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STAFF HANDBOOK
DOWNING COLLEGE
CAMBRIDGE

ISSUE
THIS HANDBOOK HAS BEEN ISSUED TO:
NAME:
DEPARTMENT:
DATE:
HANDBOOK PAGE 1

WELCOME
Welcome from Professor Barry Everitt.
Downing College Master.
I am delighted, on behalf of the members and staff, to welcome
you to Downing and also to the University of Cambridge.
The aim of this Handbook is to ease you into the day-to-day
life and work of the College, which take place amidst the
beauty and tranquillity of our domus.
I am aware of the unfamiliarity and complexities of starting
work in new surroundings and the uncertainties which accompany
any new work venture. The information, policies and procedures
in this publication have been put together to aid you throughout
your working life here with us.
The College enters its third century as an institution devoted to
higher education and research. We aim to ensure that jointly we
build upon our strengths while enabling our employees to develop
their full potential and therefore enjoy greater job satisfaction.
We aim to recognise and reward the effort and talent expended by
staff in their daily activities.
This Handbook will continue to be extended and updated as
policies and work practices evolve, and I urge you to make yourself
familiar with its contents and to seek advice and clarity on any
issues, where necessary, from our friendly and helpful team who
are available at all levels throughout the College.
2 STAFF
HANDBOOK

Contents
SECTION 1
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
1.1 Downing College history
1.2 Finding your way around
PAGE
6
7
8
1.3 Facilities, amenities, and College benefits
1.4 Our staff and Fellows
9-15
16-19
SECTION 2
SOME TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT
PAGE
20
2.1 Remuneration 21
2.2 Holidays 22-23
2.3 Sickness 24-27
2.4 Termination of employment 28-29
2.5 Pensions 30
2.6 Confidentiality 31
2.7 Business expenses 32
2.8 Hours of work and flexitime 33-35
2.9 Night workers 36
2.10 Grievance procedure 37-39
2.11 Disciplinary procedure 40-46
2.12 Capability, and capability dismissal policy and procedure 47-48
STAFF HANDBOOK 3

Contents
3 SECTION
49
PAGE
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO YOUR EMPLOYMENT
4 STAFF
51
52-53
54-59
60
61-71
72
73-79
80-82
83-84
85-86
87
88
89
90-103
104-107
108
109-110
111
112-113
114-115
116-119
HANDBOOK
Statement of intent 3.1
Conduct 3.2
Health, safety, and welfare policy and responsibilities; 3.3
Children on the premises; display screen equipment
Smoking 3.4
Well-being at work: equal opportunities; dignity at work; harassment; stress at work 3.5
Time off for dependants, bereavement, and compassionate leave 3.6
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and parental leave policies 3.7
Flexible working 3.8
Policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders 3.9
Policy on the storage, use and disposal of disclosure information 3.10
Staff information and consultation committee 3.11
Performance and promotion 3.12
Training 3.13
Data protection policy 3.14
Computer facilities, E-mail and internet 3.15
Telephones and mobile telephones 3.16
Use of vehicles 3.17
Security 3.18
Retirement procedure 3.19
Redundancy policy 3.20
Public interest disclosure procedure 3.21

Introduction.
INTRODUCTION
Your contractual terms and conditions of employment are all located in your
Statement of Main Terms and Conditions of Employment.
Some of these terms, however, are repeated in Section 2 of this Handbook for
ease of reference.
Please note, if there is any discrepancy between this Handbook and the contents
of your own Statement of Main Terms and Conditions of Employment, then the
contents of your Statement will prevail.
The principal Supervising College Officers include the Master, the Bursar, the
Domus Bursar, and the Senior Tutor.
The Head of Department or Supervising College Officer to whom you should
report is stated in your Statement of Main Terms and Conditions of Employment.
HANDBOOK PAGE 5

SECTION 1
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
1.1 Downing College history
1.2 Finding your way around
1.3 Facilities, amenities, and College benefits
1.4 Our staff and Fellows
NOTES
6 STAFF
HANDBOOK

Downing College history
SECTION 1.1
Downing was founded by Sir George Downing, third baronet, with wealth
left by his grandfather, the first baronet, who served both Cromwell and
Charles II and who built No. 10 Downing Street, which has been the London
home of the Prime Minister since 1732.
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Downing College history
Building began at Downing early in the nineteenth century and has continued
to the present day. The College has a unique and magnificent setting among
twenty acres of lawns and trees, yet it is located close to the centre of
Cambridge. The superb collection of buildings, which are predominately
neoclassical in style, convey a sense of elegance and spaciousness, enhanced
by harmonious proportions, graceful columned porticos, and delicate pink
and yellow Ketton stone.
Downing is, as are all Cambridge Colleges, an independent self-governing
community that forms part of the University of Cambridge. Our students
come from all types of schools and colleges from all over the world, and there
is no such thing as a ‘typical’ Downing student. In terms of numbers, we are
a medium-sized College with approximately 660 students, of whom 395 are
undergraduates and 265 are graduate students. There are 45 Fellows, who
together with the Master are the Governing Body. Most of the Fellows are also
attached to the University as Lecturers and Professors. There are over 140 staff.
Our aim is to provide an agreeable and supportive environment for all of our
members and employees.
Most of the undergraduates live on site, either on the Domus, the name given
to the main site, or in the houses on Lensfield Road adjoining the main site.
Outside term time, we provide excellent facilities and accommodation within
the main courts of the College for conferences and similar events. These are
always in high demand.
HANDBOOK PAGE 7

V I
I
VI
V
I
XI
I
VI
SECTION 1.2
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Finding your way around the College
DOWNING COLLEGE
VISITOR PLAN
TENNIS COURT ROAD
HOWARD
COURT
0m
25m
approximate
50m
1
6
4
WEST RANGE
Stair E
West Lodge and
Maitland Room
Music Room and
Annex
EAST RANGE
Stair R
Wilkins Room
B Stair OFFICES
Tutorial and Admissions
Bursary
College Accountant
Human Resources
Catering Managers
Chapel
College Office
38
36
34
32
30
28
24
22
20
46
44
42
40
50
Flats 3,4&5
58
56
54
14
THE
PADDOCK
FELLOWS’
GARDEN
Private
No
Entry
Private
No
Entry
SCR
DINING
HALL
1
2
WEST LODGE
GARDEN
WEST RANGE
EAST RANGE
THE
QUADRANGLE
HOWARD
BUILDING
5
3 4
A B C D E F G H
V
via
T
U T S R Q P O
LIBRARY
KENNY
B
N
KENNY
A
J
K
6
L
M
PRIVATE
PARKING
BUTTERFIELD
BAR AND CAFÉ
DOWNING SITE
PRIVATE
PARKING
5
Conference Office
3
Development Office
2
Kitchen Yard
PORTERS’
LODGE
14
Singer Building (Fitness Room)
Staircase Letter
Room Number
Level Entrance to
Stair A & B
PORTERS’ LODGE
01223 334800
MAIN ENTRANCE
AND EXIT
REGENT STREET
© The Master, Fellows, and Scholars of Downing College in the University of Cambridge.
Rev 06
more maps are available at www.dow.cam.ac.uk
8 STAFF
HANDBOOK

Facilities, Amenities, and College
Benefits
SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Car parking
Dining hall
Staff social activities
Uniforms and dress code
Staff discounts
Long service awards
The University centre
The University sports and social club
The University counselling service
Independent counselling and advisory service
Medical and dental insurance
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
STAFF HANDBOOK 9

SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Car parking
Dining hall
Staff social activities
i.
ii.
iii.
Facilities, amenities, and College
benefits
CAR PARKING
As a non-contractual benefit at the date of this policy, we have car parking
facilities on our main site, which you will be free to use, at our discretion,
during your normal working hours. The College does not accept any
liability for damage to private vehicles parked on College premises,
however such damage may be caused.
DINING HALL
At present, and when the Dining Hall is open to staff members, one free
meal is available to all staff who work both before and after the lunch
period (12.30pm to 1.00pm). The College Porters are entitled to a free
meal during every shift that they are on duty.
The non-contractual benefits referred to in paragraphs i and ii above are
subject to such terms and conditions as we may impose from time to time
and may be varied or withdrawn at our discretion.
STAFF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Organised staff social events typically take place in the summer and winter.
In early summer, staff are granted an additional day’s paid leave to
participate in outings arranged by the Staff Social Committee, or by their
Department. These activities are optional, but staff who choose not to
participate are required to work as normal.
10 S
TAFF HANDBOOK
Before the start of a new academic year, we endeavour to organise a cricket
match between staff and Fellows. Staff, Fellows, and spectators are welcome
and refreshments are provided. Those staff who do not attend as players or
spectators are required to work as normal.

iii.
iv.
Facilities, amenities, and College
benefits continued...
STAFF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Prior to the Christmas closedown, the Staff Social Committee organises
a Christmas dinner-dance and a Christmas Lunch is held for staff and
retired staff.
Musical events take place in the College Chapel and Master’s Lodge
throughout the year, and staff are welcome to attend.
UNIFORMS AND DRESS CODE
Porters and staff working for the Catering, Gardens, Maintenance and
Housekeeping Departments, are provided with a uniform for their
work duties, which must be worn at all times during working hours.
When uniforms are kept at the College, staff are expected to arrive in
sufficient time to put them on before the official start time. Staff are
responsible for their uniform and will be liable for the cost of repair
or replacement in the event of any loss or damage due to their
carelessness.
SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Staff social activities
Uniforms and dress code
As you are likely to come into contact with Fellows, students, visitors
and members of the public, it is important that you present a
professional image with regard to appearance and standards of dress.
If you are not required to wear a uniform, you should wear clothes
appropriate to your job responsibilities, and they should be kept
clean and tidy at all times.
STAFF HANDBOOK11

SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
v.
Facilities, amenities, and College
benefits continued...
STAFF DISCOUNTS
From time to time, we are able to negotiate discounts with suppliers for
the benefit of our staff. You will be notified when this type of discount
becomes available. Discounts are available from some local retailers
upon production of your University card. A listing of participating
retailers may be obtained from the Human Resources Officer.
Staff discounts
College suggestion
scheme
Long service awards
vi.
vii.
As a matter of routine, the College is able to negotiate discounts from
regular suppliers on purchases for College use. Any such discounts are
for the benefit of the College only and must NOT be used for private
purchases.
Any breach or abuse of this policy constitutes a serious
disciplinary matter.
COLLEGE SUGGESTION SCHEME
If you have any ideas or suggestions which you think could improve the
efficiency and cost effectiveness of our College, we would very much
like to hear from you and will undertake to investigate any suggestions
put forward.
LONG SERVICE AWARDS
25 years’ service with the College is recognised by the presentation of a
gift by the Master. These awards are made to reward the loyalty and to
recognise the experience of long-serving staff.
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TAFF HANDBOOK

viii.
Facilities, amenities, and College
benefits continued...
THE UNIVERSITY CENTRE
The University Centre is located in Granta Place, Mill Lane, Cambridge,
and is open from 8:00am until midnight. While you remain a College
employee, you are entitled to free membership of The University Centre.
You and any guests may make full use of the following:
SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
• Main Dining Hall for hot and cold cafeteria meals, lunchtime and
evenings (daily);
• Riverside Restaurant for waiter service meals, lunchtime and evenings
(Monday to Saturday);
• Grads Cafe for fresh coffee, baguettes, and cakes (daily);
• Granta Bar and games room for a wide choice of drinks, and
bar meals (daily);
A Television Lounge, Reading Room, and Games Room are also
provided and some rooms are available for private hire.
The University centre
The University sports and
social club
ix.
THE UNIVERSITY SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
The University Sports and Social Club is located in Mill Lane, Cambridge,
and is open during lunchtimes and evenings, Monday to Friday.
Membership cards are available to members of the University from the
club upon request.
Facilities include a licensed bar, snooker room, television lounge, and
large function room. Hot and cold food is available at lunch time.
Sporting activities include 5-a-side football, cricket, darts, fishing,
swimming, carpet bowls, table tennis, long distance walking, and
organised day trips.
STAFF HANDBOOK 13

SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Facilities, amenities, and College
benefits continued...
x. THE UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING SERVICE
The purpose of the University Counselling Service is to help anyone who
has a personal or emotional problem which he or she wishes to discuss in
confidence. It is staffed by professional counsellors. A member of staff may
be seen, by appointment, for assessment. He or she will then be referred
either to a private counsellor or psychotherapist for personal problems, or a
Senior Occupational Nurse for work related problems. The service is funded
by all the Colleges and the University. The College may approve the
attendance of a member of staff for an initial assessment and, in exceptional
circumstances, for a limited number of counselling sessions.
xi.
INDEPENDENT COUNSELLING AND ADVISORY SERVICE
The University
counselling service
Independent counselling
and advisory service
The College offers access to a 24 hour employee support helpline which
can help you deal with both everyday situations and more serious
problems. This confidential service, provided by ICAS, gives advice
and support on practical issues (including financial, legal, personal
relationships, familycare and work concerns) and personal support
through telephone counselling. It can be used by staff and Fellows
and their spouses, partners and other family members living with them.
The freephone number is 0800 068 6729, they are available 24 hours a
day 365 days a year - simply give the reference ‘Downing College’.
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TAFF HANDBOOK

xii.
Facilities, amenities, and College
benefits continued...
MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSURANCE
The College operates a medical insurance scheme with the Permanent
Health Company Ltd. and a dental insurance scheme with National
Dental Plan. If you wish to take out personal cover, the Payroll section
will deduct monthly contributions from your net pay. Further information
can be obtained from the HR Office. Under the present scheme, provided
that you register within one month of commencing employment with the
College, cover is provided on a Medical History Disregarded basis.
SECTION 1.3
ABOUT OUR COLLEGE
Medical and dental insurance
STAFF HANDBOOK 15

SECTION 1.4
Our staff and Fellows
STAFF AND FELLOWS
Heads of departments and key personnel
internal telephone numbers A - E
Accommodation Officer
Accountant
Archivist
Buildings Manager
Buildings Manager (Deputy)
Bursar’s PA
Catering Manager
Catering Manager (Deputy)
College Nurse
College Secretary
Conference Services Manager
Conference Services (Deputy)
Development Director
Development Officer
Events Co-ordinator
Tina D’Angelico
Mike Haddock
Kate Thompson
Richard Monument
Sarah Burch
Dianne McGrath
Geoff Jameson
Jane Passey
Sally Maccallum
Tricia Beer
Jacqui Cressey
Angela Gentile
Tariq Sadiq
Helen Limbrick
Sara Brinkley
62063
34824
62905
62125
62125
34849
62067
62067
34817
34849
34860
34860
34828
62060
34850
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TAFF HANDBOOK

Our Staff and Fellows
SECTION 1.4
internal telephone numbers F - T
STAFF AND FELLOWS
Heads of departments and key personnel
Executive Head Chef
Head Gardener
Housekeeper
Housekeeper (Assistant)
Housekeeper (Assistant)
HR Administrator
HR Officer
IT Manager
Librarian
Master’s PA
Head Porter
Head Porter (Deputy)
Records Manager
Rowing Coach/College Boatman
Tutorial & Admissions Office Manager
Steve Brown
Dale Curry
Carol De Biasi
Clive Basser
Trisha Richmond
Mary Gates
Liz Hutchinson
Rob Beardwell
Karen Lubarr
Rowena Erby
Peter Hammond
Keith Bullock
Kit Scorah
Ian Watson
Jane Perks
34809
62065
34863
34863
34863
34820
34848
62072
35352
34806
34815
34800
50290
(external) 741906
34811
STAFF HANDBOOK 17

SECTION 1.4
The Governing Body and other Fellows
STAFF AND FELLOWS
THE GOVERNING BODY
The Governing Body is made up of current Fellows.
A full list of the current Fellows can be found on the College website under
Fellows – Master and Fellows of Downing College, Cambridge.
A prospective Fellow must be voted onto the Governing Body by its current
members, according to the rules set out in the Statutes, and when his or her
tenure expires, he or she may stand for re-election for a further period.
Fellows retire from the Governing Body when they reach 67 years of age.
The following categories of Fellow enjoy certain rights and privileges but
they are not members of the Governing Body and thus have no powers
relating to the day to day business of the College.
HONORARY FELLOWS
The Governing Body may, from time to time, vote to elect a distinguished
person as an Honorary Fellow. This person is usually, but need not be, a
member of the College or of the University. In order for the individual
concerned to be elected, a significant majority of the members of the
Governing Body have to vote in favour of electing him or her, according
to the rules set out in the College Statutes.
EMERITUS FELLOWS
When a Fellow retires, or leaves the College having given valuable service
over a significant period of time (20 years) the Governing body may vote
to confer upon him or her the title of Emeritus Fellow.
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TAFF HANDBOOK

