provision of the compiled Act is affected by an uncommenced amendment, the text of the uncommenced amendment is set out in the endnotes.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for amendments

If the operation of an amendment is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision, the provision is set out in the endnotes.

Modifications

If a provision of the compiled instrument is affected by a textual modification that is in force, the text of the modifying provision is set out in the endnotes.

Provisions ceasing to have effect

If a provision of the compiled Act has expired or otherwise ceased to have effect in accordance with a provision of the Act, details of the provision are set out in the endnotes.

Contents

1 Name of Rules

2 Commencement

4 Definitions—the dictionary

5 Approved classifications

6 Classification of APS employees: general

7 Classification of APS employees: section 26 agreement

8 Classification of SES employees

9 Classification of duties

10 Work level standards for classifications other than APS Level, Executive Level or SES classifications

11 Movement from a training classification

12 Reduction of classification of APS employee

13 Delegation

14 Transitional provisions relating to the Public Service Classification Amendment (Work Level Standards and Other Measures) Rule 2014

Schedule 1—Approved classifications

Schedule 2—Training classifications

Dictionary

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

1  Name of Rules

  These Rules are the Public Service Classification Rules 2000.

2  Commencement

  These Rules commence on gazettal.

4  Definitions—the dictionary

 (1) The dictionary at the end of these Rules defines certain words and expressions, and includes references to certain words and expressions that are defined elsewhere in these Rules (signpost definitions).

Note: The dictionary only includes a signpost definition for a word or expression if the word or expression is used in more than one rule.

 (3) A definition in these Rules applies to each use of the word or expression in these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears.

5  Approved classifications

  For the purposes of these Rules, a classification is an approved classification if it is:

 (a) a classification under a modern award or a transitional APCS as in force at a particular time or as in force from time to time; or

 (b) a classification mentioned in column 2 of Schedule 1; or

 (c) a training classification mentioned in column 2 of Schedule 2.

Note: Subsection 23(2) of the Act provides that the Classification Rules may apply, adopt or incorporate, with or without modification, any of the provisions of a modern award or a transitional APCS, as in force at a particular time or as in force from time to time.

6  Classification of APS employees: general

 (1) An Agency Head must allocate an approved classification to each APS employee in the Agency.

 (2) Subject to rule 7, the classification must be based on the group of duties that are determined by the Agency Head to be the duties to be performed by the employee in the Agency (other than duties temporarily assigned to the employee).

7  Classification of APS employees: section 26 agreement

 (1) This rule applies to an Agency Head if:

 (a) an ongoing APS employee moves to the Agency Head’s Agency in accordance with an agreement entered into under section 26 of the Act; and

 (b) the agreed movement is a temporary move.

 (2) The Agency Head must not comply with rule 6.

 (3) The Agency Head must allocate to the employee:

 (a) the approved classification that was allocated to the employee immediately before moving to the Agency; or

 (b) another approved classification that is in the same group as the classification mentioned in paragraph (a).

 (4) The allocation of a classification in accordance with subrule (3) does not prevent the employee from:

 (a) performing the duties that are to be performed by the employee following the move to the Agency; and

 (b) receiving the pay and other entitlements that are to be paid to the employee following the move to the Agency.

8  Classification of SES employees

  For section 34 of the Act, an APS employee is classified as an SES employee if the employee's classification is any of the following approved classifications:

 (a) Senior Executive Band 1;

 (b) Senior Executive Band 2;

 (c) Senior Executive Band 3.

9  Classification of duties

 (1) An Agency Head must allocate an approved classification to each group of duties to be performed in the Agency.

 (2) The allocation of an approved classification to a group of duties must be based on the work value of the group of duties.

 (2A) The allocation of an APS Level classification, Executive Level classification or SES classification to a group of duties must be based on the work value of the group of duties described in the work level standards for that classification issued, in writing, by the Commissioner (as those standards exist on 1 December 2014).

 (3) If a training classification is allocated to a group of duties, the Agency Head must ensure that the duties include a requirement to undergo training.

 (4) If a group of duties to be performed in an Agency involves work value applying to more than one classification, the Agency Head may allocate more than one classification (called a broadband) to the group of duties.

 (5) However, subrule (4) does not apply to a group of duties to be performed by an SES employee.

