Flexible working time and work pattern policy - NHS Ayrshire and ...

Debit or credit up to 8 hours may be carried forward to the next settlement period. Duringthe settlement period a whole day or 2 half days may be taken off in lieu of creditaccumulated or in anticipation of credit to be accumulated during the settlement period.Prior notice of time off in lieu is required in order that staffing levels can be maintained.September 2008 7

SECTION 3 – COMPRESSED WORKING WEEK1. Policy statementNHS Ayrshire and Arran is committed to staff being given the opportunity of balancinghome and working life and therefore supports the principle of compressed working week inorder to meet the needs of both staff and the Organisation.2. DefinitionCompressed working week is a system whereby staff are allowed to 'compress' some oftheir working weeks into fewer full working days, without reducing the total number ofhours. This system is a variation on flexible working hours.The compressed working week policy is intended primarily to provide staff with theopportunity to work flexibly, by balancing their working hours with family, leisure and othercommitments. It allows staff the ability to compress the working week and also to meet theservice demand at the busy times of the week.3. ResponsibilityIt is the responsibility of both staff and line management to ensure that arrangements arein place to support the policy. Staff must have their hours agreed with their line managerwell in advance.How it worksWhilst there is no standard working pattern when agreeing a Compressed Working Week(or fortnight) an example would be where a full-time employee might compress their hoursinto four days rather than five; or into nine days out of ten. This gives the employee a dayoff each week or a full day off every fortnight. The hours are agreed with the line managerin advance.Sometimes a maximum working day may be specified, for example, eight or nine hours, toensure staff are fully productive and do not attempt to squeeze too many working hoursinto each day. Consideration must also be given to compliance with the Working TimeRegulations and the maximum hours which can be worked within a working day.BenefitsTo the Organisation / Line Manager• Increased employee motivation, leading to better productivity.• Enhance recruitment and retention• Resources can be devoted to a busy part of the week.• Reduced need for authorised absences during working time, e.g. for medicalappointments.• It is a useful system for solving short-term problems.To the Employee• Longer weekend off (depending on agreed working pattern).September 2008 8

• Larger blocks of family and leisure time.• Reduced costs such as childcare• Not travelling at peak times due to an extended working day.• Less travelling costs if full days are 'saved' and staff are travelling off-peak.Points to Consider when Making an Application• May be tiring.• Less leisure time during working days.• Overtime is virtually eliminated.• Impact on service delivery.• Impact on colleagues.September 2008 9

SECTION 4 – PART TIME1. Policy StatementNHS Ayrshire and Arran recognises the important role that part-time employees can playin the workforce and therefore supports part-time working in order to meet the needs ofboth staff and the Organisation.The Organisation has a large number of part-time employees because the posts they holdhave been designated as part-time in the establishment. These posts although part-timeshould still allow the holders the right of access to the range of ' work life balance' options.This is different from the concept of part-time working or reduced hours working as one ofthe range of options which can be accessed under the banner of ‘work life balance’policies.The terms and conditions for part time staff should be no different to that of otheremployees, other than some of the terms and conditions will be on a pro-rata basis.2. Definition of part-timePart-time work is defined as working fewer hours than the full-time hours for that grade ofstaff.Part-time working allows employees to reduce their full-time hours to less than theirnormal within a range of options i.e. half days, shorter days, a reduced number of full daysor an agreed number of hours in an arranged pattern. It should be noted that although anemployee may request to reduce to part-time working hours this may only be for a specificperiod of time and may in due course wish to have the option of return to full time. Allrequests for part-time working should be reviewed after a six month period to identifywhether the individual wishes to continue with the part time arrangement or return to fulltime work. Following the initial review period a further six month part time arrangementmay be granted. A review must then occur at the end of the 12 month period to againdiscuss the current working arrangements. If following the 12 month period the employeewishes to remain part time they will relinquish the automatic right to return to full timeunless this can be accommodated within the managers existing budget.Definition of V TimeVoluntary reduced working means the employee voluntarily reduces their working time fora specified period, usually to enable them to manage other personal or caringcommitments. Voluntary reduced working periods can last anything up to five years,however a period of between six months and one year are the most typical.The voluntary reduced working time scheme is intended primarily to enable employees toreduce their work commitment for a defined period, with a corresponding reduction inearnings. Its main aim is to strengthen the loyalty and commitment of employees byenabling them to deal with responsibilities outside work without having to leave or changeto a part-time contract.September 2008 10