The Governing Body and other Fellows
continued...
ASSOCIATE FELLOWS
SECTION 1.4
STAFF AND FELLOWS
Associate Fellows are members of Downing upon whom the Governing
Body wishes to confer this title in recognition of the contribution they
make to College, often in their professional capacity, for example with
legal advice, or because of their work for the Downing Association.
WILKINS FELLOWS
Once a benefactor has donated a designated minimum sum to the College,
they become eligible to be elected as a Wilkins Fellow. Wilkins Fellows are
invited to important College occasions and to the Master’s Consultative
Council once a year.
FELLOW COMMONERS
Fellow Commoners are normally involved in some significant way with the
day to day running of the College, for example as Development Director,
Domus Bursar or Chaplain, or by sitting on a College Committee. However,
Fellow Commoners do not have voting rights at Governing Body meetings.
BYE-FELLOWS
In order to fulfil all the educational needs of our students, assistance is
required from individuals outside the College to direct studies or to lecture
in a variety of subjects. In recognition of this contribution, the Governing
Body annually elects certain individuals, who are not already Fellows of
other Colleges, as Bye-Fellows of Downing College.
STAFF HANDBOOK 19

SECTION 2
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
Remuneration
Holidays
Sickness
Termination of
employment
Some terms and conditions of your
employment
Some of your terms and conditions of employment are reproduced
in this section for ease of reference.
This section is the only part of the Handbook that contains terms
which form part of your Contract with the College.
Please note that if there is any inconsistency between your
Statement of Main Terms and Conditions and what appears in this
Section, then in all cases the terms appearing in your Statement
will prevail.
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
Pensions
Confidentiality
Business expenses
Hours of work and flexitime
Night workers
Grievance procedure
Disciplinary procedure
Capability and capability dismissal policy and procedure
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TAFF HANDBOOK

Remuneration
SECTION 2.1
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
All permanent and temporary staff are paid monthly.
The pay period is the current month, and one twelfth of your annual
salary is paid each calendar month. With effect from 1 September 2007,
payment will be made on the 25th of the month. If the 25th falls on a
Saturday, Sunday, or Bank Holiday the payment will be brought forward
to the preceding Friday. The December payment will be made on the last
working day before the 25th. Casual staff will be paid on the 25th of
each month, as above, but their payment is based on weekly timesheets
and they will be paid for 4 weeks in some months and 5 weeks in others.
You will receive a pay advice slip that will specify your gross pay, details
of any deductions made, and, if relevant, any statutory payments made
to you.
Any pay queries which you may have should be raised, in the first
instance, with the Payroll Administrator in the Bursary.
We shall review pay levels and decide on any pay increases at our
discretion and on such grounds and terms as we think fit, taking into
account your ability, development, and performance record, as well as
comparability of the duties and responsibilities of your post with other
posts.
The College operates a discretionary, performance-related bonus
scheme. You will be entitled each year to be considered for a College
bonus but the question of whether or not such a bonus should be paid
to you and if so the sum of any such bonus is entirely a matter for our
discretion and the College reserves the right to modify or withdraw the
scheme upon review in any year.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Remuneration
STAFF HANDBOOK 21

SECTION 2.2
Holidays
Holidays
i.
Our annual leave year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
Full time staff are entitled to 33 days holiday per year, which includes the
8 days Public Holidays listed below. Your entitlement to paid holiday will
be determined by the number of hours or days per week that you are
contracted to work. Your entitlement is detailed in your Statement of Main
Terms and Conditions. Part-time staff will receive the same holiday
entitlement as their full-time counterparts, calculated pro rata on the hours
that are worked compared to the hours worked by full-time staff.
Your entitlement includes Public Holidays, which are:
New Year's Day
Good Friday
Easter Monday
May Day
Spring Bank Holiday
August Bank Holiday
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
You may, however, sometimes be required to work on Public Holidays.
ii.
iii.
The College may specify the dates on which up to 12 days of your entitlement
must be taken in any given holiday year. Advance notification of any such
dates will be given to you in writing as near to the beginning of the year as
is practical.
If you start or leave our employment during the course of the holiday year,
your holiday entitlement will be calculated on the basis of an annual
entitlement of 33 days. Thus, if you work for six months of one year, your
entitlement would be 16.5 days, irrespective of the number of Public
Holidays that actually occur in that six-month period.
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TAFF HANDBOOK

Holidays continued...
SECTION 2.2
iv.
You are required to give at least four weeks' written notice of a holiday of
one week or more and one week's notice for shorter holidays. You will be
provided with an Annual Leave/Absence Record which will state your full
holiday entitlement for the year, and on which you should record your
holiday and other absences. Each day taken as leave will be subtracted
from the original figure to show the amount of days left to take. The dates
of your holiday must be approved by your Head of Department or
Supervising College Officer in advance. You may not be absent from work
on holiday for more than two weeks at a time. Under exceptional
circumstances, we may agree to a longer holiday. If we do so, you must
obtain our written agreement.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Holidays
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
You are required to take two consecutive weeks absence in each holiday year,
during which time you are required not to participate actively in College business.
It is the College’s policy to encourage you to take all of your holiday entitlement
in the current holiday year. However, with the prior consent of the College, a
maximum of 5 days holiday may be carried forward into the next holiday year
and must be used within the first month of the holiday year. Save on termination
of employment, no payment can be made for unused holiday entitlement.
On the termination of your employment, when you have taken more or less than
your accrued holiday entitlement, an adjustment based on your normal rate of
pay will be made from your final pay. The adjustment will either be by way of a
deduction if you have taken more than your entitlement or an additional payment
when you have taken less than your entitlement.
Your normal daily rate of pay for holiday purposes is as detailed in your statement
of main terms and conditions of employment.
ix.
Unauthorised absences may be approved as holiday, at the discretion of the
Supervising College Officer, or may remain unauthorised and unpaid and may
give rise to disciplinary action.
STAFF HANDBOOK 23

SECTION 2.3
Sickness
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Sickness
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
If you are absent from work due to illness, or injury, or for any reason, and
your absence has not previously been authorised by us, you must inform
your Head of Department or Supervising College Officer or his or her
representative as appropriate, as soon as possible on your first day of
absence and within the first hour of the start of your shift or working day.
You must keep us regularly informed, if you continue to be absent, of your
progress and your likely date of return. If you are told or warned that your
illness is infectious or contagious, you must let us know immediately.
If you are absent due to illness or injury for seven days or less (including
days when you would not normally work, weekends, and public holidays),
you need not produce a medical certificate unless we specifically ask you
to do so. However, upon your return to work, you must immediately
complete and submit a Self-Certification Sickness form. This can be
obtained from your Head of Department or the Human Resources Officer.
If you are absent due to illness or injury for more than seven days
(calculated as above), you must on the eighth day provide us with a
medical certificate from a registered general practitioner stating the reason
for your absence. Thereafter, any further absence must continue to be
supported by medical certificates.
Before you return to work from an absence of more than seven days, or if
your illness was infectious or contagious, you must provide your Head of
Department or Supervising College Officer with a certificate from a
registered general practitioner stating that you are fit to return to work.
24 S
TAFF HANDBOOK
vi.
Failure to adhere to these notification procedures may affect your
entitlement to College sick pay/Statutory Sick Pay. The College will take a
serious view if you take sickness leave which is not genuine. Abuse of, or
non-compliance with, the College’s sickness absence rules is a serious
disciplinary offence which may, in appropriate cases, lead to dismissal.
For the avoidance of doubt, a sickness absence is only an authorised
absence if you are prevented, by your own sickness or injury, from
carrying out any of the work you are employed to do and you comply with
the notification requirements.

Sickness continued...
SECTION 2.3
vii.
viii.
You are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay provided you meet the criteria in the
current SSP regulations. Further information is available from the Human
Resources Office.
Provided you comply with the required procedures from time to time in
force relating to sickness absence, and subject to your length of service
and the exclusions noted below, you will receive College sick pay during
any unavoidable absence due to sickness or injury (whether continuous or
intermittent) up to a maximum in aggregate as specified in the table below
in any calendar year:
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Sickness
Continuous Employment
with us on the first day of
incapacity
Up to six months
Six months to 1 year
Over 1 year and up to 3 years
Over 3 years and up to 5 years
Over 5 years
Number of weeks' absence
paid at your normal basic
salary excluding overtime
Nil
8 weeks
12 weeks
20 weeks
25 weeks
Followed by number of weeks'
absence paid at half your
normal basic salary excluding
overtime
Nil
8 weeks
12 weeks
20 weeks
25 weeks
ix.
EXCLUSIONS
You will not be entitled to College sick pay during your probationary
period, or if you are employed by us on a temporary basis of six months or
less, although you may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay. If you have been
appointed, but have not yet commenced work for us when you fall sick,
you will not be entitled to either College sick pay or Statutory Sick Pay.
STAFF HANDBOOK 25

SECTION 2.3
Sickness continued...
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Sickness
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
xv.
Your sick pay will be based on your contractual pay on the first day of
incapacity.
Any College sick pay paid to you will include your SSP entitlement.
If your absence is due to an accident or condition in respect of which you
may claim damages from a third party for loss of earnings, you must, if
practicable, make such a claim. Any College sick pay which you have
received in respect of your absence will then be treated as a loan which
you must repay to the College if you are successful in recovering the
damages.
At our discretion, if you are sick for seven or more days while on holiday,
provided you submit a Doctor's Certificate to the Human Resources
Officer, you may be allowed to treat all or part of your absence as sick
leave rather than as holiday.
The College may, at its expense, require you to be examined by an
independent medical practitioner of the College's choice at any time
(whether or not you are absent by reason of sickness or injury at the time)
in order to obtain a medical report on your health .
Any such requests made to you will be in accordance with the rules
contained in the Access to Medical Records Act 1988. This gives you the
right to:
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•
•
•
Refuse your consent to the College’s request to contact your doctor.
To see the doctor’s report at the same time as it is sent to the College.
To see the doctor’s report before it is sent to the College, and if you
exercise this right, you may request that the doctor amends the report or
you may refuse to allow the report to be sent to the College. The doctor
can refuse to make any alterations, or may refuse to let you see the report
if in his or her opinion it is likely to adversely affect your mental or
physical health.

Sickness continued...
SECTION 2.3
xvi.
Should you have a series of absences (excluding absences related to a
disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) each
lasting less than seven days, but which add up to more than 10 working
days in a calendar year, the College may require you to provide a Doctor's
Certificate for all future absences of whatever duration.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Sickness
STAFF HANDBOOK 27

SECTION 2.4
Termination of employment
TERMS & CONDITIONS
i.
The period of notice of termination of employment which you are entitled
to receive is as follows,
• One week's notice during the probationary period;
• Four weeks’ notice after the completion of the probationary period, but
when the period of continuous employment is less than four years;
Termination of
employment
• One week's notice for each year of continuous employment when the
period of continuous employment is four years or more but less than
twelve years; and
• Twelve weeks' notice when the period of continuous employment is
twelve years or more.
ii.
iii.
iv.
You are required to give the College four weeks’ notice of resignation,
unless a longer period is set out in your Statement of Terms and Conditions
of Service.
The College reserves the contractual right to give pay in lieu of all or any
part of the notice given by either party.
Upon either party giving notice of termination of employment, the College
may, at its discretion, for all or part of your notice period:
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• Exclude you from the premises or any other premises of the College;
• Request you to carry out specified duties other than your normal duties;
• Prohibit you from carrying out your normal duties, however you will still
be available for answering queries;
• Instruct you not to communicate with College employees, officers,
Fellows, or students;
• Require you to take outstanding holiday entitlement.
During this period you will continue to receive your full salary and any
other contractual benefits.

Termination of employment continued...
SECTION 2.4
v.
vi.
On the termination of your employment you must return all College
property, including tools, keys, mobile phones, computer hard/software
(including discs), clothing, documents and any other property that may
be in your possession or under your control. You shall not, without the
written consent of your Supervising College Officer, retain any such items.
The ownership of all such property and documents will at all times remain
vested in the College. If so requested by your Head of Department, you
will be required to sign a statement that you have complied with this
requirement. Failure to return such items will result in the cost of the items
being deducted from any monies outstanding to you, and may include the
cost of replacing locks to which you have retained keys. This is an express
written term of your contract of employment.
Your employment may terminate without notice or payment in lieu of
notice in the case of gross misconduct.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Termination of
employment
STAFF HANDBOOK 29

SECTION 2.5
Pensions
TERMS & CONDITIONS
i.
Members of staff will be entitled to join the College Pension Scheme
provided that:
• They have successfully completed a probationary period (where applicable);
• Are less than 60 years of age;
• Are appointed for a period exceeding 26 weeks.
Details of the Scheme may be obtained from the College Accountant.
Failure on your part to take prompt action to deal with your pension
arrangements may result in the loss of benefits which would otherwise be
available to you.
Pensions
ii.
iii.
iv.
If you make a special request to the Bursar, eligibility to join the College
Pension Scheme may at our discretion be granted from the date when your
employment commences.
A contracting-out certificate under the Social Security Pensions Act will be
in force in respect of your employment if you are a member of the College
Pension Scheme.
We will not contribute to any other pension scheme you may have or of
which you are a member.
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Confidentiality
SECTION 2.6
i. In the ordinary course of your employment, you may be exposed to
information concerning the College, its Members, Fellows, students, and
employees which is confidential or commercially sensitive, which may not
be readily available to the general public, and which if disclosed will be
liable to cause significant harm to the College or those associated with it.
Such information may include but is not limited to the following:
TERMS & CONDITIONS
• Correspondence;
• Information and records whether of a personal, academic, financial, or
medical nature;
• Academic work, research, and development;
• College finances;
• Minutes and supporting documents of any meeting of the College, or any
committee, or sub-committee.
Confidentiality
ii.
iii.
Both during and after your employment with us, you must keep such
information confidential, except as required properly to carry out your
duties as an employee or as required by the law. Keeping information
confidential means that you cannot copy, communicate, show, or
otherwise make use of information, in whole or in part, in any way.
All confidential information belongs to the College or the individual whom
it concerns and must be given back to us or the individual in question if
you do not require it to enable you to carry out your duties. In any event,
such information and all and any copies, in whatever form, in whole or in
part, shall be returned to us or the individual in question on demand and
in any event, on termination of your employment for any reason.
STAFF HANDBOOK 31

SECTION 2.7
Business expenses
TERMS & CONDITIONS
i.
Any expenses properly incurred in the course of carrying out your duties
will be reimbursed provided that:
• Claims are for the reimbursement of actual expenditure incurred on
College business, and are in accordance with the approved rates;
• Vehicles used by their owners for travel on College business must be
adequately insured – normally for personal business use;
• Claims for subsistence expenses will only be paid in circumstances where
the employee is required to be away from his or her normal place of work;
• You obtained prior authorisation to incur the expenses;
• You provide proper receipts;
• You submit your claim as soon as possible after the expenses are incurred.
Business expenses
ii.
iii.
Any breach or abuse of this policy will be regarded as a serious
disciplinary matter.
Claims which are made and which are proved to be fraudulent may result
in summary dismissal.
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Hours of work and flexitime
SECTION 2.8
i. GENERAL
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Your Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment contains
provisions in respect of your hours of work. If there is any inconsistency
between your Statement of Main Terms and Conditions and what appears
in this section, then in all cases the terms appearing in your Statement will
prevail.
Your normal working hours may be:
• On a flexible basis with core hours of work specified;
• Subject to seasonal variation if you work outdoors; or
• Subject to work rotas if you are a shift worker.
ii.
REGULATIONS ON HOURS OF WORK
The Working Time Regulations (as amended) and the Management of
Health and Safety at Work Regulations include the following provisions:
• Your average working time should not exceed 48 hours a week, normally
averaged over a 17 week period, unless you have signed an agreement to
opt out of this limit. (For members of staff under 18, the maximum is 40
hours per week.)
• You are entitled to a daily rest break of 20 minutes if your daily working
time is more than 6 hours. ( For under-18s, 30 minutes rest if the daily
working time exceeds 4.5 hours.) The College, however, requires staff to
take a minimum 30 minute daily break when working time exceeds 6
hours.
Hours of work & flexitime
General
Regulations on hours
of work
• You are entitled to a daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours between
each working day. (For under-18s, 12 hours.)
• You are entitled to a weekly rest period of 24 consecutive hours in each 7
day period, which may be averaged over two weeks. (For under-18s, 48
hours rest in every week.)
STAFF HANDBOOK 33

SECTION 2.8
Hours of work & flexitime continued...
TERMS & CONDITIONS
The College believes that your hours of work will comply with these
provisions, but if at any time you think that this may not be the case, you
should immediately advise your Head of Department or Supervising
College Officer. Though in most cases your terms of employment prohibit
other employment and require commitment to the College, if you have any
other employment or are considering any additional employment, you
should notify the College so that any implications arising from the working
time legislation can be discussed with you.
Every member of staff (unless informed that he or she is exempt) is
required to record the hours worked and absences in the manner required
by his or her Head of Department or Supervising College Officer who will
check and approve the record before submission to the Human Resources
Office.
iii.
FLEXITIME
Hours of work & flexitime
Regulations on hours
of work
Flexitime
Those staff covered by the scheme have the option of varying their working
hours to suit their personal and work circumstances; however when
agreeing which hours can be varied, employees must bear in mind that the
needs of the College come first.
The working day is split into periods of flexitime and coretime. During the
flexitime periods, you may vary your start and finish times, as long as the
needs of the College and your Department are met. During coretime, you
must be at work. Flexi start time is between 8am and 10am and flexi
finish time is between 4pm and 6.30pm. Coretime when everyone should
be at work is between 10am and noon and 2pm and 4pm unless otherwise
agreed or where shifts are worked.
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You can also vary the length of your lunchtime. Lunch is a minimum of 30
minutes and a maximum of two hours. If you work through lunch, you still
have to record a lunch break of the minimum 30 minutes (this is to
encourage you to stop and take a break).

