Eight Department of Community Services staff abruptly removed from their Wollongong jobs will be allowed to return to work on Monday after a management backflip yesterday.
The surprised DOCS workers were told on Tuesday they were being transferred immediately when they received a letter from department director of general operations Annette Gallard.
The letter said fact-finding inspections had verified allegations of misconduct, unsatisfactory performance, an inappropriate sexualised workplace culture and questionable work practices.
Misconduct charges at DOCS shut down child response unitThe workers had reportedly received no warnings and were initially denied an explanation of the nature of the allegations.
However, Public Service Association regional organiser Felix Bronneberg yesterday said that because DOCS had not followed proper procedure, the letter would be withdrawn and the workers could go back to their jobs.
"If there are current issues of concern, the department is obliged to undertake proper fact-finding processes," he said.
The eight DOCS staff work in the Wollongong Joint Investigation Response Team (JIRT) with police.
The team handles the worst cases of child sexual and physical abuse and neglect from Helensburgh to the Victorian border.
Mr Bronneberg said the process had been hurtful to the DOCS workers.
"The local management basically used a sledgehammer to deal with some long-standing concerns in a unit managed jointly by police and DOCS," he said.
A DOCS spokeswoman said yesterday that external staff would now conduct a review in to work practices at the Wollongong JIRT.
She said DOCS staff would be able to return to the Wollongong office while the review was conducted and more staff and supervisors would be appointed to the office during the review period.
Community Services Minister Linda Burney told the Illawarra Mercury that she had asked for a full investigation and report.
"I'm going to wait to get that full report (before I make a statement)," she said. "I'm taking it seriously."
Ms Burney's spokeswoman had earlier said she did not know whether any fact-finding investigation had occurred before the DOCS staff were transferred and it was inappropriate to discuss the nature of the allegations made against DOCS staff.
Former sex discrimination commissioner and Opposition community services spokeswoman Pru Goward said she had never heard of workers being removed the way the DOCS staff had been.
"I can't believe they could move eight people without doing an investigation," she said.
"I have never heard of a workplace where the allegations were so serious that all eight staff had to be moved without investigation."
Ms Goward was scathing in her assessment of Ms Burney's performance.
"This is a minister who is asleep at the wheel," she said.
"She should know about things like this and take responsibility for it."
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