Reduced hours patterns enable people to continue to work when they are unable to fulfilthe demands of work because of caring and other responsibilities.Reorganising hoursReorganising the hours of work is a contractual matter between employer and employee.(seek further guidance from the department of O&HRD)To comply with the law:• In reorganising workloads, part-time employees will not be treated less favourablythan full-time employees.Promotion for part-time employeesPart-time employees have equal opportunity to seek promotion.To comply with the law:• Previous or current part-time status will not of itself constitute a barrier to promotionto a post, whether the post is full-time or part-time.• Part-time employees will receive the same hourly rate as comparable full-timeemployees.General Guidance.• The form in which an employee takes the reduced time is a matter fornegotiation, taking into account the needs of the organisation and cannot bevaried except by agreement. At this time the duration of the voluntary reductionin working hours should be agreed and the employee / managers expectationsfor a future return to current working hours discussed and the process should apotential extension be required.• Pay, benefits and holiday entitlements are reduced pro rata.• If employees on Voluntary Reduced Working Time work over their agreed hours,these are usually paid at the standard rate and only reach enhanced overtimerates if they exceed the normal full-time hours.• The individual effect on pay, pension and benefits of any move to reduced hoursworking should be verified with payroll, the department of Organisation andHuman Resource Development and SPPA.September 2008 11

SECTION 5 – ANNUALISED HOURS1. IntroductionAnnualised hours systems provide a way of organising working time by contracting withstaff to work an agreed number of hours per year rather than a standard number eachweek. The actual number of hours worked by a member of staff during the week will thenbe “flexed” to match workload requirements. As well as hours being varied week to week,they may also be varied seasonally and/or according to fluctuation of service demands.Annualised hours are used to match attendance of staff to the periods when they are mostneeded by services.Fluctuations in hours worked may be predictable or not reflecting the often uncertainpatterns of demand for services such as in an acute hospital. Annualised hours workingcan offer a flexible and efficient way of deploying staff by matching staffing levels moreclosely with variances in workload. For staff, annualised hours working offers greaterflexibility and the opportunity to better manage working hours to allow individuals to tailorthe time they spend at work and at home. For employers, in time this can lead toreductions in staffing costs through efficient allocation of staffing levels and the reductionof overtime costs or use of agency or bank staff.Under more traditional working arrangements, the demand for services may result inovertime or premium rates of pay at busy times or overstaffing when demand is low. Withannualised hours, a yearly staff plan is drawn up in advance so that staff know when theyare expected to work on a regular basis.Health service employers frequently have to approach bank or agency staff to fill staffinggaps for all types of clinicians. Developing a more flexible approach than the use of bankstaff, such as annualised hours systems, allows rostering which is more responsive topatient needs and enable flexible deployment of existing experienced staff to enable shorttermfluctuations in activity to be serviced by meeting peaks and troughs in workload.Staff costs may be better controlled through the flexibility offered by annualised hoursworking by reducing the cost impact of staff deployment decisions particularly thoseassociated with “inappropriate” use of bank or agency staff, overtime and time owed toexisting staff.Annualised hours contracts are equally appropriate for all grades of staff wishing to workfull-time and part-time hours and may be utilised by a small number of staff and need notnecessarily involve whole teams.2. ProcedureStaff, their representatives and managers in any one area or organisation will haveto identify the best solutions to their own staffing requirements and tailor the designof their annualised hours system accordingly. It is essential that staff and theirrepresentatives are involved in working out the details of the system in order to capitaliseon their knowledge and experience and to gain ownership and understanding of thesystem.September 2008 12

