Recruitment, retention and responsibility (3R) payment
An allowance that boards may decide to pay teachers from their bulk grant, to recognise an extra responsibility a teacher has taken on, or to achieve recruitment or retention goals.
Primary teachers
The 3R allowance is part of the Primary Teachers Collective Agreement 2023-2025, and the rate is $2,750 per annum. This can be paid permanently or for a fixed term, as set out in clause 3.26 of the collective agreement.
Clause 3.26 – Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement
Authorised users can add or update the 3R allowance for primary teachers in EdPay.
See Allowance changes (EdPay training)
Secondary and area school teachers
Although the 3R allowance is not part of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement or Area Schools Teacher's Collective Agreement, boards can offer a 3R allowance which is paid in whole or half units, permanently or for a fixed term.
The 3R allowance for secondary and area school teachers can be added by sending a Pay details change form (NOVO2t) or an Allowance change for teachers form (NOVO16t)
| Sector |
Payment |
| Primary teachers |
Paid in half and whole units of $2750
eg $1,375, $2,750, $4,125, $5,500
|
| Secondary teachers |
Paid in half and whole units of $4000
eg $2,000, $4,000, $6,000, $8,000
|
| Area teachers |
Paid in half and whole units of $4000
eg $2,000, $4,000, $6,000, $8,000
|
.
See EdPay and forms
What effect does it have on a teacher's income?
The payment:
- is paid fortnightly with the teacher's base salary
- is not the same as a salary unit
- does not affect normal salary progression
- does not allow a teacher to progress past their qualification group's maximum salary step
- is not payable as a bonus
- is divisible by two with both parts being allocated
- is not pro-rated for part-time staff
- for primary teachers is to be paid at the rate in the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement
When the following conditions are met boards can allocate without Ministry approval
- Boards must consult with teaching staff about school priorities before they allocate payments.
- There is no limit to the number of recruitment, retention and responsibility payments, but as payments are ongoing liabilities for the board they must be affordable from bulk grant.
- A board is responsible for the Government Superannuation Fund employer subsidy, if it allocates a recruitment, retention and responsibility payment permanently or for 24 months or more.
How to withdraw a payment
A board may withdraw payment if it gives:
- two-months' notice to a secondary or area teacher
- two-terms' notice to a primary teacher.