Staff know and receive their entitlements

Hiring and managing a staff member

This guide to hiring an employee provides free, practical information to help organisations understand their responsibilities as employers, including recruitment, pay, workplace rights, safety, and ending employment. It is a helpful starting point for toy library committees.

The toy library hiring and managing staff roadmap builds on this information by providing a clear, step-by-step pathway, covering financial planning, position descriptions, recruitment, payroll, contracts, induction, training, performance reviews, and pay increases to support fair, compliant, and effective staff management.

Understanding your legal obligations and abiding by them

1. Fair Work Act

2. National Employment Standards (NES)

3. Modern Awards - Toy Libraries Australia have historically been provided the advice to use the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (MA000100) from the Fair Work Ombudsman

4. Tax & Superannuation

5. Work Health and Safety

   1. Worker Compensation

   2. Work Place Discrimintion Employment Overview - A Committee's Obligations

Employment conditions must comply with relevant Australian workplace laws and awards. Committees should ensure staff receive the correct pay and entitlements, and that records are maintained in accordance with Fair Work requirements.

Providing staff with clear employment documentation, induction, and ongoing communication supports positive working relationships and ensures both the employee and the toy library understand their responsibilities.

Templates in this section provide examples of employment documentation to support toy libraries in meeting their obligations.

When questions arise about employment conditions, pay, awards, or workplace rights, the first point of contact should be Fair Work Australia. Fair Work provides free, independent advice about Australian workplace laws, including minimum pay rates, awards, leave entitlements, employment types, and employer obligations.

Many toy libraries are small volunteer-run organisations, and committee members may not have formal HR or employment law experience. Contacting Fair Work directly can help ensure you receive accurate advice and avoid misunderstandings or unintended non-compliance.

You can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for advice on 13 13 94 or visit www.fairwork.gov.au for guides, pay calculators, and information about awards such as the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS Award MA000100), which commonly applies to toy library roles.

If an employee raises a concern about their pay or employment conditions, best practice is to contact Fair Work together. Calling together helps ensure everyone hears the same information and reduces the risk of miscommunication. It also demonstrates transparency, respect, and a shared commitment to resolving the issue fairly.

Approaching employment questions collaboratively helps maintain trust between staff and committees, and supports a positive and professional working environment.

Employment Lifecycle

Employing staff involves a series of stages that support both the organisation and the employee from the moment a role is identified through to when employment ends. Following a clear employment lifecycle helps toy libraries meet their legal obligations and create positive, professional workplaces.

1. Identifying the Need and Defining the Role

Employment begins when a toy library identifies a need for paid work that cannot reasonably be done by volunteers. The committee should clearly define the purpose of the role, expected duties, reporting lines, hours of work, and required skills. This information forms the basis of a position description and helps determine the appropriate award classification and pay rate. You should ensure that your budget can afford the ongoing costs of the role.

2. Recruitment

Recruitment involves advertising the role, reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and selecting the most suitable applicant. Recruitment processes should be fair, transparent, and consistent. Toy libraries should ensure all applicants are treated respectfully and that selection decisions are based on the requirements of the role.

When advertising for the role, consider whether paid options such as Seek and Ethical Jobs will improve your pool of candidates, or whether the right person for the job might be found closer to home. The broader toy library community may yield opportunities for you, as well as within your own membership. Advertising through your social media channels and LinkedIn are also successful options.

Many toy libraries successfully recruit paid staff from within their membership, as these applicants often already understand the toy library’s operations, values, and community. However, when applicants are known to the interview panel, care should be taken to manage conflicts of interest by declaring relationships and, where appropriate, having those individuals step out of the recruitment process. In most toy libraries, paid staff are also not permitted to serve on the committee, to maintain clear governance and avoid conflicts between management and oversight roles.

3. Onboarding

Onboarding is the process of formally welcoming and preparing a new employee to begin work. This includes providing an employment contract, confirming pay and employment conditions, introducing policies (such as child safety and workplace conduct), and ensuring required checks or paperwork are completed.

If a toy library employs paid staff, the committee must ensure employment arrangements are clearly documented and that staff understand their pay and employment conditions.

Employment documentation should clearly outline:

• Type of employment (e.g. full-time, part-time, casual, fixed-term, contractor)

• Position description and duties

• Pay rate and applicable award or agreement

• Hours of work

• Leave entitlements (such as annual leave, personal leave and long service leave where applicable)

• Superannuation arrangements

• Workplace policies and expectations

• Reporting lines and supervision

Free contract building website -  https://employ.business.gov.au/ 

Employers must give every new employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS) before, or as a soon possible after, they start their new job.

There are separate information statements for those that are employed under a casual contract or fixed term contract.

4. Training and Development

Employees should receive the training and support needed to perform their role effectively. This may include learning toy library systems, safety procedures, customer service expectations, or toy maintenance processes. Ongoing learning opportunities help staff build confidence and improve service delivery. See Quality Standard 3.4 for further detail.

5. Feedback and Support

Regular communication between staff and the committee helps ensure expectations are clear and any issues are addressed early. Feedback may occur through informal conversations, check-ins with supervisors, or periodic performance discussions. Constructive feedback supports employee wellbeing and organisational improvement. More information about Support can be found in Quality Standard 3.3

6. Payroll and Employment Maintenance

Once employment begins, the organisation must manage ongoing employment obligations. This includes maintaining payroll records, paying correct wages and superannuation, tracking leave entitlements, and ensuring compliance with relevant workplace laws and awards.

7. Offboarding and Exit

Employment may end for many reasons, such as resignation, completion of a contract, or organisational change. Offboarding includes confirming final pay and leave balances, returning equipment or access, and documenting the end of employment. When possible, an exit conversation can provide helpful feedback to improve the workplace.

Following these stages helps toy libraries manage employment responsibly and ensures both staff and committees understand their roles and responsibilities throughout the employment relationship.

Further learning

Toy Libraries Australia produced content

Employing Staff Basics - Online Training  (recorded July 2025, 45 minutes)

Employing Staff Advanced - Online Training  (recorded July 2025, 45 minutes)