Hours of work & flexitime continued...
SECTION 2.8
iii.
FLEXITIME,cont...
The hours you work are recorded on a four-week timesheet. At the end of
the four-week period, you can take a maximum of one day off as
flexileave; this could be a whole day or two half days. This maximum may
be varied seasonally in some departments by special arrangement. Before
taking flexileave you need to get the permission of your Head of
Department or Supervising College Officer by completing a Holiday
Request Form (identifying your flexileave day as time off in lieu) and giving
the usual length of notice.
Annual leave and sick leave should be credited on your timesheet as the
standard working hours for the days concerned, with the correct code in
the absence code field. Flexileave, however, should not be recorded on
your timesheet, so that the time you have taken is automatically deducted
from the total hours in the four-week period.
Where an employee is not able to attend work or remain at work because
of a workplace emergency (e.g. evacuation due to a fire or bomb alert),
standard hours will be recorded for that day. In inclement weather, staff
should make every effort to attend work. Where the journey to the
normal workplace is not practically possible, the Head of Department or
Supervising College Officer should be informed. In appropriate cases,
management may agree to an employee working from home. Where
‘severe weather’ is acknowledged by the Bursar, normal working
arrangements will be set aside and standard hours will be recorded.
A maximum carry-forward of one day’s hours is permitted at the end of the
calendar year. Any excess credit will be forfeited. Debit hours at the year
end will normally be recovered by making a deduction from salary.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Hours of Work & Flexitime
Flexitime
STAFF HANDBOOK 35

SECTION 2.9
Night workers
TERMS & CONDITIONS
i.
ii.
A night worker is a worker who normally works at least three hours of his
or her daily working hours between 11.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.
You will be offered a free health assessment before taking up a position
that requires working at night and will have the opportunity to be
reassessed every year thereafter (unless more frequent checks are
recommended by the Occupational Health Specialist) while you continue
to work at night. The assessment will be carried out by an Occupational
Health Specialist of our choice and we shall be entitled to see a copy of
the assessments in order to establish whether you are suited to working at
night and to try to avoid or limit health problems which may be caused or
worsened by night working. If you suffer from a health problem
recognised as being connected to your working at night, we shall, if
practicable, and as soon as possible, transfer you to a suitable day job.
Night workers
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Grievance procedure
SECTION 2.10
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
All staff have the right to seek individual redress for any grievance which
they may have about their employment. Our procedure, which is
contractual, is designed to ensure that grievances may be resolved
consistently, fairly, and quickly, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.
The procedure applies to all matters arising from your employment
including the nature or range of your job accountabilities or actions taken
by colleagues, Supervising College Officers or Heads of Department, but
should not be used when the issue in question is a matter of managerial
discretion.
Nothing in this procedure is intended to prevent you from informally
raising any matter you may wish to mention. Informal discussion can
frequently solve problems without the need for a written record. However,
if you wish to raise a formal grievance you should normally do so in
writing from the outset. While we will give the same consideration to any
grievance that you raise orally, if you make it clear that you wish it to be
treated formally, you should be aware that, in most circumstances, the law
requires you to provide us with written details of your grievance before
taking certain types of legal action.
You will have the right to be accompanied at all the stages outlined below
by another employee or an employee representative who may act as a
witness or speak on your behalf to explain the situation more clearly.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Grievance procedure
STAFF HANDBOOK 37

SECTION 2.10
Grievance procedure continued...
TERMS & CONDITIONS
INFORMAL DISCUSSION
You are encouraged to raise any complaints informally with your
Supervising College Officer or Head of Department. Both parties should
attempt to resolve the problem.
Stage 1
If the complaint remains unresolved, you should put this in writing if
possible (or orally if this is not possible) to your Supervising College
Officer or Head of Department, providing brief details of your complaint
and requesting that the matter be formally dealt with through the
Grievance Procedure. If your grievance is in relation to your Supervising
College Officer or Head of Department, you may prefer to address your
complaint to the Bursar or to the appropriate College Committee.
Your grievance will be fully investigated, and a meeting will be arranged at
a reasonable time and location to report and discuss the investigator’s
findings and proposals. You must take all reasonable steps to attend this
meeting. The findings and proposals will then be confirmed in writing
within five working days.
Stage 2
Grievance procedure
Informal discussion stages
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If you are not satisfied with the outcome of Stage 1, you may within 14
days of receipt of the decision submit a request to the Master (in writing if
possible, or orally if not possible) to take your grievance to Stage 2 of the
procedure. You will then be invited to attend a meeting at a reasonable
time and location with the Master (or such person or persons as he may
appoint to act in his place), together with either your College Supervising
Officer or Head of Department. You must take all reasonable steps to
attend this meeting. Your grievance will be fully discussed, and a decision
will be reached and communicated to you in writing within five working
days.

Grievance procedure
SECTION 2.10
Stage 3
TERMS & CONDITIONS
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of Stage 2, you may within 14
days of receipt of the second decision submit a request to the Master (in
writing if possible, or orally if not possible) that your grievance be referred
to a College Committee. That Committee will then meet to discuss your
grievance and you will be invited to attend this meeting to state your case.
You must take all reasonable steps to attend this meeting. The considered
decision of the Committee will be notified to you within seven working
days of its meeting to discuss your grievance and will be final and binding.
Grievance procedure
STAFF HANDBOOK 39

SECTION 2.11
Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
TERMS & CONDITIONS
This procedure is contractual and is designed to help and encourage all
staff to achieve and maintain high standards of performance, attendance,
and conduct. It aims to ensure the consistent and fair treatment of all
staff.
It provides for action to be taken for failure to meet our standards of job
performance, attendance, and conduct (whether during working hours or
not), including breach of any of the terms and conditions of employment
or failure to abide by any of our policies, procedures, or rules.
Our intention is to deal with potential disciplinary cases at an early stage
with a view to resolving problems as quickly and fairly as possible.
In all cases warnings will be issued for misconduct, irrespective of the
precise matters concerned, and any further breach of the procedure in
relation to similar or entirely independent matters of misconduct will be
treated as further disciplinary matters and allow the continuation of the
disciplinary process through to dismissal if the warnings are not heeded.
The point at which the procedure is entered will be determined entirely by
the seriousness of the offence or problem in question.
Where it is necessary to take disciplinary action against an employee,
account will be taken of his or her previous record and any circumstances
which may be relevant.
Disciplinary procedure
No employee will be dismissed for a first breach of discipline except in the
case of gross misconduct, when the penalty will normally be dismissal
without notice and without payment in lieu of notice.
Recurrent breaches of the disciplinary rules will lead to progressively more
severe action being taken.
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Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
continued...
At each stage of the procedure:
SECTION 2.11
TERMS & CONDITIONS
• a thorough investigation will be conducted;
• where it is necessary to take disciplinary action against an employee, the
employee will be advised in writing of the nature of the complaint against
him or her and will be given the opportunity to state his or her case;
• the employee will have the right to be accompanied to the disciplinary
hearing by a fellow employee or employee representative;
The outcome of any disciplinary proceedings and the steps to be taken to
lodge an appeal against the decision will be confirmed to the employee in
writing and a record of the disciplinary proceedings and decision will be
placed on his or her personnel file. A copy of the notes from the
disciplinary proceedings will be supplied to the employee if requested.
An employee will have the right to appeal against any disciplinary action
which is taken against him or her.
We expect that any minor problems will be dealt with informally by a
Supervising College Officer or Head of Department, but where the matter
is more serious, the following procedure will be followed:
Stage 1 – Oral Warning
If an employee’s conduct or performance does not meet acceptable
standards, the employee will normally be given a formal oral warning by
his or her Supervising College Officer or Head of Department. He or she
will be advised of the reason for the warning, that this is the first stage of
the disciplinary procedure, and of his or her right of appeal. A brief note
of this oral warning will be retained on the personnel file, but will be
disregarded for disciplinary purposes after six months, provided that we
are satisfied with an employee’s ongoing conduct and performance.
Disciplinary procedure
stages
STAFF HANDBOOK 41

SECTION 2.11
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
continued...
Stage 2 – Written Warning
If the offence is deemed serious, or if a further offence occurs, or
performance does not improve, a written warning will be given to the
employee by his or her Supervising College Officer or Head of
Department. This will outline details of the complaint, and, if
circumstances warrant the level of improvement required and over what
time scale. It will warn that further action under Stage 3 will be
considered if there is no satisfactory improvement or if there is any
repetition of misconduct and will advise of the right of appeal. A copy of
the written warning will be held on the personnel file but will be
disregarded for disciplinary purposes after one year or such further period
of time as is explained in the written warning, provided that we are
satisfied with an employee’s ongoing conduct and performance.
Stage 3 – Final Written Warning
Disciplinary procedure
stages
If there is still a failure to improve and the level of conduct or performance
is still unsatisfactory, or if the misconduct or performance is sufficiently
serious to warrant only one written warning but not serious enough to
justify dismissal (in effect both first and final written warning), a final
written warning will normally be given to the employee. In most cases this
warning will be issued by the Bursar or Domus Bursar and will give details
of the complaint, will warn that dismissal will result if there is no
satisfactory improvement, and will advise of the right of appeal. A copy of
this final written warning will be held on the personnel file but will
normally be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after one year, or such
further period of time as is explained in the written warning, provided that
we are satisfied with an employee’s ongoing conduct and performance.
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Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
continued...
Stage 4 – Dismissal
SECTION 2.11
TERMS & CONDITIONS
If conduct or performance is still unsatisfactory and the employee still fails to
reach the standards prescribed, or if the misconduct or performance is sufficiently
serious, dismissal will normally result. The HR Officer will provide the employee,
as soon as reasonably practicable, with written reasons for his or her dismissal
and the date on which his or her employment will terminate. The employee will
be advised of his or her right of appeal.
Demotion or redeployment may be considered as an alternative to dismissal.
UNSATISFACTORY CONDUCT AND MISCONDUCT
• You will be liable to disciplinary action if you are found to have acted in any of
the following ways (these are examples only and not an exhaustive list):-
• Rudeness towards Fellows, students, visitors, members of the public or other
employees, objectionable or insulting behaviour, harassment, bullying or bad
language;
• Failure to devote the whole of your time, attention and abilities to College
business and its affairs during your normal working hours;
• Unauthorised use of e-mail and internet;
• Failure to carry out all reasonable instructions or follow the College’s rules and
procedures;
• Unauthorised use or negligent damage or loss of College property;
• Failure to report immediately any damage to property or premises caused by you.
• Failure to abide by the general hygiene and health and safety rules and
procedures;
• Smoking anywhere inside College premises or other than in designated areas on
College property outside College premises;
Disciplinary procedure
Unsatisfactory conduct
and misconduct
• Consumption of alcohol which affects the performance of your duties;
• Persistent absenteeism and/or lateness or leaving before normal finishing time;
• Unsatisfactory standards or output of work;
STAFF HANDBOOK 43

SECTION 2.11
Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
continued...
TERMS & CONDITIONS
SERIOUS MISCONDUCT
Where one of the unsatisfactory conduct or misconduct rules has been
broken and if, upon investigation, it is shown to be due to your extreme
carelessness or has a serious or substantial effect upon the reputation or
affairs of the College, you may be issued with a final written warning in the
first instance.
You may receive a final written warning as the first course of action if in an
alleged gross misconduct disciplinary matter, upon investigation, it is shown
to have some level of mitigation and is treated as an offence just short of
dismissal.
GROSS MISCONDUCT
• You will be liable to summary dismissal if you are found to have acted in any
of the following ways (these are examples only and not an exhaustive list):-
• Grossly indecent or immoral behaviour, deliberate acts of unlawful
discrimination or serious acts of harassment.
• Dangerous behaviour, fighting or physical assault.
• Incapacity at work or poor performance caused by intoxicants or drugs.
• Possession, supply or use of illicit drugs.
• Serious infringement of the College’s policy on the use of the internet.
Disciplinary procedure
Serious misconduct
Gross misconduct
• Deliberate falsification of any records (including time sheets, absence
records etc., in respect of yourself or any fellow employee).
• Undertaking private work on the premises and/or in working hours without
express permission.
• Working in competition with the College.
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• Taking part in activities which result in adverse publicity to the College, or
which cause the College to lose faith in your integrity.

Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
continued...
• Theft or unauthorised possession of money or property, whether
belonging to the College, another employee or a third party.
SECTION 2.11
TERMS & CONDITIONS
• Destruction/sabotage of the College’s property, or any property on the
premises.
• Serious breaches of the hygiene and health and safety rules, which
endanger the lives of employees, or of any other person.
• Gross insubordination and/or continuing refusal to carry out legitimate
instructions.
• Abuse of the harassment policy by making vexatious or malicious
allegations.
• Abuse of the Public Interest Disclosure policy by making vexatious or
malicious allegations.
If an employee is accused of serious or gross misconduct, he or she may
be suspended from work on full pay (which will not normally be for more
than five working days), while we investigate the alleged offence. During
any period of suspension, the employee may be refused access to College
premises without our prior consent, and subject to such conditions that we
may impose.
If on completion of our investigations, we are satisfied that gross
misconduct has occurred, the result will normally be summary dismissal
without notice or without payment in lieu of notice. The employee will be
advised of his or her right of appeal.
Disciplinary Procedure
Gross misconduct
STAFF HANDBOOK 45

SECTION 2.11
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Disciplinary policy: procedure & rules
continued...
APPEALS
If an employee wishes to appeal against a disciplinary decision, he or she
should inform the Bursar in writing within seven working days of receipt
of the decision. The letter of appeal should set out the reasons why the
employee considers a disciplinary decision should be changed. While it
is hoped that a request for an appeal be made in writing if possible, it can
be made orally through the employee’s Supervising College Officer or
Head of Department.
The Master may in his absolute discretion refer the appeal to a College
Committee, or such person whom he considers would be appropriate to
deal with the appeal, provided always that that person has had no
previous involvement in the matter. The employee will be invited to
attend the disciplinary appeal meeting to state his or her case. He or she
has the right to be accompanied by a fellow employee or employee
representative.
A decision on any appeal will be set out in writing and sent to the
employee within seven working days of the appeal hearing, and will be
final and binding. At appeal any disciplinary penalty imposed will be
reviewed, but cannot be increased.
SHORT SERVICE STAFF
Disciplinary procedure
Appeals
Short service staff
We retain discretion in respect of the disciplinary procedures to take
account of your length of service and to vary the procedures accordingly.
If you have a short amount of service, you may not be in receipt of any
warnings before dismissal, but you will retain the right to a hearing and
you will have the right to appeal.
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Capability, and capability dismissal
policy and procedure
INTRODUCTION
SECTION 2.12
TERMS & CONDITIONS
We recognise that during your employment your capability to carry out
your duties may deteriorate over time. This can be for a number of
reasons, the most common ones being that either the job changes over a
period of time and you fail to keep pace with the changes, or you change
(most commonly because of health reasons) and you can no longer cope
with the work.
JOB CHANGES
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
If the nature of the job changes, we will make every effort to ensure that
you understand the level of performance expected of you and that you
receive adequate training and supervision. If we have concerns regarding
your capability, these will be discussed in an informal manner and you
will be given time to improve.
If your standard of performance is still not adequate you will be warned in
writing that a failure to improve and to maintain the performance required
could lead to your dismissal. We will also consider the possibility of a
transfer to more suitable work if possible.
If there is still no improvement after a reasonable time and we cannot
transfer you to more suitable work, you will be issued with a final warning
that you will be dismissed unless the required standard of performance is
achieved and maintained.
If such improvement is not forthcoming after an agreed period of time, you
will be dismissed with the appropriate notice.
Capability and capability
Dismissal policy and procedure
STAFF HANDBOOK 47

SECTION 2.12
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Capability, and capability dismissal
policy and procedure
PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Personal circumstances may arise which do not prevent you from attending
for work but which prevent you from carrying out your normal duties (e.g.
a lack of dexterity or general ill health). If such a situation arises, we will
normally need to have details of your medical diagnosis and prognosis so
that we have the benefit of expert advice. Under normal circumstances
this advice can most easily be obtained by asking your own doctor for a
medical report. Your permission is needed. When we have obtained as
much information as possible regarding your condition and after
consultation with you, a decision will be made about your future
employment with us in your current role or, where circumstances permit,
in a more suitable role.
SHORT SERVICE STAFF
We retain discretion in respect of the capability procedures to take
account of your length of service and to vary the procedures accordingly.
If you have a short amount of service, you may not be in receipt of any
warnings before dismissal but you will retain the right to a hearing and you
will have the right to appeal.
Capability and capability
Dismissal policy and procedure
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Policies and procedures which are
relevant to your employment
SECTION 3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Statement of intent
Conduct
Health, safety, and welfare policy and responsibilities; Children on the premises;
Display screen equipment
Smoking
Well-being at work: Equal opportunities policy, dignity at work, and stress at work
Time off for dependants, bereavement, and compassionate leave
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and parental leave policies
Flexible working
Policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders
Policy on the storage, use and disposal of disclosure information
Staff information and consultation committee
Performance and promotion
Training
Data protection policy
Computer facilities, E-mail and internet
3:1
3:2
3:3
3:4
3:5
3:6
3:7
3:8
3:9
3:10
3:11
3:12
3:13
3:14
3:15
STAFF HANDBOOK 49

SECTION 3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policies and procedures which are
relevant to your employment
3:16
3:17
3:18
3:19
3:20
3:21
Telephones and mobile telephones
Use of vehicles
Security
Retirement procedure
Redundancy policy
Public interest disclosure procedure
Further policy documents will be issued as they are developed.
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Statement of intent
SECTION 3.1
Our employment policies express our intentions and objectives and
provide general guidance about employment-related matters. They
cover a wide range of operations including:
• Human resource planning
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Statement of intent
• Recruitment and selection
• Training
• Health and safety
• Pay and conditions of service
• Communications and consultation
• Security
• Well-being at work
• Equal opportunities
• Harassment
• Stress at work
• The organisation of work and the quality of working life
We have sought to express our policies in terms that are clear and
unambiguous in order to avoid any difficulty in their interpretation.
STAFF HANDBOOK 51

SECTION 3.2
Conduct
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Conduct
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
We wish to maintain a pleasant environment for everybody living and
working at the College and to assist all staff to carry out their duties. Your
actions are crucial in helping us to achieve this, and we welcome your
support and suggestions. You are expected to work together with us, other
staff, and College members for the well being of the College as a whole
and to protect the dignity of other workers and members of the College.
You are expected to be clean, neat, and tidy at all times and to be polite
and reasonable with other staff, students, and visitors. You must behave in
a mature, professional manner, with integrity and thoughtfulness.
You may NOT smoke in the College except in authorised areas and must
NOT be under the influence of alcohol or use or be under the influence of
drugs while at work. Alcohol may only be consumed at work when
authorised (for example at farewell parties), with the prior permission of
the Bursar. Any breach of this provision will be treated as a serious
disciplinary matter.
You are expected to be punctual and timely in starting work, keeping
appointments and dealing with your duties. You must use our resources
and facilities as instructed, and help us to promote economy, efficiency,
and effectiveness in our activities.
The College does not accept liability for any loss of, or damage to property
which you bring onto the premises. You are requested not to bring
personal items of value onto the premises and, in particular, not to leave
any items overnight.
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vi.
You must NOT borrow College equipment without the consent of your
Head of Department or Supervising College Officer, which may be given
subject to such conditions as we think appropriate in the circumstances.
This requirement is for your protection. Unauthorised borrowing may be
misinterpreted as theft, which is a dismissable offence. In such cases, the
College reserves the right to report the matter to the police, at any stage in
the proceedings.

