Teaching Service Grievances
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The Right to a Grievance Review
Executive class, principals, assistant principals, teachers, casual relief teachers, education support staff and school council employees may be eligible to lodge a SELECTION or PERSONAL grievance in accordance with the provisions of the current applicable Act or Order. See Ministerial Orders on HRWeb.
Grounds for review can be found in the following:
• Principal selection: Ministerial Order 1006
• Teaching Service selection: Part 9 of Ministerial Order 1388
• Teaching Service personal: Part 5 of Ministerial Order 1388
• School Council Employees personal: Part 5 of Ministerial Order 1389
Executive Class, principal, teacher and education support class employees grievance applications must be lodged within 14 days of notification of the decision. Applications lodged outside of the 14 day period are considered to be out of time and may not proceed.
Appellants should make every effort to seek written confirmation of the decision which has given rise to the grievance. Where an applicant is provided only with verbal advice of a decision, a grievance can still be lodged. In some circumstances the decision maker may be asked by the Registrar to provide written advice of their decision should they fail to provide this to the appellant.
If a PERSONAL grievance is lodged outside of the 14 day period, the applicant may request a Merit Protection Board consider the “special circumstances” which have led to the late application. Where the special circumstances are accepted by a Merit Protection Board a late application will proceed.
Special circumstances can include:
• medical emergencies;
• documentation incorrectly dated by either party;
• incorrect legal or representative advice; or
• written decisions not provided in a timely manner.
If a PERSONAL grievance is lodged outside of the 14 day period without a request for special circumstances to be considered, a Merit Protection Board may offer the appellant the opportunity to do so. This opportunity will only be provided to those applications that a Merit Protection Board determines fall within the jurisdiction of the Board to hear and determine. The fact that an applicant is not aware of the MPB or their right to lodge a grievance is unlikely to be considered a special circumstance.
A written copy of a Merit Protection Board's determination is sent to the appellant; the decision maker; the Secretary of the Department;
and the Executive Director, Schools Human Resources.
Teaching Service Grievance Brochure
Email or Post
Download the 
Grievance Application Form (docx - 94.12kb)* and email or post to:
Merit Protection Boards
Level 4, 2 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne 3000
email: meritboards@education.vic.gov.au
Please note you must provide a copy of the written decision which is the subject of your grievance application.
Telephone Assistance
Telephone (03) 7022 0040 for assistance. Please note that grievances must be lodged in writing.
*Record Number on the grievance application form means your T0 number.
The Merit Protection Boards (MPB) will use the information collected on the Grievance Application Form for the purpose of assessing, managing and responding to a grievance. This includes, however is not limited to, such activities as determining the Board's jurisdiction to hear a matter, scheduling of hearings and preparing a Board for the hearing.
The MPB will use or disclose personal and health information for the purpose for which it was collected such as preparing Board members for a hearing or communicating Board decisions to the appellant and their representative at the hearing (if any); the decision maker and their representative at the hearing (if any); the Secretary of the Department; and the Executive Director, Schools Human Resources.
Your comment will be sought if your data is to be used for purposes other than addressing the grievance process unless authorised or required by law. Your information is kept secure and confidential and managed in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and Health Records Act 2001.