10  Work level standards for classifications other than APS Level, Executive Level or SES classifications

  An Agency Head must issue, in writing, work level standards for each classification, other than an APS Level classification, Executive Level classification or SES classification, describing the work value of the group of duties to be performed in the Agency at that classification.

11  Movement from a training classification

 (1) If an APS employee who is employed at a training classification satisfactorily finishes each training requirement for the training classification, the Agency Head must allocate to the employee a classification mentioned in column 3 of Schedule 2 that relates to the employee’s training classification.

 (2) Subrule (1) does not apply to a non-ongoing non-SES employee engaged for a specified term for the purpose mentioned in subparagraph 13(4)(c)(i) of the Public Service Regulations 2023.

12  Reduction of classification of APS employee

  For the purposes of subsection 23(4) of the Act, the classification of an APS employee is reduced if the Agency Head allocates to the employee a classification that is in a lower classification group than the employee’s classification before the reduction.

13  Delegation

 (1) An Agency Head may, in writing, delegate to a person any of the Agency Head’s powers or functions under these Rules (other than this rule).

 (2) However, an Agency Head cannot delegate powers or functions to an outsider (within the meaning of subsection 78(8) of the Act) without the prior written consent of the Commissioner.

 (3) A person (the first delegate) to whom powers or functions are delegated under subrule (1) may, in writing, delegate any of the powers or functions to another person (the second delegate).

 (4) However, if the first delegate is subject to directions about the exercise of a power or function delegated under subrule (3), the first delegate must give corresponding directions to the second delegate.

 (5) A power or function that is exercised or performed by a person under a delegation under subrule (3) is taken, for the purposes of these Rules, to have been exercised or performed by the person who originally delegated the corresponding power or function under subrule (1).

 (6) A person exercising powers or functions under a delegation under this rule must comply with any directions of the Agency Head who delegated the power or function.

14  Transitional provisions relating to the Public Service Classification Amendment (Work Level Standards and Other Measures) Rule 2014

 (1) Despite the amendments of rules 9 and 10 and the Dictionary made by Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Public Service Classification Amendment (Work Level Standards and Other Measures) Rule 2014:

 (a) an approved classification that, before 1 December 2014, was allocated to a group of duties to be performed in an Agency continues to have effect on and after that day; and

 (b) work level standards for a classification, other than an APS Level classification or Executive Level classification, that were in effect under rule 10 immediately before 1 December 2014 continue to have effect on and after that day as if they had been issued under rule 10 as in force on or after that day.

 (2) However, if an Agency Head allocates an APS Level classification, Executive Level classification or SES classification to a group of duties on or after 1 December 2014, the allocation must be done in accordance with these Rules as in force on or after that day.

Note: The effect of this subrule is that the allocation would need to be based on the work value of the group of duties described in the work level standards for the relevant classification issued, in writing, by the Commissioner (see subrule 9(2A)).

Schedule 1—Approved classifications

(paragraph 5(b))

Schedule 2—Training classifications

(rules 5 and 11)

Dictionary  

(rule 3)

Note 1: See rule 4.

Note 2: A number of expressions used in these Rules are defined in the Act, including the following:

(a) Agency;

(b) Agency Head;

(c) APS employee;

(d) modern award;

(e) SES;

(f) SES employee.

Act means the Public Service Act 1999.

approved classification see rule 5.

APS Level classification means any of the following classifications mentioned in column 2 of Schedule 1:

 (a) APS Level 1;

 (b) APS Level 2;

 (c) APS Level 3;

 (d) APS Level 4;

 (e) APS Level 5;

 (f) APS Level 6.

classification includes a training classification.

classification group means a group of classifications mentioned in column 1 of Schedule 1.

Executive Level classification means either of the following classifications mentioned in column 2 of Schedule 1:

 (a) Executive Level 1;

 (b) Executive Level 2.

SES classification means the classifications of Senior Executive Band 1, Senior Executive Band 2 and Senior Executive Band 3.

training classification means a classification mentioned in column 2 of Schedule 2.

transitional APCS has the meaning given by subsection 23(6) of the Act.

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Endnotes about misdescribed amendments and other matters are included in a compilation only as necessary.

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe the amendment to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, the amendment is incorporated into the compiled law and the abbreviation “(md)” added to the details of the amendment included in the amendment history.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is set out in the endnotes.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history