Information on both patient/service activity and staff is required to allow the design of theannualised hours system. In terms of staffing, it will be necessary to collate information onan annual basis to assess how many staff are in post; how they are deployed; assess useof bank/agency staff; turnover; current shift patterns and rotas; absence rates andpatterns; and staff costs.Data should also be gathered and assessed as to whether or not there are peaks ortroughs in activity; against the fluctuations of service demand over a 24 hourperiod/service provision time; the extent to which there are high levels of emergencies andwhen they occur; whether or not there are seasonal variations in activity/demand; and theextent to which staff costs may be unpredictable.The data considered against these factors will help to inform as to whether or not theexisting system of staff allocation is working well and supports decision-making as to theneed and desirability of proceeding to develop an annualised hours system.3. General Information relating to Terms and Conditions with respect to AnnualisedHours• Calculating hours to be workedAn employee on an annualised hours contract, would be contracted to work anagreed number of hours per year. Salary will be received in 12 equal monthlypayments which will be inclusive of annual leave and Public Holiday entitlement.Staff are paid the same monthly salary throughout the year regardless of theexact number of hours they work each month.• Normal Agenda for Change Enhancement rates will apply.• Maximum and minimum working hours per week are also agreed within the 48hours (set by the Working Time Regulations) as the norm for a maximum length ofworking week and a minimum to be agreed in line with service needs.• Over the course of a year the number of hours worked overall may vary by plus orminus an agreed number of hours, for example, 30 hours, which can be carriedover to the next year. Staff and managers record the number of hours worked byeach member of staff and the cumulative totals are regularly monitored to ensurethe account will be kept within the prescribed limits at the end of the year.• Once the full time conditioned hours for the post per annum are exceeded standardovertime payments will apply.• Staff rotas should be planned to match service demands/patient need in line withthe analysis undertaken. Exceptionally shift patterns may be changed at shortnotice, giving an agreed minimum notice period, by mutual agreement.• Annual LeaveEmployees will be issued with an annual leave card for the accrued paid hoursincorporated into their equal monthly salary payments and should be requested inthe normal way.September 2008 13

• Sickness absenceWhere staff are absent from work due to sickness payment will be made on thebasis of normal organisational sick pay rules i.e. full pay or half pay based onaverage monthly earnings.For staff on annualised hours who are off sick, where hours have not been rosteredin advance, the remainder of the annualised hours to be worked for the agreed timeperiod will be recalculated on the basis of average hours per month paid as sicktime balanced against the hours outstanding.4. EvaluationEvaluation of staff and managers’ experiences and of the effectiveness of the systemwill be undertaken on an ongoing basis in order to inform revisions to the system wherenecessary. Evaluation criteria should be established at the outset and will includeassessments of the effectiveness of communication of the scheme, the effectiveness ofthe partnership approach, the difficulties and opportunities experienced in running thescheme, the extent to which gaps between staffing and workload have narrowed,including pressures on staff, the effectiveness and quality of patient care, financialperformance and the need for bank/agency staff.September 2008 14