Conduct continued...
SECTION 3.2
vii.
viii.
ix.
You must be careful not to imply, by your behaviour, that you may be
influenced by gifts while acting in an official capacity on behalf of the
College. As a general rule, all gifts should be declined. When any offer
of a gift is declined, you should explain the College policy, and illustrate
how your acceptance of gifts could be misconstrued. Exceptions to the
rule include the acceptance of small gifts such as trade pens, pencils,
diaries or calendars, up to the value of £25. If you do accept a gift with
an individual value over £25, it must be reported to your Supervising
College Officer or Head of Department, who will then arrange for this to
be recorded in the Register of Interests held in the College Office.
Should we wish to carry out a search of you or your personal property as
part of a security operation, or an investigatory process, we will seek your
consent. You will be informed of the reason for the search, and we will
retain a written record of the search and our findings. If you refuse
consent, this will be recorded and may be used in evidence at a
disciplinary meeting.
We acknowledge the mutual obligation of confidence and trust implied
into our contract of employment with you and will not act in such a way
as to destroy that relationship.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Conduct
STAFF HANDBOOK 53

SECTION 3.3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Health, safety, and welfare policy and
responsibilities; children on the premises;
and display screen equipment
Health, safety, and welfare
policy and responsibilities
i.
We have a statutory duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to
provide a safe place of work and a healthy working environment for all of
our staff, students, and visitors, and we are committed, so far as is
reasonably practicable, to safeguard your physical and mental well-being
through:
• The provision and maintenance of healthy and safe systems of work and
working conditions;
• The provision and maintenance of safe premises, plant and equipment;
• The systematic identification of hazards;
• The provision of appropriate information, instruction, training, and
supervision in safe working methods and procedures;
• The provision of safe arrangements for the use, handling, storage, and
transport of articles and substances;
• The provision of first-aid, welfare facilities, and appropriate occupational
health advice;
• The establishment of appropriate arrangements for dealing with
emergencies or situations of imminent danger to health and safety;
• The provision of safe means of access and egress at College premises, and
appropriate security arrangements.
• Our Health and Safety Policy Statement (or a simplified form of the
statement) is given to all staff on starting work, and staff are required to
sign a confirmation that they have received and read the statement.
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Health, safety, and welfare policy and
responsibilities; children on the premises;
and display screen equipment continued...
SECTION 3.3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
ii.
We do require you actively to contribute to the implementation of this
College policy by:
• Taking reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself, colleagues,
and others;
• Co-operating with the Bursar, Supervising College Officer, Domus Bursar,
and Heads of Departments in any measures implemented to meet our
statutory obligation to promote health and safety at work;
Health, safety, and welfare
policy and responsibilities
• Observing specific safety arrangements within your own department which
will include specific working practices, departmental regulations, if any,
and all other instructions supplied by your supervisors, the Domus Bursar,
or College Fire Officer;
• Participating in any organised programme of health and safety training.
iii.
It is your responsibility to:
• Understand, support, and implement our College Health and Safety Policy;
• Make sure that you keep up to date with changes to health and safety rules
as a result of new legislation by reading notices on notice boards, internal
correspondence, leaflets and newsletters and by attending any training
sessions we may organise;
• Set an example through your own safe behaviour by complying with
appropriate safety warnings;
• Be conscious of the health, safety, and welfare of yourself, your colleagues,
those in your care, students, and visitors, and do nothing by act or
omission that will adversely affect you or those others;
• Make yourself familiar with the fire procedures and emergency evacuation
procedure as stated by notice in your Department and with any
arrangements and must ensure that you follow them in case of an actual or
suspected fire and must practice fire drills as directed;
STAFF HANDBOOK 55

SECTION 3.3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Health, safety, and welfare policy and
responsibilities; children on the premises;
and display screen equipment continued...
Health, safety, and welfare
policy and responsibilities
• Check that any plant, machinery, tool, equipment, procedure or system
being used is not defective and that it is suitable for the task to be
undertaken, and, if in any doubt, let your Head of Department or
Supervising College Officer know as soon as possible. Ensure that no one
uses faulty equipment until it has been repaired or replaced;
• Accept that safety devices and equipment, protective clothing and
procedures must be employed as appropriate to any hazards in the manner
prescribed and you should not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or
misuse any clothing or equipment provided by the College in the interests
of health, safety, and welfare;
• Use any substance that is dangerous or harmful to health in accordance
with the instructions provided, the training you will have received, and the
preventative measures defined for the use of such substances;
• Report to your Head of Department or Supervising College Officer any
inadequacies that you have identified in any safety procedures;
• Report any reportable diseases, ill-health, dangerous occurrences, and
near misses in accordance with our prescribed procedures and notify any
accidents or injury to staff at work to the Head of Department or deputy if
he or she is not available, for entry in the Accident Book kept in the
Human Resources Office.
• The College Porters and other staff trained in first aid are available to deal
with minor accidents. A list of current first aiders is circulated to Heads of
Departments on a regular basis and is available on the Human Resources
area of the K-drive. First aid equipment is kept in the Porters’ Lodge and
other strategic places around the College and as stated in departmental
notices. If there is a serious accident, you should call a doctor
immediately, and if necessary arrange for transport to hospital.
• Not act vexatiously or frivolously in raising health and safety issues or in
exercising your right of emergency evacuation of the College premises.
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Health, safety, and welfare policy and
responsibilities; children on the premises;
and display screen equipment continued...
SECTION 3.3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
iv.
v.
vi.
Should you consider that you are undertaking, or being asked to
undertake, something for which you do not feel that you are adequately
trained, qualified, or equipped, you must draw this to the attention of your
Head of Department or Supervising College Officer immediately.
It is important that you recognise that should you fail to discharge the
obligations placed on you by this policy, or any relevant statutory
provision, you may be liable to disciplinary action.
You will not be victimised or dismissed for:
Health, safety, and welfare
policy and responsibilities
• Carrying out any health and safety activities for which you have been
designated;
• Performing any functions either as acknowledged by the College or as a
recognised representative or member of the Health, Safety and Domus
Committee;
• Drawing attention to your reasonable concerns, about any health and
safety matter;
• Vacating the work area or taking other appropriate action, in
circumstances of serious and imminent danger.
vii.
Should hazards exist which pose an assessed risk or harm to pregnant
employees, or those who have recently given birth, arrangements will be
made to adapt working conditions and where this is not possible the
individual will be offered suitable alternative employment or will be
suspended on full pay until such time as it is safe for them to resume their
normal duties.
STAFF HANDBOOK 57

SECTION 3.3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Health, safety, and welfare policy and
responsibilities; children on the premises;
and display screen equipment continued...
Children on the premises
Display screen equipment
viii.
i.
You should make yourself familiar with your own health and safety duties
and responsibilities as shown in the detailed Health and Safety Policy, a
copy of which is held by your Head of Department. You must not take any
action that could threaten the health and safety of yourself, other members
of staff, visitors, students or members of the public. You should report all
accidents and injuries at work, no matter how minor, to the Head of
Department or deputy if he or she is not available, for entry into the
Accident Book kept in the Human Resources Office.
Children on the Premises
You must obtain prior permission from your Head of Department or
Supervising College Officer before bringing children on the premises. If
you are given permission to bring a child or children onto College
premises, you must supervise them at all times. They may become
exposed to hazards that they would not normally encounter and may
themselves become a source of hazard to other employees, College
members or visitors, should they, for example, be tempted to interfere with
substances or machinery. You will be held responsible for their actions at
all times.
Display Screen Equipment
If you use display screen equipment e.g. a computer screen (DSE) and
normally use DSE for a significant part of your average working day, you
must advise your Head of Department or Supervising College Officer as
soon as possible of any problems you experience in using the DSE in
respect of;
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TAFF HANDBOOK
• comfort of keyboard
• comfort of work station
• comfort of seating arrangement
• aches, pains, and vision problems
• clarity of image, flickering,
brightness, and contrast
• glare and reflections
• swivel and tilt of screen

Health, safety, and welfare policy and
responsibilities; children on the premises;
and display screen equipment continued...
SECTION 3.3
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
ii.
iii.
You may be entitled to an eye examination or eyesight test at our expense
(and possibly regular future tests). You should speak to your Head of
Department or Supervising College Officer to obtain more information.
We reserve the right to choose the optician used, to specify particular
tests within the eye examination or eyesight test to be conducted, and to
be supplied with the results of such examination or test.
We may also, in certain circumstances, pay for or contribute towards the
cost of obtaining glasses for you to use specifically for DSE work. Again,
further information in respect of this can be obtained from your Head of
Department or Supervising College Officer. You should note that we will
not pay for fancy frames or lenses (including tinted lenses) but, if
appropriate, we may agree to pay a reasonable contribution towards the
cost of these. If your normal glasses are suitable for your DSE work as
well as for other activities, then we will not pay for new or replacement
glasses for you.
Display screen equipment
STAFF HANDBOOK 59

SECTION 3.4
Smoking
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Smoking
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
The College recognises that smoking causes a hazard to health to both
smokers and non-smokers and can constitute a fire hazard.
Accordingly, the College does not allow Fellows, staff, students, visitors,
conference guests, contractors or members of the public to smoke in any
part of its premises, other than in Designated Smoking Areas.
College premises include all buildings on the Domus, and other College
premises such as graduate hostels, the boathouse, the sports pavilion, and
also College-owned vehicles.
Those staff, and their guests, wishing to smoke may only do so in the
Designated Smoking Areas (Staff).
The Designated Smoking Areas (Staff) are: the garden to the rear of the
Porters’ Lodge; the area outside the side entrance to the Butterfield
café/Bar (except when the café/Bar is open for business); the area outside
the rear entrance to the Howard Building; and the area between the
squash courts and the Catering Department.
This restriction applies at all times, including outside normal working
hours. Staff may smoke in the designated areas only at times agreed with
their Head of Department. Other areas have been designated for students
and for conference guests.
This policy is to be communicated to staff by the HR Officer and Head of
Department; staff who breach the policy may be subject to disciplinary
action. Staff are responsible for advising their guests of College policy.
The Domus Bursar is responsible for implementing and monitoring the
effectiveness of this policy.
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TAFF HANDBOOK

Well-being at work
SECTION 3.5
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
i.
We wholeheartedly support the principle of equal opportunities in
employment and oppose all forms of discrimination. We believe that it is
in the best interests of the College and all those who work for us to
ensure that the human resources, talents, and skills available throughout
the community are considered when employment opportunities arise. To
this end, we are committed, wherever practicable, to achieving and
maintaining a workforce that broadly reflects our local community.
ii.
We are committed to achieving equal opportunities through:
• Providing facilities that are easily accessible and meet the needs of our
staff, students, and visitors;
• Adopting appropriate recruitment, training, and promotional practices
and procedures;
Well-being at work:
Equal opportunities
policy
• Drawing up clear and justifiable job criteria;
• Facilitating staff training opportunities;
• Offering greater flexibility of employment when operationally possible;
iii.
iv.
v.
No employee, job applicant or worker will be discriminated against
either directly or indirectly on the grounds of gender, marital status, race,
nationality, colour, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender
reassignment, religious belief, political opinion or affiliation, or age.
The College will appoint, train, and promote on the basis of merit and
ability.
All employees have personal responsibility for the practical application of
this policy.
vi.
The College’s grievance procedure is available to any employee who
believes that he or she may have been unfairly discriminated against.
STAFF HANDBOOK 61

SECTION 3.5
Well-being at work continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Well-being at work:
Equal opportunities
policy,
Dignity at work
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
i.
Disciplinary action will be taken against any employee who is found to
have committed an act of unlawful discrimination. Serious breaches of
the policy will be treated as gross misconduct as will harassment related
to sex, race, age or disability.
You agree to indemnify us against any liability we incur in relation to
your breach of this policy, and this indemnity shall continue beyond such
time when your employment with us ends.
We will ensure that the policy is circulated to any agencies responsible
for our recruitment and a copy of the policy will be made available for all
employees and made known to all applicants for employment.
The policy will be communicated to all private contractors reminding
them of their responsibilities towards equality of opportunity.
DIGNITY AT WORK
The College fully supports the right of all members of staff to seek, obtain,
and hold employment without discrimination. The College will seek to
ensure that all its members and employees are aware of the need to
maintain dignity at work and of the fact that harassment and bullying are
unacceptable and undermine dignity, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
All members and staff of the College, without exception, have a positive
duty to comply with the policy, to prevent harassment and bullying, and
to ensure that their colleagues are treated with respect and dignity.
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ii.
Harassment is a form of discrimination. It is usually unlawful behaviour
that is contrary to the Sex Discrimination Act, the Race Relations Act, the
Disability Discrimination Act or the Employment Equality (Age)
Regulations, and it is also improper and inappropriate behaviour which
lowers morale and interferes with work effectiveness. Harassment will
not be permitted or condoned within or outside the working
environment.

Well-being at work continued...
SECTION 3.5
iii.
iv.
Appropriate disciplinary action, including dismissal for serious offences,
will be taken against any employee who violates this policy.
All members of staff have an obligation to cultivate a climate in which
harassment and bullying are unacceptable and do not take place.
Definition
This policy covers harassment of any kind on any grounds. Harassment is
unjustified, unreasonable, or inappropriate treatment of, or behaviour
towards, another person which causes distress, discomfort, or worry.
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct taken by the recipient to be of a
sexual nature, and which is unreasonable, unwelcome, or offensive to the
recipient, or other conduct based on sex affecting the dignity of women
and men at work.
Racial harassment is unacceptable behaviour that is taken by another,
who observes or comes to hear of it, as being unreasonable, or
unwelcome or offensive by reason of its express or implied reference to
race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, or any similar factor.
Disability and age harassment are similar forms of behaviour making
express or implied reference to a person's disability or age.
The recipient’s perception of the behaviour in question is more important
than (and may be very different from) the intention of the perpetrator.
Examples
The following are examples of inappropriate behaviour covered by this
policy:
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Well-being at work:
Dignity at work
• Physical conduct of a sexual nature. Unwanted physical contact, even if
not obviously sexual, including unnecessary touching or brushing against
another person's body.
STAFF HANDBOOK 63

SECTION 3.5
Well-being at work continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• Verbal conduct of a sexual nature: unwelcome sexual advances,
propositions, or pressure of a sexual nature. Suggestions that sexual
favours may further a career (or that refusal may hinder it).
• Display or circulation of sexually suggestive material. Insults, ridicule or
teasing of a sexual nature, insults that are gender- related and offensive
comments about appearance or dress. Talk and jokes of a sexual nature
which a person present has indicated (whether at the time or previously)
he or she dislikes.
Well-being at work:
Dignity at work
• Jokes, taunts, gestures, and comments directed at, or made in the
presence of, or in circumstances where they are likely to come to the
attention of, people who may find them offensive by reason of their
references to race, age or disabilities.
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• The use of slang names for the members of racial groups or for disabled
persons.
• Continual, undeserved criticism, belittling remarks, imposition of
unreasonable deadlines, unreasonable demands for perfection, arbitrary
and inconsistent demands, shouting, swearing and offensive language,
constant interruption in discussion, and the display of overbearing or
intrusive behaviour. Bullying behaviour may also be manifested by
electronic means of communication such as e-mail.
• Bullying may take place between those of different status or those of the
same status. Bullying when reinforced by power within a relationship is
particularly reprehensible.
• Isolation or non-co-operation at work or exclusion from social or sporting
activities.
If you bring a complaint of harassment, you will not be victimised for
having brought that complaint. However, if the investigation concludes
that the complaint is both untrue and was brought with malicious intent,
disciplinary action will be taken against you.

