Job Share

Policy: HR08

Policy Descriptor Job-sharing is when two (or sometimes more) people share the responsibility, pay and benefits of a full-time job. The job shares share the pay and benefits in proportion to the hours each works. They may split days, split weeks or alternate weeks, or their hours may overlap.

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Document Control Policy Ref No & Title: HR08 Job Share Version: v4.2 Replaces / dated: Previous policy dated October 2016 Author(s) Job Title: Workforce Business Partner Ratifying committee: Local Partnership Forum

Director / Sponsor: Deputy Director of Workforce and OD

Primary Readers: All Staff Staff groups who the Policy Author believes will benefit from Additional Readers having knowledge of the new policy Date ratified: 16 October 2019 Date issued: October 2019 Date for review: October 2021 Date archived:

Contents

1. Introduction ...... 3

2. Purpose ...... 3

3. Duties within the Organisation ...... 3

4. Definitions ...... 3

5. Recruitment ...... 3

6. Selection ...... 4

7. Supervision and distribution of Work ...... 4

8. Job Share Agreement ...... 5

9. Terms and Conditions of Employment ...... 5

10. When One Partner Leaves ...... 6

11. Appeals ...... 6

12. Evaluation and Review ...... 7

13. Agreement ...... 7

14. References ...... 7

15. Acknowledgements ...... 7

2 1. Introduction

1.1. This policy applies to all employees of The Trust and reflects the organisation's commitment to equal opportunities in employment and to the provision of more flexible and accessible job opportunities for the benefit of existing and prospective new staff.

1.2. The advantages of job share include two people bringing a wider range of skills, experience, views and ideas to the post. Job sharing is also particularly useful for carers or parents of young children and can help support return to works following Maternity, Paternity or Adoption leave.

1.3. Managers should note extra costs of induction and training, as well as recruitment time when considering job share. Consideration should be given to the supervision of staff and allocation of work for those who may share more than one manager.

2. Purpose

2.1. The aims of this policy are:

 To increase accessibility of jobs which have traditionally been full time  To improve equality of opportunity for all Devon Partnership Trust employees, and prospective employees.  To enable the retention of staff by offering an alternative to full-time employment

3. Duties within the Organisation

3.1. All posts within the Trust may be eligible for job share under the terms of this policy and each request shall therefore be considered on its own merit. Requests made in line with the Trusts Flexible Working Policy will be subject to an annual review. See Flexible Working Policy (HR47) for more information.

3.2. Managers must consider all the advantages and disadvantages of job share arrangements when considering any requests. See Flexible Working Policy (HR47) for more information.

4. Definitions

4.1. Job share is a specific approach to working in which two (or more) people share the responsibilities, pay and benefits of one post, proportional to the hours each works. NB Job share must be distinguished from part-time working, which does not involve "shared" responsibility.

5. Recruitment

5.1. All posts within the Trust, irrespective of the level within the organisation may be offered as job share. Other than in exceptional circumstance all advertisements should reflect that job share will be considered.

5.2. All jobs/individuals will be considered for job share, except where it can be proven that:

 there is a significant requirement for continuity  such an arrangement does not suit external requirements e.g. joint arrangements with other agencies  the remaining hours of the job share means that the vacancy would be hard to fill.

5.3. Jobs may only be designated unsuitable for job share in agreement with the manager and the workforce department.

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5.4. Existing employees may request that their post becomes subject to job share by submitting a formal request for consideration by the local manager in line with the Trusts Flexible Working Policy. Requests will be considered in line with the needs of the service and impact on team and colleagues. When considering a request the manager will be required to give a clear written explanation if the request is refused. The Flexible Working policy also outlines the appeal process.

5.5. Where the request is approved, recruitment can commence:

5.5.1. The post will be advertised as a vacancy for a job share partner;

5.5.2. Applicants shall receive appropriate details

5.5.3. Shortlisted applicants will be made aware of the interview arrangements for job sharers

5.5.4. The existing employee will meet prospective candidates informally prior to interview

5.5.5. They should also be involved in formulating the interview questions and selection criteria.

5.6. If, following the interview, no suitable job share partner is found the post should be re- advertised. If still unsuccessful, the manager will explain that the job share arrangement cannot be progressed as no suitable job share partner could be found and:

5.6.1. Give sympathetic consideration to alternatives, e.g. other arrangements for flexible working which may meet the employee's needs. For more information on flexible working arrangement, please see policy HR47 Flexible Working

5.6.2. Advise the employee that a new application for a job share may be considered at a future date.

6. Selection

6.1. Short listing for posts subject to job share shall be carried out in accordance with the Trust's Recruitment, Selection and Retention Policy HR 19.

6.2. Where two applicants have submitted an application to job share, consideration must be given to the potential candidates’ similarities in qualifications (where these are a requirement of the post), skills and experience as well as apparent compatibility.

6.3. Where the vacancy to be filled is a replacement for one half of a job share team or to accommodate the request of a full-time employee for job share, the objective view of the existing job sharer or post holder should be taken into account during the selection process and they should be consulted by the selection panel.

7. Supervision and distribution of Work

7.1. The local manager is responsible for ensuring that job sharing post holders are supervised, the work is properly distributed and that tasks and duties are completed to the manager’s satisfaction. The level of supervision required will depend upon the nature of the job share post and will be determined by the manager in consultation with the job share partners.