SECTION 6 – JOB SHARE1. DefinitionJob sharing is a formal agreement whereby the duties and responsibilities of a post can beshared by two or more employees. The salary and benefits of the post will be dividedbetween the job share partners in proportion to the number of hours they work.As good communication and co-operation are required between the job share partners,provision for an overlap may be required to facilitate and maintain continuity.2. Objectives• To support the Equal Opportunities Policy and Employment Legislation by allowingtheintroduction of flexible working practices.• To allow employees the opportunity of applying for a change in their workingpattern.• To allow existing job sharing employees to compete for promotional posts.• To provide job share partners with contracts which include specific reference to jobsharing conditions.3. Responsibilities3.1 Job Share PartnersTo ensure that job sharing arrangements do not adversely affect service provision bymaintaining robust communications, and providing support for each other.3.2 ManagersTo consider carefully each application to job share and wherever possible to facilitate theintroduction of these arrangements.Where job sharing is not feasible to advise employees as to the reason(s) why.Vacant positions should be advertised as open to any candidate to apply on a full-time orjob share basis, unless it can be demonstrated that this is inappropriate.Candidates will be asked to indicate on their application whether they wish to job share. Allcandidates are required to submit an application and these will be considered on anindividual basis.Applicants should receive relevant information plus a copy of the job share policy ifthey are successfully shortlisted for interview.3.3 Department of Organisation & Human Resource Development (O&HRD)As the department responsible for the policy, O&HRD will maintain a job share register.This will provide information on existing and potential employees who wish to apply for ajob share.September 2008 15

In the event of an application for a job share being rejected for operational or recruitmentreasons, the applicants will be informed of the register by their line manager and asked ifthey wish to be included on the register. The employee will be asked to complete aconsent form to support this.The purpose of the register will be to support employees in their attempt to secure a jobshare position. The department of O&HRD will support the employees but, it will be theindividual’s responsibility to apply for and secure the post through the normal recruitmentprocesses. It will not be the organisation’s role to secure posts for employees.Those who ‘register’ will be asked to specify the type of work they are interested in and thepatterns of work they would prefer.O&HRD will also support line managers through this process providing advice andguidance where necessary.4 Job Share ProcedureJob share partners do not require to state their reasons for wishing to job share.Where an application is approved, an advertisement will be placed for a job share partner,stating clearly that it is a job sharing post.In the case of the Job Share Policy, where an applicant applies for a post and expresses awish to job share it should be explained that if successful and in the event that theorganisation is unable to find another job share partner, the applicant would be expectedto work the contracted hours of the post until such times as a job share partner can befound.If, after advertising twice for a job-sharing partner, the post remains unfilled, managersshould give consideration to alternatives; redeployment, or other arrangements for flexibleworking that may meet the employee’s needs. The employee should also be informed thata new application for job sharing may be considered after the expiry of 12 months from theclosing date of the last advertisement. The organisation will however advertise within 12months if solutions can be found within the job share register or redeployment pool.Until such time as a job sharing partner commences employment, the existing employeewill continue to work the posts contracted hours.5 General Job Share Information5.1 Job Sharing ArrangementsWorking arrangements can be divided in a number of ways, for example, split days, splitweeks, alternate days or alternate weeks, depending on the nature of the job. Although notexclusively a 50/50 split, cognisance of both professional registration and needs of servicemust be taken into account and therefore a minimum/maximum number of hours may benecessary to maintain competencies in line with professional guidelines where applicable.The Line Manager must ensure that agreement has been reached between themselvesand the job sharers on the hours and cycle to be worked and where appropriate, thedivision of tasks to be undertaken to meet the contracted hours of the post.Any changes to the agreed arrangements will be discussed with the job share partnersSeptember 2008 16

and then line manager and must be agreed by all before implementation.If no agreement reached then the status quo will remain.As with any other post, alterations due to organisational change will be discussed by theline manager and the job share partners.Job sharing partners will have separate contracts of employment sharing the contractedhours of the post.The Job share agreement, which is a written agreement between partners and the linemanager will specify the arrangements to allow job share partners to communicate, andwill clearly indicate if appropriate, which responsibilities are shared and which areallocated to individual job share partners.5.2 Replacing job share partnersWhere one job share partner leaves the employment of the organisation the remaining jobshare partner will be offered the post on a full-time basis.If the employee prefers the job sharing arrangement, the post will be advertised in themanner outlined in paragraph 4 above. While the post is being advertised the remainingjob sharer may be invited, but not required, to work full time hours.If after a period of not less than six months and advertising at least twice, the post remainsunfilled, every effort will be made to offer an alternative part time job. If this is unsuccessfulthen the normal redeployment policy would apply.5.3 Individual performance reviewEach job share partner receive individual performance review and produce a KSF outlinelinked to a PDP relevant to their needs. The objectives set for the job share partners mayinclude an objective to ensure the success of the job share partnership.5.4 SupervisionEach job share partner will be responsible to the same line manager.5.5 Cover for Leave PurposesWhere one part of a shared post is unoccupied due to sickness, maternity or other leave,the other job share partners may be invited, but not required, to undertake additionalhours.September 2008 17

