Employee Rights & Responsibilities Document This document summarises important information for new employees to the council and should be read in conjunction with the contract of employment. It can also be used as a reference guide for current staff alongside the Council’s intranet (the Wave). ICT network access is provided for new starters when they join. This is irrespective of whether you use a personal computer in your day to day job role or not. This enables access to the Wave from a computer within the Council, or one that is privately owned outside it. If you do not use a computer at work or own one at home, but wish to view the Wave, your line manager should be allowing you access via their own computer, or from one within the team. Alternatively computers are available to use in the Learning Resource Centre at King’s House, or at Hollingdean Depot. Human Resources information, which forms the majority of this document, can be found under the “Supporting You” tab on the Wave. There are two main paths to follow for information: • Employee Matters – Information and Guidance for Staff • Managing Teams – Information and Guidance for Managers Should you wish to see full copies of information referenced within this document, please contact the People Centre Officer who sent your employment offer letter to you, or the generic Human Resources team number (01273) 291111 . October 2013 Index Section/Page Section/Page TERMS & CONDITIONS A 2-24 Individual Performance Review B 31 Part I: General A 2 -7 Attendance Management Procedure B 31 Contract of Employment A 2 Return to Work Interview B 31 Terms & Conditions of Service A 2 Absence Review Meetings and B 32 Place of Employment A 2 Attendance Concern Levels Pay A 2 Dignity & Respect at Work Policy B 32 Payment of Salaries/Wages A 3 Drug & Alcohol Policy B 32 Pensions A 3 Part II: Travel-Related Policies B 34-36 Sickness Absence Notification A 4 Re-imbursement of Travel Expenses B 34 Sick Pay A 5 (for travel within Brighton & Hove) Probationary Service A 6 Re-imbursement of Travel Expenses B 34 Recognition of Continuous Service A 7 (for travel outside Brighton & Hove) Re-imbursement of Subsistence Notice A 7 B 35 Retirement A 7 Expenses Part II: Working Hours & Working Overnight Provisions B 35 A 8-16 Arrangements Travel Abroad B 35 Working Hours A 8 Vehicle Loans B 35 Standard Flexible Working Hours Season Ticket Loans B 35 A 8 Scheme Adverse Weather Policy B 36 Flexible Working Hours Scheme for Part III: Family-Friendly Policies B 37-41 A 10 Senior Managers Occupational Maternity and Adoption B 37 Dental/Medical Appointments A 11 & Surrogacy Policies Time off for Medical Screening A 12 Maternity Leave Entitlement B 37 Working Arrangements A 12 Maternity Pay B 37 Enhancements for Non-standard Adoption Leave Entitlement B 37 A 12 Working Arrangements Adoption Pay B 38 Overtime A 14 Surrogacy B 38 Standby, Call Out & Sleep-in Duties A 14 Maternity Support Leave B 38 Winter Gritting Rates A 15 Paternity Leave B 39 Absence Pay A 15 Additional Paternity Leave B 39 Part III: Leave Provisions A 17-22 Parental Leave B 40 Annual Leave A 17 Discretionary Special Leave B 40 Extra Statutory Days A 20 Part IV: Health & Safety Policies B 42-43 Bank/Public Holidays A 20 Health & Safety Policy B 42 Concessionary Leave A 20 Workstyles B 42 Bereavement Leave A 21 RULES & INFORMATION C 44-77 Leave for Jury Service A 21 Part I: General C 44-45 Leave for Public Duties A 21 Confidentiality C 44 Service in Non-Regular Forces A 22 Change of Address or Personal C 44 Career Break/Sabbaticals A 22 Circumstances Part IV: Travel at Work A 23-24 Queries on Pay C 44 Travel Expenses A 23 Bright Start Nursery C 45 Subsistence Expenses A 24 Part II: Codes of Conduct C 46-72 POLICIES & PROCEDURES B 25-36 Code of Conduct for Employees C 46 Part I: General B 25-33 Use of ICT Policy C 59 Financial Regulations B 25 Social Networking Policy C 72 Standing Orders B 25 Part III: Health, Safety & Welfare C 73-76 Data Protection Act B 25 Accidents at Work C 73 Data Matching B 25 Abuse/Violence at Work C 73 Anti-Fraud & Corruption Policy Evacuation Procedures C 73 B 25 Statement & Strategy First Aid C 73 Equalities & Inclusion B 26 Hazard Reporting Procedures C 73 Staff with Disabilities B 27 Personal Protective Clothing & C 73 Whistleblowing Policy B 27 Footware Disciplinary Procedure B 28 Display Screen Equipment C 74 Capability Procedure B 28 Security C 74 Grievance/Dispute Procedure B 29 Smoking at Work C 75 Job Sharing Policy B 29 Lone Working C 75 Appointment Support Procedure B 29 Part IV: Employee Relations C 77 Learning & Development B 30 Trade Union Recognition C 77 Foundation Learning Programme B 30 Trade Union Membership C 77 Training in the Workplace B 30 Employee Rights & Responsibilities