Well-being at work continued...
SECTION 3.5
Duty of those responsible for staff
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
All managers and supervisory personnel are responsible for eliminating
any harassment of which they are aware. Failure to take appropriate
steps will be considered failure to fulfil all the responsibilities of the
position.
Complaints procedure
Members of staff need not fear that they will be victimised for forwarding
a complaint of harassment.
Retaliation against a member of staff for complaining about or giving
evidence about harassment is a disciplinary offence.
Well-being at work:
Dignity at Work
i.
Informal procedure
Where appropriate, you or a representative should make an informal
initial approach to the alleged harasser to ask him or her to stop causing
annoyance or offence, making it clear that his or her behaviour is
unwelcome. We recommend that you retain a written record of the date
and details of any conversations which take place.
It is important not to allow the behaviour to continue to a point where it
becomes intolerable. Early action often minimises the harmful effects of
harassment or bullying on the individual. If you think that you are being
subjected to harassment in any form, do not feel that it is your fault or
that you have to tolerate it.
STAFF HANDBOOK 65

SECTION 3.5
Well-being at work continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Well-being at work:
Dignity at work
ii.
Formal procedure
If the informal procedure has been tried and has failed to stop the
unwanted behaviour, you should lodge a formal written complaint with
your College Supervising Officer or Head of Department, or you may
prefer to write directly to the Bursar. You may decide that the treatment
being suffered by you is so serious that it would be inappropriate to use
the informal procedure. You should then follow the formal procedure
without delay. Your complaint will be fully investigated and handled in a
timely, sensitive, and confidential manner. Where appropriate a
disciplinary hearing will be conducted with the alleged harasser.
The decision made at the hearing will depend on the particular
circumstances revealed by the evidence, and the test will be whether, on
“the balance of probabilities”, it can be shown that the person accused of
harassment did commit the behaviour complained of and that it was
believed to be unwanted behaviour by the complainant. If it is found that
the complaint of harassment is valid, then prompt action will be taken to
stop the harassment immediately and to prevent its recurrence.
Advice if you are accused of harassment
If you are accused of harassment or bullying you should:
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TAFF HANDBOOK
• Seek confidential advice from the HR Officer. You are advised to do this
before taking any other steps.
• Listen carefully to what is being said. You may find that you have
unintentionally caused offence, or you may believe that your actions
have been misinterpreted or misjudged. In any of these cases, you will
need to keep calm in order to try to reach an understanding with the
person accusing you of harassment.
• Be honest. If you come to realise that you have harassed or bullied
another person, be ready to change the behaviour causing offence.
• Be prepared to participate in mediation if an attempt is being made to
resolve the matter informally.

Well-being at work continued...
SECTION 3.5
• If you believe the accusation to be unfounded say so, but arrange to seek
advice and support as soon as possible whether the situation is resolved
informally or formally. You may wish to report the accusation to your
trade union representative, or you may seek the advice of the College HR
Officer. Should you wish to be accompanied at any interview or other
stage in the procedure by a colleague or trade union representative, this
wish will be respected. However, it is important that all parties treat the
matter with the utmost confidentiality.
If a complaint made against you is not upheld, you may expect steps to
be taken to restore reasonable working relations between yourself and
the person who made the complaint. If the complaint is not upheld and
is found to be malicious, disciplinary action may be taken against the
complainant.
You have the right to appeal if you are not satisfied with the outcome of
the investigation. You must inform the Bursar in writing within seven
working days of the receipt of the decision, setting out the reasons why
you consider the decision should be changed.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Well-being at work:
Dignity at work,
Stress at Work
STRESS AT WORK: POLICY AND GUIDANCE
Introduction
The College is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of
its staff. It recognises that workplace stress is a health and safety issue
and acknowledges the importance of identifying and reducing workplace
stressors. This policy will apply to all staff. Managers are responsible for
its implementation and the College is responsible for providing the
necessary resources.
Definition of stress
The Health and Safety Executive defines stress as “the adverse reaction
people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on
them”. This makes an important distinction between pressure, which can
be a positive state if managed correctly, and stress, which can be
detrimental to health.
STAFF HANDBOOK 67

SECTION 3.5
Well-being at work continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policy
Well-being at work:
Stress at work
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
The College will identify all workplace stressors and conduct risk
assessments to eliminate stress or control the risks from stress. These risk
assessments will be reviewed regularly.
The College will consult with the Health, Safety and Domus Committee
on all proposed action relating to the prevention of workplace stress.
The College will provide guidance for all managers and supervisory staff
in good management practices.
The College will provide access to confidential support and counselling
for staff affected by stress caused by either work or external factors,
through an external provider.
The College will provide adequate resources to enable managers to
implement the College’s agreed stress management strategy.
Responsibilities
Managers
Co-operate in the conduct of risk assessments within their jurisdiction.
Implement the recommendations of risk assessments within their
jurisdiction.
Ensure good communication between management and staff, particularly
where there are organisational and procedural changes.
Ensure that staff are fully trained to discharge their duties.
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v.
Ensure that staff are provided with appropriate developmental
opportunities.

Well-being at work continued...
SECTION 3.5
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Monitor work levels and time management, especially as part of
performance reviews, to ensure that their staff are not overloaded.
Monitor working hours and overtime to ensure that staff are not
overworking, and specifically monitor holiday utilisation to ensure that
staff are taking their full entitlement.
Attend training in good management practice and health and safety as
requested.
Ensure that bullying and harassment are not tolerated within their
jurisdiction.
Are vigilant and offer additional support to a member of staff who is
experiencing stress outside work, eg bereavement or separation.
Health and Safety Officers
Arrange for the provision of specialist advice and awareness training on
stress.
Train and support managers in implementing stress risk assessments.
Must be meaningfully involved in the risk assessment process.
Should conduct joint inspections of the workplace at least every three
months, to ensure that environmental stressors are properly controlled.
Refer staff to counsellors or specialist agencies as required.
Monitor and review the effectiveness of measures to reduce stress.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Well-being at work:
Stress at work
vii.
Inform the College and Health, Safety and Domus Committee of any
changes and developments in the field of stress at work.
STAFF HANDBOOK 69

SECTION 3.5
Well-being at work continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Human Resources
Well-being at work:
Stress at work
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
i.
ii.
iii.
Support individuals who have been off sick with stress and advise them
and their manager on a planned return to work.
Give guidance to managers on the stress policy.
Assist in monitoring the effectiveness of measures to address stress by
collating sickness absence statistics.
Advise managers and individuals on training requirements.
Inform new members of staff at induction that if they became aware of
stress developing, they are encouraged to talk to their line manager, the
HR Officer, the Chaplain, ICAS or the University Counselling Service
(where they are entitled to one free session).
Provide continuing support to managers and individuals in a changing
environment and encourage referral to confidential counsellors where
appropriate.
Employees
Raise issues of concern with the Health and Safety Officer, their line
manager or (through the College Nurse or HR Officer) an occupational
health advisor.
Accept opportunities for counselling when recommended.
Make general suggestions on improving the working environment to their
line manager or, if applicable generally, to their representatives on the
Staff Information and Consultation Committee.
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Well-being at work continued...
SECTION 3.5
Staff representatives on the staff information and consultation
committee
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
i.
ii.
Must be meaningfully consulted on any changes to work practices or
work design that could precipitate stress.
Must be able to consult with staff on the issue of stress including
recommending to the Staff and Employment Committee or the Health,
Safety and Domus Committee (as appropriate) that a workplace survey be
conducted.
Should be allowed access to collective and anonymous sickness data.
Should be provided with paid time away from normal duties to attend
training on workplace stress.
Role of the Health, Safety and Domus Committee
The Committee will ensure that this policy is implemented.
The Committee will oversee monitoring of the efficacy of the policy and
other measures to reduce stress.
Well-being at work:
Stress at work
STAFF HANDBOOK 71

SECTION 3.6
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Time off for dependants, bereavement
and compassionate leave
EMERGENCY TIME OFF FOR DEPENDANTS
You are entitled to take a reasonable amount of unpaid time off during
working hours in order to take action necessary:
• To help when a dependant falls ill, gives birth or is injured;
• To make arrangements for the provision of care for a dependant who is ill
or injured;
• When a dependant dies;
• To cope with the unexpected breakdown of arrangements for caring for a
dependant;
Time off for dependants,
bereavement, and
compassionate leave
• If an unexpected incident occurs at school to a dependant child.
The right only applies if you tell your Head of Department, as soon as
reasonably practical, why you are absent and how long the absence is
likely to last. In most cases, one or two days are the most that will be
needed to deal with such an emergency. A dependant is defined as your
parent, wife, husband or child or someone who lives in the same
household as part of the family.
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BEREAVEMENT AND COMPASSIONATE LEAVE
You will be granted compassionate leave in circumstances and on terms
decided upon by your Supervising College Officer at his or her
discretion. Leave will normally be for up to, but not exceeding, three
days on the death of an immediate relative, by which we usually mean a
partner, parent, child, or sibling (including by marriage or adoption).
A period of compassionate leave may be further extended at the
discretion of the Bursar depending on individual circumstances.
There may be other occasions when you require time off for other
circumstances not included in the above, e.g. a domestic incident. You
should discuss your circumstances with your Supervising College Officer.

Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MATERNITY, PATERNITY, ADOPTIVE LEAVE
AND PARENTAL LEAVE POLICIES.
Where possible, we will try to help you to reconcile work and family
responsibilities. This means that we will aim to foster working practices
to try to ensure:
• better organisation of working hours and times
• greater flexibility of employment
• easier ways of returning to work after maternity leave
• opportunities for reconciling work responsibilities with family obligations
SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
1.
2.
MATERNITY LEAVE AND PAY
Policy
The College’s policy is to provide maternity benefits which not only
comply with the letter and the spirit of the law on maternity rights but
which exceed these statutory requirements. This policy applies to all
female members of staff, regardless of their length of service and their
entitlement to statutory maternity benefits, whose baby is due on or after
1 April 2007.
Maternity leave
All staff are entitled to a maximum of 52 weeks’ maternity leave,
comprised of 18 weeks’ paid leave during which they will receive their
normal salary, followed by 21 weeks during which they will receive, if
they are entitled, Statutory Maternity Pay, and finally 13 weeks’ unpaid
leave.
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
STAFF HANDBOOK 73

SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies continued...
2.1. Commencement of Leave
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
2.2.
2.3.
Maternity leave should normally commence no earlier than 11 weeks
before the expected week the baby is due, and must extend to at least
two weeks after the birth. A member of staff may choose not to begin her
maternity leave until shortly before the birth. If the baby is born before
she has begun her maternity leave, the maternity leave and pay
commence on the first day of absence. In exceptional circumstances, and
with the Bursar’s approval, the maternity leave period may commence
before the 11th week. The timing of the commencement of maternity
leave given above relates to contractual maternity leave. Should a
member of staff be eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay only, e.g. after her
contractual leaving date, or because she has elected to receive Statutory
Maternity Pay only (see below), Statutory Maternity Pay will commence
on the nearest Sunday to the first date of leave. The first 26 weeks of
maternity leave are ‘Ordinary Maternity Leave’, the second 26 weeks are
‘Additional Maternity Leave’.
Sickness Absence
A member of staff who is absent from work due to an illness unrelated to
pregnancy can remain on sick leave until she starts her maternity leave
on the date originally notified. However, if a member of staff is on sick
leave because of a pregnancy-related illness at the beginning of the fourth
week before the week the baby is expected to be born, she will
commence her maternity leave at that date and will transfer from sick pay
to maternity pay; if she becomes sick with a pregnancy-related illness
after the beginning of the fourth week before the week the baby is
expected, her maternity pay and leave will commence on the first day of
illness.
Baby Born Early
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If the baby is born earlier than the 11th week before the week he or she is
expected, the maternity leave and pay commence immediately. The
member of staff should inform the HR Office as soon as possible after the
birth. If a pregnancy ends in a still-birth after the 24th week of
pregnancy, a member of staff is entitled to maternity leave and pay.

3.
3.1.
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies continued...
Maternity pay
Amount of Pay
SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
3.2.
3.3.
A member of staff taking maternity leave will receive maternity pay equal
to her normal salary for 18 weeks. She will receive Statutory Maternity
Pay only, if eligible, for a further 21 weeks. The final 13 weeks of
maternity leave is unpaid. The payment during the first 18 weeks of leave
will include any Statutory Maternity Pay to which she is entitled, unless
the amount due under the Statutory Maternity Pay scheme is greater, in
which case the Statutory Maternity Pay will be payable. If she is not
entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, the salary payable will be reduced by
the amount of Maternity Allowance which she is entitled to receive. A
member of staff not eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay shall be deemed
to be entitled to Maternity Allowance unless she shows proof to the
contrary.
Repayment of Excess
If a member of staff does not return to work after her maternity leave, or
returns to work but does not subsequently continue in the College’s
employment for a period of at least three months, the College will have
the right to reclaim from her the pay which she has received in excess of
the Statutory Maternity Pay to which she is entitled. The amount
deducted will be all the excess pay if she does not return or leaves within
one month of her return, two-thirds of the excess pay if she continues in
employment for one month, and one-third of the excess pay if she
continues in employment for two months. In exercising this right, the
College will have regard to individual circumstances. The normal
repayment term will be in full at the leaving date.
Option to Delay Payment
In circumstances where the member of staff is not certain whether she
will return to work after maternity leave, she may choose to hold over
any pay in excess of her statutory entitlement and to receive this pay in
full once she has returned to work for three months.
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
STAFF HANDBOOK 75

SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
4.
4.1.
4.2.
4.3.
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies continued...
Procedure
Notification
A member of staff should give notice of her intention to take maternity
leave and the intended date of commencement of that leave, by the start
of the 15th week before the date the baby is due, unless this is not
reasonably practical, in which case she should give as much notice as
possible. She may subsequently change her mind about when she wants
to start her leave, providing she gives at least 28 days’ notice, unless this
is not reasonably practical. An application form for maternity leave and
pay is available from the HR Office. When returning the form, the
applicant should also submit a certificate from the doctor or midwife,
stating the week the baby is expected to be born (form Mat B1).
Approval
On receipt of the formal application, the HR Officer will write to the
member of staff confirming the approval of the application and informing
her of the latest permissible date of return from maternity leave. A
proposed date of return from maternity leave should be agreed with the
Head of Department.
Risk assessment
The HR Officer will arrange for the Health and Safety, Officer or a person
appointed by him, to undertake a risk assessment of the working
environment of the pregnant employee, in order to be able to protect the
safety of the mother and child. Should her working environment or
duties pose any threat to her health and safety, her duties will be
modified or alternative work of a suitable nature will be found for her,
and she will be required to co-operate in adopting these temporary
adjustments. Should adjustments not be possible, the member of staff
will be suspended from work on full pay on medical grounds.
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4.4.
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies continued...
Ante-natal appointments
SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
A pregnant member of staff will be entitled to time off with pay to attend
ante-natal appointments, which may include classes. Her Head of
Department may require her to produce an appointments card from her
clinic.
4.5.
4.6.
4.7.
Contract of employment
During the maternity leave period (Ordinary and Additional Maternity
Leave) the contract of employment continues in force. All the terms and
conditions of the contract continue with the exception of salary.
Continuity of service is maintained, and any cost of living salary
increases will be awarded. Members of staff on maternity leave will be
eligible for discretionary College bonus, but the amount of bonus paid
may be reduced for absence on maternity leave, under the scheme rules.
Annual Leave
Annual leave entitlement will accrue during the Ordinary and Additional
Maternity Leave periods, and should normally be taken during the leave
year to which it relates, either before maternity leave starts, or after it
ends. A maximum of 5 days’ annual leave may be carried forward from
one leave year to the next, but payment in lieu of untaken annual leave
will not be made.
Right to return to previous post
A member of staff has the right to return to her previous post if she
returns to work at the end of Ordinary Maternity Leave. Should she take
Additional Maternity Leave, she will normally return to her previous post;
however, if that should not be possible, she is entitled to return to work
on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which applied
before her maternity leave. Should a redundancy situation arise which
could affect the post of a member of staff on maternity leave, she will be
consulted about the continuation of her employment, and if her post
becomes redundant, she will be offered any suitable alternative post
which is available.
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
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SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
4.8.
4.9.
Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies continued...
Notification of return
If a member of staff intends to return to work at the end of her Additional
Maternity Leave (i.e. after 52 weeks’ leave) she is not required to give
notice of her return; if she wishes to return earlier, she should give 8
weeks’ notice of her return. If she gives less than 8 weeks’ notice, her
maternity leave may be extended by up to 8 weeks from the date she
gave notice, to enable the College to make any necessary arrangements.
A member of staff on maternity leave is urged to keep her Head of
Department informed of her plans, so that appropriate arrangements can
be made.
Sick leave
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
4.10.
If a member of staff is unable to return to work at the end of the maternity
leave for medical reasons, she should submit a doctor’s certificate in the
usual way and she will be transferred from maternity to sick leave.
Flexible working
On return to work, members of staff with children under the age of 6
years and at least 26 weeks’ service have a right to request flexible
working arrangements, such as part-time working, an amended shift
pattern, working from home etc., in order to care for the child. Details of
this scheme, and Emergency Leave, Parental Leave, Paternity Leave and
Adoption Leave are included in this handbook.
PATERNITY POLICY
This policy applies to all male employees and to female employees in
same sex relationships where the other partner is taking Statutory
Adoption Leave and Pay.
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You are entitled to five days' paid leave for the birth of your child or the
child of your partner. You must give us, when practicable, at least three
months’ prior notice of your intention to take paternity leave. The leave
must be taken in the period from and including the date that the mother
of the child goes into labour at the earliest to a month after the birth at
the latest.