Section 7 – Working at HomePolicy StatementNHS Ayrshire and Arran is prepared to consider working at home to improve retention andmake reasonable adjustments.This policy applies to any post where work is performed at or from home instead of atNational Health Service premises for a significant proportion of the contractual workinghours.Definition"Working at Home" occurs when an employee wishes, with the approval of their manager,to work at home for part of their working time even though their contract of employmentrequires them to be based on work premises.GUIDANCE NOTEThe principles and parameters must be agreed before a working at home scheme can beintroduced, taking note of the following considerations –• Hours of Duty – Hours worked at home will be s agreed with the line manager,taking into account the needs of the service but would normally be a maximum ofone day per week unless otherwise agreed• Working at home should be used to undertake specific work activities as agreedwith your line manager.• Frequency and duration of working at home should be agreed with the manager.• Reasonable notice of a wish to work at home must be given in line with thestandard procedure.• Once there is an agreement that an individual is to work at home for a part of a day,given day or period of days, the arrangement should be respected in so far aspossible.• Staff working at home may be recalled to work premises at short notice• In cases where staff working at home are frequently recalled to work premises atshort notice, working arrangements should be reviewed. The situation will initiallybe reviewed after 3 months and then annually thereafter or earlier should thecircumstances merit it. Individuals and managers should jointly monitor the impactof time spent working at home. Where an employee works at home more than 50days in any one calendar year the employee’s manager will actively review ways ofworking with particular regard to location of the workplace.• Staff working at home are required to carry out their work duties during their normalhours of work, unless otherwise agreed. Any domestic arrangements such asSeptember 2008 18

childcare/carer arrangements must remain in place throughout the hours of work.Any abuse of the working at home system could result in disciplinary action. Staffabusing the system will have the working at home arrangement withdrawnimmediately. Managers may request evidence of the work carried out.• Staff working at home must be contactable by telephone.September 2008 19

SECTION 8 - TEAM BASED SELF ROSTERINGPolicy StatementAyrshire and Arran NHS (hereinafter referred to as the Organisation) recognises that therigidity of working practices has been identified as being one of the prime reasons forleaving the employment of the NHS. The Organisation is prepared to consider team-basedself-rostering to improve retention.AimTo allow staff to have more flexibility to plan their work around other commitmentsand responsibilities, whilst still meeting the needs of the service.DefinitionSelf-rostering means agreeing the staffing levels and skill mix required at any time in theday, then giving staff the ability to schedule their working day collectively to meet theserequirements.Team-based self-rostering is a "bottom up" approach to scheduling work, giving staff morecontrol over the pattern of their working week. Parameters are set, by agreeing, inadvance, the levels of staff and skill mix required hour-by-hour throughout the workingday.Staff put forward the times they would like to work and times they would like to protectaway from work. This information is then used to compile shift patterns that matchindividual preferences as closely as possible, whilst maintaining agreed levels of cover atall times.Team based self rostering may be used in conjunction with the other flexible workingpolicies contained within this document.Team based self rostering works best in a large mixed team where there is a variety ofpersonal circumstances among staff, and different preferences about work patterns.A recording/rota allocation system should be developed, tailored to the needs of thedepartment, which will produce a roster that matches individual preferences as closely aspossible whilst maintaining the agreed staffing levels. Where there is competition amongtoo many people to work at the same time - or too few to meet staffing levels at any time -the manager will distribute these hours among staff to achieve fairness over the wholeroster period. Assistance can be sought from the Human Resources Department.The system will ensure equity of treatment for all members of the team. Team membersmay negotiate among themselves to modify shifts, but these must be entered into theroster in advance.September 2008 20