7.2. Each job share partner is responsible individually to his/her manager for their own work performance, attendance, conduct etc.

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8. Job Share Agreement

8.1. Prior to commencement of employment, a job share agreement will need to be determined by the manager in consultation with the job share partners. This agreement will be in writing and will form part of the contract of employment.

8.2. In determining the job share agreement, the primary aim is to establish the best method to ensure service delivery in the most cost effective way and compatibility with the job share partner's needs.

8.3. The job share agreement shall need to include the following:

8.4. Hours of Work - working arrangements can be divided in a number of ways, including split days, split weeks, alternate days or alternate weeks, depending on the nature of the job. Factors to consider when determining hours of work include:

I. does the job need to be covered every day and within set times II. is there sufficient office space/desk space for both partners to work together; III. will they both need to attend certain meetings IV. how do the job sharers' domestic arrangements affect the hours they work; V. hand-over or over-lap arrangements. Handovers must be achieved within the specified working hours of each job share partner.

8.5. Communication Mechanisms - methods of maintaining strong communication links should be established, for example, diaries, a bring-forward file and written/electronic notes of all meetings to which all job share partners have access.

8.6. Annual leave and public holidays - the standard annual leave entitlement will apply pro- rata to the number of days worked. Preferably annual leave should be taken at different times, although in exceptional circumstances it can be taken at the same time with the manager’s agreement. Entitlement to public holidays will be calculated in line with the Trusts Annual Leave Policy HR 51

8.7. Staff Development & Review – each job share partner should be assessed separately.

8.8. Supervision and Appraisal – each job share partner should have individual supervision and appraisal meetings with their line manager, in line with the Trust’s Appraisal and Management Supervision Policy HR13

8.9. Compulsory and Essential Training – it is each partner’s responsibility to ensure their compulsory and essential training/updates are completed within the laid down time scales. See Learning and Development Policy HR 50

9. Terms and Conditions of Employment

9.1. Each job sharer will have an individual Contract of Employment. All pay and other benefits will be pro-rata to the hours worked. The Job Title will be that given to the full time post and the Job Description will be the same as the full time post.

9.2. Terms and conditions for job sharers shall be pro-rata to those of a full-time employee as follows:

I. Salary and benefits - salary will be pro-rata. Benefits depending on lengths of service, including grade steps, sick pay, long service leave and maternity entitlements will be attributed individually.

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II. Grade - the grade will apply equally to both job share partners, although grade steps may differ (see i above). Any grading review will apply to the whole post. III. Annual Leave - annual leave will be applied on a pro-rata basis.

IV. Training - training opportunities should be made available to both job share partners, dependent on their individual needs. When training takes place on the day on which one of the job sharers would not normally work, time off in lieu should be offered, in line with HR41 Time Owing Policy, if appropriate, job sharers may attend training sessions together.

V. Sick Leave - job sharers will be entitled to Occupational Sick Pay in accordance with the Trust's Sick Pay Scheme.

VI. Cover for Absences - there will be no requirement on a job share partner to cover for a partner's short term absence due to sickness. If the individual agrees to work, any additional hours worked above those specified in the individual's personal contract shall be paid at the appropriate rate.

VII. Medical and Dental Appointments – The employee will make every attempt to arrange such appointments outside working hours. However some clinics take place on set days and if these are working days for the job sharer, the manager should deal with this in the same way as for full time employees. For more information, please refer to Policy HR32 Time Off to Attend Medical and Dental Appointments.

VIII. Pensions - job sharers shall be eligible to join the NHS Superannuation Scheme. In circumstances where an existing full time employee changes to a job share post; this may have an effect on their pension. Advice should be sought from the Trust's Pensions Officer before making any job share request.

IX. Promotion - job sharers shall be considered for advertised vacancies on equal terms with all other employees.

X. Other Terms and Conditions - all other terms and conditions of employment will apply equally to job sharers as they would to other full or part time members of staff.

10. When One Partner Leaves

10.1. In the event of a job share partner leaving employment, the hours of work previously undertaken by that person shall, in the first instance, be offered to the remaining partner on a full time basis.

10.2. If this is not acceptable, the Trust will take action to recruit another job share partner through the recruitment and selection procedure. The Trust will advertise the job share partner on two occasions.

10.3. Failure to recruit a suitable replacement will result in the review of the job share arrangements in the interests of the remaining partner and the Trust. The partner may be re-designated as a part time member of staff or redeployed into suitable alternative employment.

11. Appeals

11.1. New applicants to the Trust who request a job share on appointment should be given a written reason for the refusal of any application

6 11.2. Existing employees who apply for a job share through the Flexible Working Policy will be subject to the appeals process as outlined in that policy.

12. Evaluation and Review

12.1. The Workforce Department will give consideration every 24 months regarding the need to review the policy and procedure in conjunction with Staff Side.

13. Agreement

13.1. The Trust, Trade Union representatives and Professional Bodies have agreed this policy and procedure.

14. References

HR47 Flexible Working Policy HR19 Recruitment, Selection & Retention Procedure HR13 Appraisal and Management Supervision Policy HR50 Learning & Development Policy HR35 Time off to attend Medical and Dental Appointments Policy HR41 Time Owing Policy

15. Acknowledgements

ACAS “Flexible Working and Work Life Balance” booklet (June, 2015) CIPD “Flexible Working, Parental Rights and Family Friendly Provisions (June, 2014)

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