ANNUAL LEAVE POLICY - GUIDANCE NOTES Frequently Asked Questions

ANNUAL LEAVE POLICY - GUIDANCE NOTES Frequently Asked Questions April 2005

Q: When will I be assimilated?
A: Posts are, first of all, ‘banded’ by joint matching/evaluation panels. The decisions of the Joint Panels are then placed before the Joint Steering Group (which meets once per month) for ratification. After this meeting managers are informed of the banding decisions and the banding information is then published. (See attached schedule of banded posts)

The assimilation process follows on from this and requires co-ordination between Human Resources and payroll staff. Human Resources staff issue the contract paperwork and payroll staff calculate the pay implications of backdating to 1st October 2004 (or the date of commencement in the NHS, if later than 1st October 2004).
This process affects large numbers of staff and schedules of staff to be assimilated are prepared a month in advance.

We can advise staff who have been banded, which staff are about to be assimilated in any one month. However if your job has not yet been submitted to a matching/evaluation panel, the timescale is less clear and it is, quite frankly, not worth enquiring about timescales until you know your post as been banded.

Your patience is much appreciated during these arrangements.

Q: Why haven’t I been assimilated yet but my colleague who works with me has.
A: There may be several different reasons for this.
Once banding has taken place, schedules of staff whose posts have been banded are drawn up. We are careful to avoid any errors in the correspondence to staff and if there is any doubt about any of the detail, or who to include in the banding, we have not hesitated to withdraw staff from the list rather than send out an inaccurate letter.
Another reason why staff may have been assimilated at different times is that we have had to use different timescales for staff on Whitley contracts compared to staff on local contracts. This is because staff on local contracts have been offered a choice and been given time to decide whether or not to accept the new contract.
Finally there are some jobs which differ between Directorates and a separate matching panel has been requested to consider their particular job role.

Q: Will I be getting arrears?
A: Arrears are calculated by re-calculating your salary as if you had been paid at the Agenda for Change rates and conditions of service since 1 October 2004. It may be that when these calculations are done staff may not be entitled to arrears if they were previously paid at a salary that was inclusive of enhancements e.g. Primary Nurses working shifts/weekends

Q: When will I be getting my arrears?
A: All the arrears calculations are being done manually by the payroll staff on an individual basis and will be paid within the four month period following assimilation.

Q: Why has my friend got more arrears than me?
A: Arrears are affected by a number of things e.g. point on the scale prior to assimilation, incremental date, unsocial hours / weekend working, extra hours, overtime. Consequently very few people will receive the same amount in arrears.

Q: What is the position on staff who are seconded - do they retain entitlement to enhancements that were applicable in the substantive post?
A: This should be a matter for local resolution since the circumstances of the secondment may vary widely.

Q: Part-time staff and Bank Holidays, are they entitled to a proportionate share irrespective of the days of the week on which they work?
A: Yes this is covered by the agreement

Q: Is there any ability to progress staff more quickly up a pay band than annual salary point?
A: No

Q: What is normal retirement age? How does this impact on special classes retiring at 55?
A: Normal is what is normal for the group. I.e. if you are in one of the special classes, able to retire at 55, then 55 would be the normal retirement age. “Special classes is a pension provision, pension provisions are outside the Agenda for Change agreement”.

Q: Will every job be evaluated separately?
A: No. There will be a job matching process undertaken to establish whether a job or job group can be “matched” with one of the national benchmark jobs.If it/they cannot be matched OR if an individual can demonstrate that their job is significantly different from the group being matched, then a job evaluation will be undertaken.

Q: Are these processes undertaken by Managers?
A: All of these processes will be undertaken on a joint basis, with matching/evaluation panels consisting of both management and staff-side representation.

Q: I haven’t got an up to date job description, what should I do?
A: Over the next few months we will have to ensure that job descriptions are up to date and agreed.Managers will be given guidance in respect of formatting, however in the meantime, discussions should have started between managers and staff about the contents/detailed description of the role (s).

Q: What can I do, if I am not happy with the decision of the matching panel?
A: If your’s is a job which has been matched as part of a “group” andØ You can provide evidence that the original matching panel did not have/consider all of the information available, you can ask for an alternative matching panel to undertake the processØ You can provide evidence that your job is significantly different, you can ask for your job to be evaluated.

Q: Will roles with limited patient contact automatically be disadvantaged in this process?
A: Not necessarily.There are 16 factors taken into account in the job evaluation process at national and local levels, only one of which involves responsibilities for patient/client care.

Q: What happens after my job/group has been matched/evaluated?
A: The job will be assigned to the appropriate spine/band. You will then be assimilated to the pay point nearest to your current earnings.

Q: What happens if my current earnings are more than the pay band assigned?
A: Protection will apply if your total earnings after assimilation are less than before assimilation. This will be on a mark time basis after the 2005 pay increase until the A4C rate overtakes the protected rate or 31 March 2011, whichever is the sooner.

Q: Does this protection move with me if I change jobs?
A: The protection will cease if you move to another job but not if you change your hours in the same job.

Q: How does the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) link with Agenda for Change?
A: The KSF is a development tool which will provide the basis for pay progression within bands. This framework consists of a number of “dimensions”. There are 6 dimensions which have been identified as core to the NHS ie they should occur in everyone’s job and 16 specific dimensions which will relate to some jobs but not others. It is anticipated that the majority of jobs will be covered by the 6 core dimensions and on average between 3 and 6 of the specific dimensions.

Q: I have frozen holidays which are payable if I leave or if my terms and conditions change, what will happen to these as a result of A4C?
A: The current agreement is that these holidays would be paid when you leave, however, there may need to be further discussion around the impact upon some individuals/groups’ terms and conditions before any final decisions are made.

Q: I understand that people with “local contracts” ie non Whitley or mirror Whitley can opt out of A4C but I’m not sure whether my contract is one of these. Where can I get advice?
A: Advice can be obtained from any of the contacts provided, see below, however, there may need to be further discussion in relation to some specific staff groups before absolute clarification can be given.

As my contract is changing, will I get my frozen holidays?

The current agreement is that these holidays would be paid when you leave, however, there will be further discussion around the impact upon some individuals/groups’ terms and conditions before final decisions are made.

I’m currently on weekly pay, will this have to change?

In some circumstances a weekly pay arrangement has been made for particular reasons. These arrangements will not be changed until a review of the circumstances has been undertaken with the individual concerned.

Why do Whitley Council staff have no opt?

A4C replaces the existing national agreements for determining and negotiating pay ie the Whitley Councils will no longer exist.

Will I end up being paid less as a result of the KSF?

The level of pay you receive is determined by the pay band your job is matched/evaluated at. You will be assimilated onto a point no lower than your current salary and a level of protection applied after 2005 up to 2011.KSF does not influence the pay band your job is placed within but how you, as an individual moves through that band in the longer term.

LIST OF CONTACTS

Graham Hewitt 2299
Sue Cant 2434
Brian Yates 2202
Alan Rushton 2249
Vicky Poole 2248
Lew Swift 2755
Norman Robinson/ 4315
Karen Hughes