Maternity, paternity, adoptive leave and
parental leave policies continued...
You are also entitled to paternity leave and pay in accordance with the
current statutory provisions.
If your wife or partner becomes pregnant, you should notify the HR
Officer at an early stage so that your entitlements and obligations can be
explained to you.
ADOPTIVE LEAVE POLICY
This policy applies to both female and male employees.
SECTION 3.7
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
If you and your spouse or partner adopt a child, you will be entitled to
five days’ paid leave in respect of the adoption. You must give us where
practicable at least three months' prior notice of your intention to take
adoptive leave. The leave must be taken in the period from, and
including, four working days before the date of adoption at the earliest to
a month after the adoption at the latest.
You are also entitled to adoption leave and pay in accordance with the
current statutory provisions.
If you anticipate adopting a child, notify the HR Officer so that your
entitlements and obligations can be explained to you.
Maternity
Paternity
Adoptive Leave
Parental Leave
PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY
Parents of children born or adopted after 14 December 1994 are entitled
to unpaid leave of up to 13 weeks during the first five years of the child’s
life, provided that they have been employed by the College for a period
of one year or more. Each parent has this entitlement in respect of each
child. To apply for parental leave you should discuss your circumstances
with the Human Resources Officer, who will explain your entitlement
and obligations.
The purpose of parental leave is to care for a child; any abuse of the
parental leave policy will be considered a serious disciplinary matter.
STAFF HANDBOOK 79

SECTION 3.8
Flexible working
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Staff who are parents of children under the age of six (or 18 if disabled)
and carers of certain adults have a legal right to request flexible working
in order to care for that child or adult, and the College has a duty to
consider such requests seriously. Employees who do not have the legal
right to request flexible working may ask the College if they may do so,
and their request will be considered on an informal basis. Anyone
thinking about requesting a change to his or her working pattern should
make a request as early as possible in order to explore the opportunities
that might be available. The process of making a request and having it
considered may take up to 14 weeks. If the College agrees to your
request, this will result in a permanent change to your contract of
employment. It is the employee’s responsibility to present a carefully
thought-out application. A set procedure is then followed to ensure that
the request is considered seriously and to enable both the employee and
the College to gain a clear understanding of each other’s thinking. The
College may refuse a request only when there is a recognised business
need for doing so.
ELIGIBILITY
Flexible working
To be eligible to make a request to work flexibly, you must have been
employed by the College continuously for 26 weeks at the date the
application is made, and either:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Be the parent of a child under six, or under eighteen if disabled.
Have responsibility for the upbringing of a child under six, or under
eighteen if disabled, and be making the application to enable you to care
for the child.
Be the carer of an adult in need of care, who is your spouse, partner, civil
partner, or near relative (parent, parent-in-law, adult son or daughter,
adopted son or daughter, brother or sister (including in-laws), uncle, aunt,
grandparent, or step relative)
Be the carer of an adult in need of care who falls into none of the above
categories but who lives at the same address as you.
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Flexible working continued...
SECTION 3.8
FLEXIBLE WORKING
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Eligible employees can make a request to change the hours that they
work, change the times when they are required to work, or to work from
home (either for all or part of the week). Other changes may also be
requested. If you reduce the number of hours you work, your salary will
also reduce, pro rata to the hours.
PROCEDURE
You should ask the Human Resources Officer for a Flexible Working
Application Form. When completing the form, you must provide all of
the details of your requested working arrangements and your explanation
of how such arrangements can be implemented and how your duties can
still be carried out. Your application should be given to your Head of
Department, who will discuss your request with you within 28 days. You
will have the right to be accompanied at this meeting by a colleague. A
decision on your request will be given to you in writing within 14 days of
the meeting. If your request is refused, an explanation will be given to
you, and you will have 14 days in which to appeal (preferably in writing)
to the Bursar. An appeal meeting will be held within the next 14 days
and the final decision will be given to you in writing within 14 days of
the appeal meeting.
Flexible working
Only one flexible working request may be made in any twelve month
period.
STAFF HANDBOOK 81

SECTION 3.8
Flexible working continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
REFUSAL OF REQUESTS
An application can be refused only where there is a clear business
reason. The business grounds for refusing an application may only
be one of the following:
Flexible working
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
The burden of additional costs.
A detrimental effect on the ability to meet customer demand.
The inability to reorganise work among existing staff.
The inability to recruit additional staff.
A detrimental impact on quality.
A detrimental impact on performance.
An insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes
to work.
Planned structural changes.
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Policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders
SECTION 3.9
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi
As an organisation using the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure
service to assess applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, Downing
College complies fully with the CRB Code of Practice and undertakes to
treat all applicants for positions fairly. It undertakes not to discriminate
unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of a conviction
or other information revealed.
Downing College is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential
staff, or users of its services, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual
orientation, gender re-assignment, responsibilities for dependants, age,
physical/mental disability, or offending background.
This written policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders will be available to
all Disclosure applicants at the outset of the recruitment process.
We actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of
talent, skills, and potential and welcome applications from a wide range
of candidates, including those with criminal records. We select all
candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications, and
experience.
A Disclosure is only requested after a thorough risk assessment has
indicated that it is both proportionate and relevant to the position
concerned. For those positions where a Disclosure is required, all
application forms, job adverts and recruitment briefs will contain a
statement that a Disclosure will be requested in the event of the
individual being offered the position. For those positions where a risk
assessment indicates that a Standard or Enhanced CRB Disclosure is not
required, a Basic Disclosure or Subject Access Police Check will be
requested.
Where a Disclosure is to form part of the recruitment process, we
encourage all applicants called for interview to provide details of any
criminal record at an early stage in the application process. We request
that this information is sent under separate confidential cover to the HR
Officer; we guarantee that this information is only seen by those who
need to see it as part of the recruitment process.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policy on the recruitment
of ex-offenders
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SECTION 3.9
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policy on the recruitment
of ex-offenders
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
Policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders
continued...
Unless the nature of the position allows Downing College to ask
questions about your entire criminal record, we only ask about “unspent”
convictions as defined in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
When problems have been identified, we ensure that all those in
Downing College who are involved in the recruitment process are
suitably instructed in how to assess the relevance and circumstances of
offences. We ensure that they have received appropriate guidance and
training in the relevant legislation relating to the employment of
ex-offenders, e.g. the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
At interview, or in a separate discussion, we ensure that an open and
measured discussion takes place on the subject of any offences or other
matter that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal
information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to
withdrawal of an offer of employment.
We make every subject of a CRB Disclosure aware of the existence of the
CRB Code of Practice and make a copy available on request.
We undertake to discuss any matter revealed in a Disclosure with the
person seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of
employment.
Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with
us.
The decision will depend on the nature of the position and the
circumstances and background of your offences.
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i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
Policy on the storage, use and disposal of
disclosure information
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
As an organisation using the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure
service to help assess the suitability of applicants for positions of trust,
Downing College complies fully with the CRB Code of Practice regarding
the correct handling, use, storage, retention, and disposal of disclosures
and disclosure information. It also complies fully with its obligations
under the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation pertaining to
the safe handling, use, storage, retention, and disposal of disclosure
information and has a written policy on these matters, which is available
to those who wish to see it on request.
STORAGE AND ACCESS
Disclosure information is never kept on an applicant’s personnel file and
is always kept separately and securely in lockable, non-portable, storage
containers with access strictly controlled and limited to those who are
entitled to see it as part of their duties.
HANDLING
In accordance with section 124 of the Police Act 1997, disclosure
information is only passed to those who are authorised to receive it in the
course of their duties. We maintain a record of all those to whom
disclosures or disclosure information has been revealed and we recognise
that it is a criminal offence to pass this information to anyone who is not
entitled to receive it.
USAGE
Disclosure information is only used for the specific purpose for which it
was requested and for which the applicant’s full consent has been given.
SECTION 3.10
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policy on the storage,
use and disposal of
disclosure information
STAFF HANDBOOK 85

SECTION 3.10
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policy on the storage,
use and disposal of
disclosure information
v.
vi.
Policy on the storage, use and disposal of
disclosure information continued...
RETENTION
Once a recruitment (or other relevant) decision has been made, we do
not keep disclosure information for any longer than is absolutely
necessary. This is generally for a period of up to six months, a period
which allows for the consideration and resolution of any disputes or
complaints. If, in very exceptional circumstances, it is considered
necessary to keep disclosure information for longer than six months, we
will consult the CRB about this and will give full consideration to the
Data Protection and Human Rights Act implications for the individual
subject before doing so. Throughout this time, the usual conditions
regarding safe storage and strictly controlled access will prevail.
DISPOSAL
Once the retention period has elapsed, we will ensure that any disclosure
information is immediately and suitably destroyed by secure means, i.e.
by shredding, pulping, or burning. While awaiting destruction,
disclosure information will not be kept in any insecure receptacle (e.g.
waste bin or confidential waste sack). We will not keep any photocopy
or other image of the disclosure or any copy or representation of the
contents of a disclosure. However, notwithstanding the above, we may
keep a record of the date of the issue of a disclosure, the name of the
subject, the type of disclosure requested, the position for which the
disclosure was requested, the unique reference number of the disclosure,
and the details of the recruitment decision taken.
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Staff information & consultation committee
SECTION 3.11
This Committee was formed in 2003 in order to improve channels of
communication between the College’s Governing Body and the staff of
the College. It reports to the Staff and Employment Committee.
Its membership consists of the Master, two members of the Staff and
Employment Committee (the Chairman and the Bursar) and eight elected
representatives of College staff. The Committee is chaired by the Master
and meets once in each term. The College staff are divided into four
departmental groups, as below, and each group has two elected
representatives on the Committee.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Staff information and
consultation committee
GROUP 1
GROUP 2
GROUP 3
GROUP 4
Accommodation Office
Catering Management
Boathouse
Housekeeping
Bursary Food Preparation
Food Preparation
Buildings & Maintenance
College Office
Food Service
Gardens & Grounds
Conference Office
Porters’ Lodge
Development Office
HR Office
IT Department
Library & Archives
Master’s Lodge
Tutorial & Admissions Office
The purpose of the Committee is to receive comments, views, and
suggestions from College staff and to inform staff of the College’s
activities and economic situation; of the structure and probable
development of employment and any anticipatory measures envisaged, in
particular where there is a threat to employment; and of decisions likely
to lead to substantial changes in work organisation or contractual
relations, including redundancy and transfers.
STAFF HANDBOOK 87

SECTION 3.12
Performance and promotion
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
i.
ii.
Your job performance will normally be reviewed at the end of your
probationary period and annually on or around the anniversary of your
commencement date or at such time as your Head of Department may
stipulate.
Promotion will be considered subject to the structure of our salary grades
and the opportunities that arise. Your experience, skills, and level of
performance will all be taken into account. Decisions in respect of
promotion will be taken by your Head of Department in consultation
with the Supervising College Officer or as otherwise appropriate.
Performance and promotion
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Training
SECTION 3.13
i.
ii.
We regard investment in our staff as essential, and as such we aim to
support the learning, growth, and development of our employees,
insofar as this is in accordance with the College’s business needs.
We recognise that training is a life-long process and that it may be
necessary to:
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• Update existing skills;
• Replace redundant skills;
• Train for new skills; or
• Extend the skills base of individuals to encourage flexibility and
adaptability of working.
iii.
iv.
v.
The annual performance review procedure is used to help identify
individual training needs.
Training requests arising from the performance review, or those arising
ad hoc, should be submitted by the Head of Department for the Bursar’s
approval, on a training request form.
Training and development needs arising from changes in the College’s
structure or service levels will be compiled in an annual training plan
and submitted to the Staff and Employment Committee for approval.
Training
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
DATA PROTECTION POLICY
The information and guidelines within this policy are important and
apply to the entire College Community: the Master, Fellows and all staff
and students (referred to collectively as the “College Community” in this
policy). Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action.
i.
Introduction
Like all educational establishments, the College holds and processes
information about its employees, applicants, students, alumni and other
individuals for various purposes (for example the administration of the
admissions process, the effective provision of academic and welfare
services, to record academic progress, to operate the payroll and to
enable correspondence and communications, including the provision of
references and certificates). To comply with the Data Protection Act
1998 (“the 1998 Act”), information must be collected and used fairly,
stored safely and not disclosed to any unauthorised person.
ii.
Notification to the Information Commissioner
The College has an obligation as a Data Controller to notify the
Information Commissioner (formerly called the Data Protection Registrar)
of the purposes for which it processes personal data. Individual data
subjects can obtain full details of the College’s data protection
registration and notification with the Information Commissioner from the
College Data Protection Officer or from the Information Commissioner’s
website (http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk).
iii.
Data protection principles
Data protection policy
The College, as a Data Controller, must comply with the Data Protection
Principles, which are set out in the 1998 Act. In summary these state that
personal data shall:
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• Be processed fairly and lawfully and shall not be processed unless certain
conditions are met;
• Be obtained for specified and lawful purposes and shall not be processed
in any manner incompatible with those purposes;

Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
• Be adequate, relevant and not excessive for those purposes;
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• Be accurate and kept up to date;
• Not be kept for longer than is necessary for those purposes.
• Be processed in accordance with the data subject’s rights under the
1998 Act;
• Be the subject of appropriate technical and organisational measures
against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss or
destruction;
• Not be transferred to a country outside the European Economic Area,
unless that country or territory has equivalent levels of protection for
personal data.
iv.
Personal data
“Personal data” are data which relate to a living individual (the “data
subject”) who can be identified from the data themselves or from the data
read together with other information which is in, or is likely to come into,
the possession of the person holding the data (the “data controller”).
They include any expression of opinion about the data subject and any
indication of the intentions of the data controller or any other person in
respect of the data subject. “Data” are of four types: (a) information
which is being processed by means of equipment operating automatically
in response to instructions given for that purpose; (b) information
recorded with the intention that it should be processed by means of such
equipment; (c) information which is recorded as part of a filing system so
structured by reference to individuals or to criteria relating to individuals
that specific information relating to a particular individual is readily
available, or information recorded with the intention that it should form
part of a such a filing system; and (d) any other accessible record
(whether electronic or other) apart from one dealt with by other
legislation (i.e. health records, school records, and social services
records).[Data Protection Act 1998, sections 1(1), 68 and 69, and
Schedules 11 and 12]
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
v.
Processing
“Processing”, in relation to information or data, means obtaining,
recording or holding the information or data or carrying out any
operation or set of operations on the information or data, including:
• Organisation, adaptation or alteration of the information or data;
• Retrieval, consultation or use of the information or data;
• Disclosure of the information or data by transmission, dissemination or
otherwise making available or;
• Alignment, combination, blocking, erasure or destruction of the
information or data.
vi.
Data Protection Officer
The College Data Protection Officer is Mr Richard Stibbs. All queries
about the College policy and all requests for access to personal data
should be addressed to the Data Protection Officer (see “Right to Access
Personal Data” below).
vii.
Responsibilities of individual data users
All members of the College Community who record and/or process
personal data in any form (called “Data Users” in this policy) must ensure
that they comply with the requirements of the 1998 Act (including the
Data Protection Principles) and with the College’s data protection policy
(including any procedures and guidelines which may be issued from time
to time). A breach of the 1998 Act and/or the College’s data protection
policy may result in disciplinary proceedings and/or legal liability.
Data protection policy
In particular, no member of the College Community may, without the
prior written authorisation of the Data Protection Officer:
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• Develop a new computer system for processing personal data;
• Use an existing computer system to process personal data for a new
purpose;

Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
• Create a new manual filing system containing personal data;
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• Use an existing manual filing system containing personal data for a new
purpose.
The above does not apply to databases which are maintained by
individual Data Users within the College Community for their private
domestic uses, for example, private address books. However, individual
Data Users should consider whether their private domestic uses fall
within the scope of the 1998 Act.
viii.
“Data Areas” and “Data Area Contacts”
To aid the efficient administration of the College’s data protection policy,
the data which the College holds or processes has been divided into a
number of “Data Areas”: these are described below, showing who may
have access to the data. In each case, there is also specified a “Data Area
Contact”.
The Data Area Contact will be responsible in relation to the data in the
Data Area in question (and thus not simply for the files which he or she
maintains) for the following:
• Informing the Data Protection Officer of proposed processing of personal
data within the College which may need to be notified to the Information
Commissioner;
• Providing personal data to the Data Protection Officer in response to a
subject access request when requested to do so by the Data Protection
Officer; and
• Maintaining the security of, and access to, personal data within the Data
Area.
The Data Protection Officer may from time to time designate other Data
Areas and/or Data Area Contacts.
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Data Areas
• Tutorial files
Tutorial files are maintained in respect of students’ academic progress
and welfare. They may also contain financial and medical data. The
purpose for which they are maintained include the relevant student’s
applications for employment, professional training or admission to other
educational establishments.
Current Tutorial files are to be kept by the Senior Tutor. Tutorial files may
be consulted on a day-to-day basis by the Master and Fellows and by
members of staff in the Tutorial and Admissions Office and the Bursary.
All other requests for access to a Tutorial file must be authorised by the
Senior Tutor.
Data Area Contact | SENIOR TUTOR
• Admissions files
Data protection policy
Admissions files are maintained in respect of candidates for admissions.
During the admissions process such files are maintained and kept by the
Senior Tutor, the Admissions Tutors and the Tutorial and Admissions
Office staff. For successful candidates, the admissions documentation is
included in a Tutorial file. For unsuccessful candidates, the admissions
documentation is stored for the current year plus one year. During the
admissions process, Admissions files may be consulted by the Senior
Tutor, either of the Admissions Tutors, any Director of Studies, any other
interviewers and any members of staff in the Tutorial and Admissions
Office. All other requests for access to an Admissions file must be
authorised by either of the Admissions Tutors or the Senior Tutor. All
admissions interviewers receive copies of the UCAS forms, and other
documentation relating to the application (such as Special Access
Scheme forms) which form part of the admissions file and contain
personal data.
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Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
• Files relating to loans and grants made by the College to students
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
These are maintained and kept by the Senior Tutor, the Bursar and the
College Accountant and staff in the Tutorial and Admissions Office and
the Bursary. These files may be consulted on a day-to-day basis by the
Senior Tutor, the Bursar, the College Accountant, staff in the Tutorial and
Admissions Office and the Bursary. All other requests for access to any of
these files must be authorised by either the Senior Tutor or the Bursar.
Data Area Contact | BURSAR
• Files relating to loans and allowances for Fellows
These are maintained and kept by the Bursar, the College Accountant and
the staff in the Bursary, who may each consult the same on a day-to-day
basis. All other requests for access to any of these files must be
authorised by the Bursar or the College Accountant.
Data Area Contact: | BURSAR
• Files in respect of any disciplinary matters involving students
All such files are to be maintained and kept by the Senior Tutor, the Dean
or members of staff in the Tutorial and Admissions Office, who may each
consult the same on a day-to-day basis. All other requests for access
must be authorised by the Dean, the Master or Senior Tutor.
Data Area Contact | DEAN
• Medical files in respect of student health and welfare
Medical files are to be maintained and kept by the College Nurse, who
may consult the same on a day-to-day basis. All other requests for access
to medical files must be authorised by the College Nurse.
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• Medical notes in respect of students
Such notes are maintained by the Senior Tutor for Health and Safety
reasons, to assist in meeting the needs of students with disabilities, or for
reasons connected with absences from College, poor performance,
applications to the University or to charities etc.
All current notes in this category are to be kept by the Senior Tutor. The
notes may be consulted on a day-to-day basis by the Senior Tutor and
members of staff in the Tutorial and Admissions Office. All other requests
for access to these notes must be authorised by the Senior Tutor.
Data Area Contact | SENIOR TUTOR
• Personnel files in respect of Fellows
These are maintained and kept by the HR Officer and the Senior Tutor.
These files may be consulted on a day-to-day basis by the Master, the
Senior Tutor, the Bursar, and the HR Officer. All other requests for access
to any of these files must be authorised by the Bursar.
Data Area Contact | BURSAR
• Personnel files in respect of other employed staff of the College
These are maintained and kept by the HR Officer. These files may be
consulted on a day-to-day basis by the HR Officer, the Bursar, the Domus
Bursar, and their staff. All other requests for access to these files must be
authorised by the HR Officer.
Data Area Contact | HR OFFICER
Data protection policy
• Files relating to tenancies of College properties, suppliers of goods and
services to the College, and other third parties not otherwise dealt with in
this policy document.
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Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
These are maintained and kept by the Bursar, the Domus Bursar and
their respective staff, who may each consult the same on a day-to-day
basis. All other requests for access must be authorised by the Bursar or
the Domus Bursar.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Data Area Contact | BURSAR
Alumni Relations and Development
Manual and computer based files are maintained in respect of current and
former Fellows, most alumni, and other current, past and potential donors
to the College.
All files are to be kept in the locked Development Office; access to the
computer database is to be password protected. Development Office staff
may consult the manual and computer based files on a day to day basis,
but requests by others to view these files must be authorised by the
Development Director.
Data will be used by the College for a full range of alumni activities,
including the sending of College publications, promotion of benefits and
services available to alumni (including those being made available by
external organisations), notification of alumni activities and fund raising
programmes (which might include an element of direct marketing).
It is intended that old members’ contact details will be made available to
other current and old members of the College, recognised alumni
societies in the UK and overseas, to clubs and societies associated with
the College, and to agents contracted by the College for particular
alumni-related activities. The data is available to the College and
University offices, faculties, academic and administrative departments,
alumni societies, sports and other clubs associated with the College and
University.
The Development Office will seek individuals’ consent to disclosure of
their contact details. If an individual has an objection to other aspects of
the processing of their data for alumni or fund raising purposes, then
written notice should be given to the Development Director.
Data Area Contact | DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• Computer Databases
Certain of the files referred to above are maintained in electronic
databases as well as or instead of paper files. Access to such databases is
restricted in the same manner as access to paper files in the relevant Data
Area.
In addition, however, the IT Manager, and members of the College’s IT
Department, may have day-to-day access to the College’s electronic
databases for various purposes, including:
• system management purposes, for example, by tracking “Help desk”
information and log on and log off details on systems servers;
• performance, accounting and administration purposes, for example, by
keeping details of equipment loaned to College members;
• security and other legitimate College purposes, for example, monitoring
email/internet and network session information in accordance with
College policies.
College Archives
The individual files relating to members of the College Community are
the basis of the alumni records and detailed historical archives of the
College, and may be retained indefinitely for reference and research
purposes.
Data protection policy
At some point after a member of the College Community leaves the
College, his or her file(s) will be subject to the retention policies adopted
by the College. Access to these files will be given to the Master, the
Bursar and the Senior Tutor by the College Archivist; any other person
who wishes to have access to an archive file will require the authorisation
of the Fellow Archivist.
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Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
Personal data which is contained in archived files may be processed for
research purposes (including statistical, historical or biographical
purposes). Such processing will be carried out in such a manner to
comply with the Data Protection Principles (so far as applicable).
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
The College reserves the right to destroy (in whole or in part) archived
files whenever it considers it appropriate to do so.
Data Area Contact | ARCHIVIST
All members of the College community must also refer to the College’s
Use of IT Facilities, Email and Internet Policies, from time to time in
force, which must be read and applied in conjunction with this Policy.
ix.
Data Security and Disclosure
All members of the College Community are responsible for ensuring that:
• Any personal data which they hold is kept securely.
• Personal data is not disclosed either orally or in writing or otherwise to
any unauthorised third party, and that every reasonable effort will be
made to see that data is not disclosed accidentally.
Unauthorised disclosure is a disciplinary matter and may be considered
gross misconduct. If in any doubt, the College Data Protection Officer
should be consulted. Persons making unauthorised disclosures may also
be subject to legal sanctions or remedies at the instance of the data
subject or the Information Commissioner.
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Personal data must be kept securely and examples of how this may be
done will include:
• keeping the data locked in a filing cabinet, drawer or room; or
• if the data is computerised, ensuring that the data is password protected
or kept only on disk which is itself kept securely; or
• any other appropriate security measure.
x.
Data subjects’ consent
Certain types of personal data may be processed for particular purposes
without the consent of individual data subjects. However, it is the
College’s policy to seek express consent whenever practicable from
individual data subjects for the main ways in which the College may hold
and process personal data concerning them. This is to allow individuals
an opportunity to raise any objections to any intended processing of
personal data. The College will consider any such objections but reserves
the right to process personal data in order to carry out its functions as
permitted by law.
Therefore, all prospective Fellows, staff, admissions candidates and
students will be asked to sign a consent form regarding particular types of
information which the College may in due course hold or process about
them. Existing Fellows, staff and students will also be asked to sign a
consent form.
xi.
Right to access personal data
Data protection policy
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Staff, students and other individuals have the right under the 1998 Act to
access any personal data that is being held about them either in an
“automatically processable form” (mainly computer records) or in a
“relevant filing system” (i.e. any set of information structured in such a
way that specific information relating to a particular individual is readily
accessible) and to request the correction of such data where they are
incorrect. An individual who wishes to exercise his or her right of access
is asked to complete the College “Access to Personal Data” form which is
available from the College Office and give it to the Data Protection
Officer.

Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
Any inaccuracies in data disclosed in this way should be communicated
immediately to the Data Protection Officer who shall take appropriate
steps to make the necessary amendments.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
The College will make a charge of £10 (or such other charge as is
permitted from time to time by the Data Protection Act 1998) on each
occasion that access is requested and this fee should accompany the
Access to Personal Data form. In accordance with the 1998 Act, the
College reserves the right to refuse repeated requests where a reasonable
period has not elapsed between requests.
The College will normally respond to the request for access to personal
data within 40 days (including bank holidays and weekends) of the
request or payment of the fee, whichever is the later.
The provisions of the 1998 Act and individuals’ access rights will not
come into effect fully until 23 October 2007. The Freedom of
Information Act 2000 gives individuals extended rights of access in
certain circumstances to information which is not held on computer or in
a relevant filing system.
Please contact the Data Protection Officer for further information.
xii.
Disclosure outside the EEA
The College may, from time to time, desire to transfer personal data to
countries or territories outside the European Economic Area in
accordance with purposes made known to individual data subjects. For
example, the names and contact details at the College of members of staff
on a website may constitute a transfer of personal data world wide.
Accordingly, the consent form signifies an individual’s consent to the
inclusion of such data on an authorised College website. If an individual
wishes to raise an objection to this disclosure then written notice should
be given to the Bursar.
Other personal data, even if it would otherwise constitute fair processing,
must not, unless certain exemptions apply or protective measures are
taken, be disclosed or transferred outside the EEA to a country or territory
which does not ensure an adequate level of protection for the rights and
freedoms of data subjects.
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.14
Data protection continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
xiii. Sensitive personal data
The College may from time to time process “sensitive personal data”
relating to staff of the College.
“Sensitive personal data” is information as to a data subject’s racial or
ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or beliefs of a similar
nature, trade union membership, physical or mental health or condition,
sexual life, offences or alleged offences, and information relating to any
proceedings for offences committed or allegedly committed by the data
subject, including the outcome of those proceedings.
Currently, the College envisages the need to process sensitive personal
data including data relating to ethnic origin, medical records and
criminal records. For example, data relating to the ethnic origin of staff
of the College may be processed for the purposes of equal opportunities
monitoring or to identify any necessary dietary requirements. Medical
records need to be processed for the provision of healthcare and general
welfare, to identify any necessary dietary requirements and to assist in
meeting the needs of members of the College Community with
disabilities. In exceptional circumstances, the College may need to
process information regarding criminal convictions or alleged offences in
connection, for example, with any disciplinary proceedings or other legal
obligations.
In other circumstances, where sensitive personal data is to be held or
processed, the College will seek the explicit consent of the member of
the College Community in question unless one of the limited exemptions
provided in the Data Protection Act 1998 applies (such as to perform a
legal duty regarding employees or to protect the data subject’s or a third
party’s vital interests).
Data protection policy
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In order to comply with the College’s legal obligations under the Data
Protection Act 1998, disclosure of this information will not be made
unless the Data Protection Officer is satisfied that the disclosure is in
accordance with the law and is necessary and proportionate for one of
the purposes specified in Article 8.2 to the European Convention on
Human Rights. This states that an interference with the right to respect
for private life (including use of private information) may be justified only
if (inter alia) it is necessary “in the interests of national security, public
safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of
disorder or crime, or for the protection of health or morals, or for the
protection of the rights and freedoms of others”.

Data protection continued...
SECTION 3.14
CCTV
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
The College operates a number of CCTV cameras in order to assist with
security for members of the College Community and in respect of College
property. If you have any queries regarding the operation of the CCTV
system, please speak to the Domus Bursar. If you wish to access any
personal data about you on the CCTV system, you are asked to complete
and return an Access to Personal Data form (with the requisite £10 fee)
with as much information as possible to enable the data to be located
(including, if possible, details of the relevant camera, date and time).
Email
It is permissible and appropriate for the College to keep records of
internal communications which are relevant to an individual’s ongoing
relationship with the College, including information concerning
performance and conduct issues, provided such records comply with the
Data Protection principles.
It is recognised that email is used for such communications and that such
emails should form part of the College’s records. It goes beyond the
scope of this policy document to address the appropriate use of email in
the proper functioning of the College, and the limitations and legal
implications with this mode of communication. However, all members
of the College Community need to be aware that:
• the 1998 Act applies to emails which contain personal data about
individuals which are sent or received by members of the College
Community (other than for their own private purposes as opposed to
College purposes);
• subject to certain exceptions, individual data subjects will be entitled to
make a data subject access request and have access to emails which
contain personal data concerning them, provided that the individual data
subject can provide sufficient information for the College to locate the
personal data in the emails; and
• the legislation applies to all emails from and to members of the College
Community which are sent and received for College purposes, whether
or not the emails are sent through the College email system or on an
individual’s own email account.
Data protection policy
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SECTION 3.15
Computer facilities, e-mail & the internet
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
1. GENERAL
• This policy applies to all staff and Fellows of the College.
• You may make reasonable personal use of computing facilities provided
by the College. This personal use should not interfere with the
performance of your duties or cause any damage or difficulty to
computers or to networks, or any difficulty or distress to others.
• You should use computing facilities in a reasonable manner. You should
not install any software without the agreement of the IT Manager, and
you should not reconfigure any machine you have access to against the
advice of the appropriate authorised officer.
• You may not make use of the College’s IT facilities for private financial
gain or for commercial purposes outside the scope of official duties or
functions, without specific authorisation to do so.
2.
INTERNET USAGE (INCLUDING E-MAIL, THE WEB, CHATROOMS)
• You may make occasional use of the Web for other than strictly work
purposes provided it does not adversely affect your work and the work of
others and has a minimal effect on the College’s resources.
• You may make occasional use of College facilities for personal e-mails,
provided that this does not have more than a minimal impact on
resources and does not adversely affect your work or the work of others.
• If an e-mail is personal, you may wish to make this clear by using the
word ‘personal’ in the subject line.
• When you send e-mail, you should remember the following:-
Computer facilities,
E-mail & internet
i.
ii.
An e-mail message is legally equivalent to a letter. e-mail messages can
be defamatory and can form contracts. For these reasons, it is important
to take the same care in composing e-mail messages as in composing
letters.
Private e-mails should not use Downing signature blocks.
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iii.
e-mail messages, like other documents, can be disclosed to the person
that they are about, under the Data Protection Act and in the event of
legal proceedings.