Prior to agreement being given to Team Based Self Rostering consideration shouldbe given to:• The level of support among staff for team-based self-rostering.• Any effect on the delivery/continuity of patient care and how a gain in quality of care beensured• If it will help to retain existing staff and recruit new staff• If it will reduce absences and the need for bank or agency staff• If it will affect overtime or unsocial hours earnings• How handovers will be managed when there aren't clear shift changesThe principles and parameters must be agreed before a team-based self-rosteringscheme can be introduced. These will include:• minimum and maximum staff levels for each hour of the day.• skill, grade and gender mix, hour by hour.• "veto" hours and any "core" hours.• the preferences for hours to be worked by each member of the team.• protected time periods for each member of the team when they specifically do not wantto work.The manager must then compare agreed staffing levels against self-rostered hours andtake corrective action if there is a mismatch. It might be advisable to trial the self-rosteringscheme for a time limited period - three months is the minimum period for the effect to beassessed while six months will provide a better picture of how well it works.Should it be found that Team Based Self Rostering is no longer a viable optionconsideration will be given to reverting to the original rostering process.September 2008 21

TERMS AND CONDITIONS1 Personal AppointmentsAppointments with General Practitioners, Dentists or Opticians will not be treated asauthorised absence and must, unless in exceptional circumstances, be arranged out withcore time periods.Hospital appointments will continue to be authorised absence within core time periods.3.4 Authorised AbsencesFor Flexible Working and Flexi-Time, absences through sickness, attendance at courses,annual leave and other leave of absence with pay will be regarded as the average numberof hours per day, being based on the hours per week being worked over the customarynumber of days per week. The hours of authorised absence should be entered on return.3.5 LeaveFor Flexible Working and Flexi-Time, annual, compassionate, sick leave etc, time will becredited on the record sheet on the basis of the appropriate number of hours absencetaken. For all other applications involving a reduction in hours, annual leave (as applicableto the grade of the post) will be applied on a pro rata basis. Annual leave can be taken atthe same time or at different times subject to the manager’s agreement.Arrangements for sharing public and statutory holidays will be agreed between the jobshare partners and their line manager to ensure that a pro rata division is maintained.3.6 OvertimeStaff requested by their manager to work more than their full-time hours (or the full time equivalentfor part-time employees) will be entitled to overtime rates. Staff may choose either to accrue timeoff in lieu or to claim an overtime payment. Any time off in lieu resulting from overtime not takenwithin 3 months must be paid as overtime, in line with NHS Terms and Conditions of Service.Staff in debit of their flexi time will not be entitled to overtime payments until their debit isaddressed.There will be no requirement on a job share partner to cover for a partner’s short-termabsences, due to sickness or leave. If the individual agrees to work such additional hours,then any additional hours worked above those specified in the individual’s personalcontract will be paid at basic rate up to the standard full time contracted hours for the post,thereafter, overtime rates will apply or time off in lieu if agreed.3.7 Part-time employeesThis agreement will also apply to part time staff with the relevant changes to work times.3.8 Pay, pension and benefitsSeptember 2008 22

