Download: PERSEC3 Guidance (PDF, 807.8 KB)

Date of first approval: 20 April 2020

Date of review: 30 November 2022

Next review date: December 2024

Purpose

This policy sets out how South Australian Government agencies can manage any risks when people stop working for them, including ensuring departing employees maintain the requirement to protect South Australian Government information and resources.

In this context, employee separation includes:

  1. employees leaving an agency, via transfer to another agency, resignation from the public sector or end of contract
  2. those whose employment has been terminated for any reason [1]
  3. employees transferring either temporarily or permanently to another state, territory or Commonwealth Government agency
  4. those taking extended leave [2]

This policy is to be applied in conjunction with South Australian Protective Security Framework (SAPSF) policies Recruiting employees and Maintaining employee suitability

[1] For employees covered by the Public Sector Act 2009, section 54 outlines potential grounds for termination. Additionally, some agencies may have other applicable legislation outlining termination provisions.

[2] This policy does not define a period of time for where ‘extended leave’ applies. See Extended leave for more guidance.

Core Requirement

Securely manage the separation of all employees

Supporting Requirements

To ensure the secure separation of all employees, agencies [3] must:

  1. remove access to South Australian Government information and resources
  2. ensure sponsorship of security cleared employees [4] is withdrawn or transferred
  3. remind separating employees of their ongoing security obligations
  4. share information of security concern with the appropriate stakeholders or authorities [5]
  5. manage any residual risks following the individual's departure

[3] This policy applies to all South Australian public sector agencies (as defined in section 3(1) of the Public Sector Act 2009) and to any other person or organisation that is generally subject to the direction of a Minister of the Crown; all of which are referred to in this policy as “Agencies”.

[4] Including eligibility waivers and conditional security clearance holders

[5] Depending on the level of concern this may include the ASE, clearance sponsor, authorised vetting agency or the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)

Resources