iv.
3.
Computer facilities, e-mail & the internet
continued...
The College cannot guarantee that communications will not be
accessed illicitly.
SECURITY AND PROTECTION OF INFORMATION
SECTION 3.15
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• You should guard confidential material and personal information by the
proper use of passwords and other security measures.
• Not all computer systems are suitable for the storage of confidential
information. You can get advice on this from the College’s IT Manager.
• You can protect highly sensitive material through the use of encryption.
The IT Manager can advise you on this.
• You must not disclose passwords or other access codes to other persons.
• You must comply with the Data Protection Act, which requires that the
College keeps personal information secure.
• When working with confidential information, you must take care not to
leave it inappropriately on screen. You should not leave your computer
logged on when unattended, unless it is in a secure location.
• You should observe the same standards of confidentiality for
electronically held or generated information as for information held on
paper.
If you have a concern about the inadequate protection of data, you
should inform your Head of Department or Supervising College Officer
so that any necessary steps can be taken to safeguard the data.
All staff and Fellows have an obligation to protect data and systems by
following current recommendations to avoid damage from viruses and
other malicious programmes. You can get advice from the IT staff about
this.
Computer facilities,
E-mail & internet
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SECTION 3.15
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
4.
Computer facilities, e-mail & the internet
continued...
MISUSE OF COMPUTING FACILITIES
As stated above, the College permits reasonable personal as well as
professional use of computing facilities. You should be careful not to
misuse these facilities, for instance by:
• Hacking – attempting to access systems or information within or outside
the College without authority, or encouraging others to do so.
• Accessing from the Internet material which is counter either to
legislation, College rules or policies (e.g. equal opportunities) or to
commonly accepted standards, or is likely to be offensive to reasonable
people. If you are concerned that accidental access to such sites has
taken place, you may wish to report your concerns to an appropriate
person.
• e-mail communications, which constitute bullying or harassment, as
defined in section 3:5 of the College Staff Handbook.
5.
INVESTIGATION OF MISUSE AND INTERCEPTION
The College will investigate any suspected misuse of computing facilities.
Investigators may need to inspect any files held on any of the College’s
computing systems. These inspections will be applied only when there
are grounds to suspect that misuse has occurred and in a strictly
controlled manner. When inspection is deemed to be necessary, the
Bursar shall give permission for such access. Access will only be allowed
in so far as it is necessary for the College to comply with national
legislation, e.g. the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and the Lawful
Business Practice Regulations, or in connection with the investigation of
misuse. Access will be initiated in accordance with the provisions of that
legislation and to the extent permitted by data protection and human
rights legislation and by general principles of employment law.
Computer facilities,
E-mail & internet
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Computer facilities, e-mail & the internet
continued...
If there is a need to access files, the individual member of staff or Fellow
will normally be asked for his or her consent; however, in certain
circumstances it may exceptionally be necessary to obtain access without
consent –
SECTION 3.15
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• If urgent access is critically required for operational purposes but the
individual is absent and cannot be contacted;
• If there is prima facie evidence that an individual may be misusing
facilities to an extent which would be considered serious or gross
misconduct, or if there is a need to initiate an investigation and there is a
serious possibility that evidence might be destroyed.
In other situations, the privacy of individuals will be respected, and that
privacy will be protected especially in connection with individual
members of staff and Fellows, their work, and the College, its systems and
resources.
As part of normal procedures, computers linked to networks may be
scanned automatically for vulnerability, and the Bursar may authorise the
routine monitoring of Internet access generally, including E-mail traffic
volume (but not content), within the local area network.
6.
MISUSE AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION
The Bursar will decide in the light of the outcome of an investigation of
possible misuse of computing facilities whether disciplinary action is
appropriate and, if it is judged appropriate, will instigate necessary action
in accordance with the relevant disciplinary procedures.
Computer facilities,
E-mail & internet
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SECTION 3.16
Telephones and mobile telephones
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Telephones and mobile
telephones
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
You must not abuse the fact that you have access to our telephones for
both internal and external use. For example, you must not use our
telephones for excessive or unnecessary personal calls.
If we provide you with a mobile phone for use on our business, the
handset, associated equipment and account remain the property of the
College at all times and must not be used in any way which may bring
the College into disrepute. The terms and conditions of the Mobile
Phone Scheme will be provided to you and failure to abide by these
terms and conditions will be a disciplinary offence.
The user is responsible for the safekeeping and correct use of the handset
and associated equipment. In particular, you will agree to take proper
care of the mobile phone and not leave it unattended, and shall not leave
it in the possession of an unauthorised person or allow him or her to use
it. The mobile phone must be logged in and out in accordance with any
procedure that we specify.
No mobile phone used by you in relation to our business should be used
unlawfully or illegally. In particular, it should not be used for purposes
of, or related to, discrimination, victimisation, or harassment, in any
circumstances whatsoever. When driving off the Domus, the mobile
phone must be switched off. When driving on the Domus, the phone
may be turned on, but you must stop your vehicle to make or receive
calls.
There are three different billing schemes associated with the provision of
a mobile phone by the College. If a mobile phone is provided to you,
you will be informed which scheme applies to you.
You must indemnify us against any liability we incur in relation to your
breach of these rules, and this indemnity shall continue even after such
time as your employment with us ends.
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vii.
Staff are requested not to make or receive non-urgent personal calls on
their own mobile phones during working time.

Use of vehicles
SECTION 3.17
i. In the event that you are required to travel on authorised business on
behalf of the College and to use your own vehicle or one of our
vehicles, you must:
• hold a full current and valid driving licence and be willing to produce it
to us on demand from time to time;
• only travel on our business if your vehicle is in a safe and roadworthy
condition, covered by an MOT certificate, if appropriate, and a road
fund licence, and be willing to produce them to us on demand;
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Use of vehicles
• drive the vehicle carefully and lawfully; and
• report any accident or incident involving the vehicle when used on
business, regardless of fault, to your Head of Department or your
Supervising College Officer without delay.
ii.
iii.
If you do use your vehicle for our business, you are required to produce
your insurance policy which must specify that you are covered for
business travel, and we may, by arrangement, pay for that part of your
insurance if an additional charge is levied.
If you use one of our vehicles, you must:
• use it only on our business and in compliance with any procedures that
we notify you of from time to time;
• have permission to use it;
• comply with the terms of our insurance cover; and
• report any fault with the vehicle as soon as possible to your Head of
Department or your Supervising College Officer.
iv.
The College cannot, under any circumstances, accept responsibility for
parking or other fines incurred by you while driving any of our vehicles.
STAFF HANDBOOK 109

SECTION 3.17
Use of vehicles continued...
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Use of vehicles
v.
vi.
vii.
In the event of an accident while driving one of our vehicles for which
you are held to be at fault, you may be required to pay the cost of the
insurance excess, up to a maximum of £250.
You must provide us in writing with details of the business mileage you
have undertaken on our behalf, together with copy receipts for any petrol
or diesel purchased. Provided we have authorised your use of our vehicle
for the purpose in question, we will reimburse any expenses that you
have reasonably incurred as a result. When you have been authorised to
use your own vehicle, your mileage for the journey in question will be
reimbursed at the current mileage rate in force.
You must indemnify us against any liability we incur as a result of:
• your driving a vehicle on our business unlawfully or without a driving
licence, or (if you are driving our vehicle) breaching the terms of our
insurance;
• your driving a vehicle (which is not our vehicle) on our business and not
being insured, or not having an MOT certificate, or not having a road
fund licence;
and this indemnity shall continue even after such time as your
employment with us ends.
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Security
SECTION 3.18
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
You must co-operate with us and other staff to maintain the security of
College buildings and their contents and to ensure the safety of others
visiting or working or living at the College.
CCTV cameras are used on the Domus to help to safeguard the security
of people and property. Cameras, which are capable of being directed
and zoomed remotely, are positioned to capture views of the car parking
areas, the main entrance and strategic areas, as well as general views
across the Domus. The live pictures are viewed, from time to time, by the
College’s Porters, in order to detect any suspicious activity.
Warning signs are in place at strategic points to inform staff, students,
Fellows and members of the public that surveillance cameras are in
operation.
CCTV footage is retained for 30 days, stored in a secure location. It is
then over-written if not required as evidence.
Information derived from CCTV surveillance will only be used for
security purposes unless it leads to the discovery of an activity that no
employer could reasonably be expected to ignore, for example, breaches
of Health and Safety rules that put others at risk.
You have the right of access to information about you held on CCTV
footage. If you request access, you will be asked to: complete a Data
Access Request Form (available from the Data Protection Officer, Mr
Richard Stibbs); provide details of the date, time, and location of the
CCTV recording; pay the current fee; and provide evidence of your
identity.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Security
STAFF HANDBOOK 111

SECTION 3.19
Retirement procedure
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
i.
ii.
The normal retirement date for a member of the College’s non-academic
staff is the end of the month in which his or her 65th birthday occurs.
Not less than 6 months nor more than 12 months before a member of
staff’s 65th birthday the HR Officer will give written notice to the
employee of his or her approaching retirement date. The notice will
include reference to the member of staff’s right to request not to retire on
that date, and the manner in which such a request should be made and
how it will be considered.
Retirement procedure
iii.
A request to continue working past the normal retirement date must:
• Be made, in writing if possible, to the Head of Department or Supervising
College Officer.
• Be made more than three months but less than six months before the
notified retirement date.
• Must specify whether the employee wishes the employment to continue
indefinitely, for a stated period, or until a stated date.
• Must expressly state that it is a request under paragraph 5 of the
Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.
iv.
A meeting will be held to consider any request to continue working
beyond the normal retirement date:
• Within a reasonable period.
• Comprising the Head of Department or Supervising College Officer, the
HR Officer and the employee.
• The employee has the right to be accompanied by another member of the
non-academic staff of the College, if he or she so wishes.
• The meeting will give full consideration to the representations made by
the employee.
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Retirement procedure continued...
SECTION 3.19
• The College’s decision on the request to continue working will normally
be given to the employee within 5 working days and confirmed in
writing.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• The employee will be informed of his or her right to appeal against the
decision.
v.
If the employee wishes to appeal:
The appeal must be made, in writing if possible, to the Bursar within 7
working days of receipt of the decision.
• An appeal meeting will be held within a reasonable time.
Retirement procedure
• The appeal will normally be heard by the Bursar or such other person as
he or she considers appropriate.
• The employee will be invited to attend the appeal meeting to state his or
her case.
• The employee has the right to be accompanied by another member of
the non-academic staff of the College, if he or she so wishes.
• The College’s decision on the appeal will normally be given to the
employee within 5 working days and confirmed in writing.
• The appeal decision will be final and binding.
STAFF HANDBOOK 113

SECTION 3.20
Redundancy policy
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Redundancy policy
i.
ii.
A redundancy will arise when:
“The employer has ceased, or intends to cease to carry on business for
the purposes of which the employee was employed by him, or has ceased
or intends to cease to carry on that business in the place where the
employee was so employed; or the requirements of that business for
employees to carry out work of a particular kind or for the employees to
carry out work of a particular kind at the place where they were so
employed, have ceased or diminished or are expected to cease or
diminish”.
Section 13 (1) Employment Rights Act 1996
We will seek to avoid compulsory redundancies as far as is consistent
with maintaining operational efficiency by means of:
• Placing restrictions on recruitment.
• Making reductions in overtime.
• Restricting temporary contracts.
• Inviting volunteers for redundancy.
iii.
Should compulsory redundancy prove unavoidable, we will:
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Follow a fair and objective selection process.
• Consult fully and consider any alternative positions that may be available.
• Where redundancies affect fewer than 20 staff or take place over a period
greater than 90 days, regard will be had to the statutory dismissal
procedure.
• Treat individual employees who are to be made redundant with
consideration and respect.
• Grant reasonable paid time off during normal working hours to
employees who have been given notice of redundancy to look for new
employment and to make arrangements for training for future
employment.

Redundancy policy continued...
SECTION 3.20
iv.
v.
In the event of redundancy, whether voluntary or compulsory,
redundancy pay will be calculated in accordance with the statutory
rules by reference to the employee’s age, length of continuous service,
and weekly gross pay (capped at the statutory maximum for redundancy
pay purposes.) Redundancy payments are not normally taxable.
Each completed year of continuous service up to a maximum of 20 years
counts for payment on the following scale;
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• For years of employment before age 22 years – ½ week’s pay for each year
of service.
• From age 22 years but less than 41 years – 1 week’s pay for each year of
service.
Redundancy policy
• From age 41 years – 1½ week’s pay for each year of service.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
Employees with less than two years’ continuous service at the date when
notice of dismissal expires will have no entitlement to a redundancy
payment.
We will make every effort to offer suitable alternative employment where
possible. We may at our discretion and for a specified period of time offer
personal protection of basic salary, at the employee’s current grade, if he or
she transfers to an alternative post with reasonably comparable duties.
Should an offer of alternative employment be made and accepted, this will
usually commence immediately or no later than four weeks after the
employee’s original contract has been terminated. The employee will be
entitled to a trial period in the new position of four weeks or longer by
agreement when re-training is necessary. If during the trial period, either
the College or the employee decides to terminate the new position because
it proves not to be suitable, then the employee will be regarded as having
been made redundant from the former position and will accordingly
receive a redundancy payment.
If an employee unreasonably refuses an offer of alternative employment or
unreasonably resigns during the trial period for a suitable alternative
position, then he or she will have no entitlement to a redundancy payment.
STAFF HANDBOOK 115

SECTION 3.21
Public interest disclosure procedure
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Public interest
disclosure procedure
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
We recognise that a member of staff is likely to be the first person to
realise that there may be something seriously wrong within the College.
However, you may not wish to express any concerns for fear that
speaking up would be disloyal to a colleague or your employer; or, you
may fear harassment or victimisation. In these circumstances, it may be
easier to ignore the concern rather than report a suspicion of
malpractice.
We encourage our staff to raise genuine concerns about malpractice at
the earliest practicable stage. Malpractice within this College is taken
very seriously.
This procedure is intended to provide safeguards to enable members of
staff to raise concerns about malpractice in connection with the College.
The aim is to provide a rapid mechanism under which genuine concerns
can be raised internally, without fear of adverse repercussions to the
individual. By inviting all members of staff to act responsibly in order to
uphold the reputation of the College and maintain public confidence, we
also intend to promote a culture of openness and a shared sense of
integrity.
This procedure also seeks to safeguard members of staff against
uninformed or vexatious allegations, which can cause distress to
innocent individuals.
The College may amend this procedure from time to time.
Malpractice
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•
•
•
The types of matters regarded as malpractice for the purposes of this
procedure are as follows:
Fraud or financial irregularity
Corruption, bribery, or blackmail
Criminal offences
Failure to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation
Miscarriage of justice
Endangering the environment
Concealment of any of the above
•
•
•
•
•

Public interest disclosure procedure
continued...
Disclosure
SECTION 3.21
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
A disclosure may be made by an employee, agency contract worker, or
casual worker, who is employed or engaged by the College and has
grounds to believe that malpractice has occurred, is occurring, or is likely
to occur in connection with the College, whether on the part of a
colleague or any other person.
The disclosure should be made as soon as practicable and in confidence
to the Bursar, or the Human Resources Officer (the Designated College
Assessors under this procedure), setting out grounds for the belief of
malpractice. This should be made in writing, but if this is not practicable,
an oral disclosure may be made. Any disclosure should be accompanied
by as much supporting written evidence as possible.
Upon receipt of the initial disclosure, the Designated College Assessor
will arrange to interview the discloser in confidence. The purpose of this
meeting will be to obtain as much information as possible about the
grounds of the belief of malpractice and to consult with the discloser
about further steps which could be taken. The discloser may be
accompanied by a work colleague at this interview, and the Designated
College Assessor may be accompanied by another College Officer who
will take notes and retain complete confidentiality.
Public interest
disclosure procedure
Further Steps
As soon as possible after the interview, or after the initial disclosure if no
interview has taken place, the Designated College Assessor will report to
the Master recommending what further steps, if any, should be taken.
Such recommendations may, without limitation, include one or more of
the following:
• that the matter should be reported to the Police;
• that the matter should be reported to the Department for Education and
Skills, the National Audit Office or other appropriate public authority;
STAFF HANDBOOK 117

SECTION 3.21
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Public interest disclosure procedure
continued...
• that the matter should be investigated either internally by the College, a
Committee of the College, external auditors, or investigators appointed
by the College,
• that a member of staff should be given the opportunity to seek redress
through the College Grievance Procedure or through an appeal under the
College's Disciplinary Procedures relating to staff.
The grounds on which the Bursar, or other Designated College Assessor,
may recommend that no further action by the College should be taken
are as follows:
Public interest
disclosure procedure
• that the Assessor is satisfied that there is not a reasonable case that
malpractice within the meaning of this procedure has occurred, is
occurring, or is likely to occur; or
• that the Assessor is satisfied that the discloser is not acting in good faith;
or
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• that the matter concerned is already the subject of legal proceedings, or
has already been referred to the Police, the Department for Education and
Skills or other public authority; or
• that the matter is already, or has already been, the subject of proceedings
under one of the College's other procedures relating to staff.
The Designated College Assessor's recommendations will be made
without revealing the name of the discloser as far as is practicable. If the
Master decides not to implement fully any such recommendations, his
decision will be notified as soon as possible to the appropriate College
Committee together with his written reasons.
Once the Master has decided what further steps, if any, should be taken,
the Designated College Assessor will inform the discloser of his decision.
If no further steps are proposed by the College, the Designated College
Assessor will provide written justification.
If the malpractice which the discloser wishes to report relates, in any way,
to the Bursar or the Human Resources Officer, then the discloser should
make the disclosure directly to the Master. If it relates to the Master, then
the disclosure should be made to the Vice Master.

Public interest disclosure procedure
continued...
Anyone making a disclosure will not be required by the College, without
his or her consent, to participate in any enquiry or investigation into the
matter established by the College unless there are grounds to believe that
the discloser may have been involved in misconduct or malpractice.
SECTION 3.21
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
When the discloser participates in any such enquiry or investigation, that
participation will be required to be on an open rather than on a
confidential basis, although as far as practicable, the identity of the
individual as the original discloser of information under this procedure
will remain confidential.
The College will not - and will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure
that its employees do not - subject the discloser to any detriment on the
grounds of a disclosure of information made by him or her in accordance
with this procedure and in good faith. The discloser should report any
complaints of such treatment to either of the Designated College
Assessors (or to the Master). If the discloser wishes the College to take
action in relation to any such complaint, the discloser may be asked to
provide written consent to the Bursar to reveal his or her identity for the
purposes of any such action.
Public interest
disclosure procedure
However, the College may take disciplinary action against the discloser
where there are grounds to believe that the disclosure in question has
been made maliciously or vexatiously, or where the discloser has,
without good reason, failed to follow the appropriate procedural steps for
making a disclosure as described in this procedure.
STAFF HANDBOOK 119

NOTES
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