Page 1 of 78 October 2013 Document Owner: Liz Boswell Section A: Terms and Conditions Part I: General 1 Contract of Employment The contract of employment (or Statement of Particulars) sets out the principal terms and conditions of your employment with Brighton & Hove City Council. The contract contains information relating to such matters as your rate of pay (including overtime and any additional payments to which you may be entitled), the terms and conditions relating to your hours of work and pattern of working and holidays etc. You are strongly advised to read this document thoroughly as it contains important information relating to your employment with the Council. Human Resources are responsible for issuing your contract of employment and must provide this document to you within two months of your commencing employment with the Council. If you should have any queries in connection with your contract, you should contact Human Resources. 2 Terms and Conditions of Service Your employment will be subject to the terms and conditions of service negotiated nationally for National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services’ employees and any terms and conditions agreed locally, from time to time, between the Council and its recognised trade unions. In the event of any change(s) being made to your terms and conditions of service, the Council will notify you of such change(s) within one month of the change(s) being implemented. 3 Place of Employment You are employed by the Council and, as such, the Council has the right to require you to work, whether on a permanent or temporary basis, at any location within the City of Brighton and Hove where the duties and activities of the Council are undertaken. Your place of work (or if you have no fixed place of work, your work base for administrative and supervisory purposes) at the time you take up your appointment will be specified in your contract of employment. However, the Council reserves the right, after consultation with you, to change your work location for some, or all, of your time as organisational/operational needs dictate. 4 Pay The Council’s grading structure is linked to the nationally agreed scale of “spinal column points” for National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services’ employees. You will, therefore, be paid in Employee Rights & Responsibilities Page 2 of 78 October 2013 Document Owner: Liz Boswell accordance with these national salary scales. The NJC for Local Government Services’ pay scales are reviewed annually with any pay award agreed being implemented on each 1 April. The Council is a Living Wage Employer. This means that the minimum entry point for new employees is equivalent to the Living Wage rate applicable at the time. Current pay scales can be found on the HR site on the Council’s intranet, the Wave. 5 Payment of Salaries/Wages Your contract of employment will state the frequency and timing regarding the payment of your salary/wage. You are required to: • maintain a suitable Bank or Building Society account into which payment can be made • provide the Council with accurate account details • notify Human Resources immediately of any changes to your account or personal circumstances which might affect payment of your salary/wage. Your payslip, confirming what you have been paid, will be sent to you electronically if you have a council ICT network account set up. Otherwise, a paper payslip will be sent to you, under confidential cover, via your workplace. It is your personal responsibility to check your payslips to ensure that the amounts paid to you each month are correct. If you are not sure whether you have been paid correctly, you must check with Human Resources immediately. If you should be overpaid, irrespective of how this error occurred, the Council will automatically recover the monies to which you are not entitled directly from your salary. Knowingly receiving money to which you are not entitled is a serious disciplinary offence and could result in your dismissal. 6 Pensions If you have been appointed on a contract for more than 3 months, you will automatically become a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme unless, no later than three months after taking up your post, you give written notice that you do not wish to join the Scheme. As a member of the pension scheme, you will pay contributions from your salary on sliding contribution rates based on your whole-time equivalent pensionable pay (refer to the Local Government Pension Scheme website for latest contribution rates www.lgps.org.uk ). If you have transferred from another local authority, and you were a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme, your membership of the Scheme can be transferred with you.