The individual effect on pay, pension and benefits of any move to reduced hours workingshould be verified with payroll, the department of Organisation and Human ResourceDevelopment and SPPA.3.9 Access to trainingAs it can be difficult for part-time staff to attend residential courses if they have othercommitments, training should be arranged sympathetically e.g. it would be easier if theywere able to attend courses which run at times when they are normally working.• Training should, as far as possible, be arranged to ensure a convenient locationand timing for part-time staff.Part-time employees should not lose out in their training simply because of their part-timestatus, and the following measures should be considered to support the careerdevelopment.• paying the part-time employee (at their normal rate of pay) for the extra hours theyattend outside their normal working hours or where agreed time off in lieu• offering an equivalent course from an alternative provider at a convenient time andplace• offering other training methods, such as open or distance learning courses.Access to training is essential to ensure that part-time employees are working effectively.Denying part-time employees access to training could lead to a claim of less favourabletreatment.To comply with the law:• Employers should not exclude part-time staff from training simply because theywork part-time.In the case of Job Share, training opportunities will be made available to both job sharepartners dependent on their individual needs. When training takes place on a day onwhich one of the job share partners would not normally work, time off in lieu should beoffered or appropriate payment. If appropriate, job share partners may attend trainingsessions together.3.10 For Job Share:Cover for AbsenceThere will be no requirement on a job share partner to cover for a partner’s short-termabsences, due to sickness or leave. If the individual agrees to work such additional hours,then any additional hours worked above those specified in the individual’s personalcontract will be paid at basic rate up to the standard full time contracted hours for the post,thereafter, overtime rates will apply or time off in lieu if agreed.Each job share partner will have an individual contract of employment. All pay and otherbenefits will be pro rata to the hours worked. The job title and job description for both jobshare partners will be the same.September 2008 23

Grade, Salary and IncrementThe grade will apply equally to all job share partners. Any grading review will apply to thewhole post.Salary will be pro rata. Benefits depending on length of service – including incrementalpoints, sick pay, long service leave and maternity entitlements – will be attributedindividually.PromotionJob share partners will be considered for advertised vacancies on equal terms asindividuals with all other employees.Each job share partner will have an individual contract of employment. All pay and otherbenefits will be pro rata to the hours worked. The job title and job description for both jobshare partners will be the same.September 2008 24

STANDARD APPLICATION PROCESSHow to request a change of working time or working pattern1 Submitting an applicationAn application to request a change in hours or work practice is open to all employees aswell as prospective employees, no matter what level in the organisation. However, thereis no legal right for an employee to change his or her hours or work practice.An employee who is considering a change in working time or working pattern shouldinitially discuss the matter with their line manager.Following the initial discussion the following procedure must be followed.2 ApplicationIndividuals who wish to apply for any of the schemes available should make a request inwriting, using the application form provided. For Voluntary Reduced Working Timereductions in working hours may range up to 50%.All requests for a change of working time or working pattern, referring to the appropriatepolicy under which application is being made, should be submitted on the application formattached at Appendix 4.All requests should be made at least three months prior to commencement of theproposed change. However, in exceptional circumstances this may be waived bymanagement. The completed application form should be submitted to the appropriateHead of Department/ Line Manager.The Head of Department/Line Manager will advise the employee, in writing, as to whetherthe post is suitable for application of the requested scheme provisions and of any specificpattern of working which is necessary to make the chosen plan practicable. Theorganisation has a responsibility to treat all employees equally.3 Initial MeetingEach request will be considered on the merits of the individual case and a decision madeas soon as reasonably practicable but must be within a period of four weeks (28 calendardays) following receipt of the application. There may be a need to discuss tasks andresponsibilities and how the requested change can fit into the wider team. The linemanager will hold a meeting with the employee to discuss the application. This mayrequire the manager along with the employee to invest time and effort in order to work outan arrangement which suits both the Department and the employee.The manager will inform the employee in writing of the outcome of the meeting within 2weeks (14 calendar days).All time limits expressed in this procedure are maximum. However, all applications will bedealt with as quickly as possible and both parties shall endeavour to reach agreement atan early stage in the procedure. In exceptional circumstances the four week period can beSeptember 2008 25

extended with the agreement of both parties, but it is in everyone’s interest to resolvematters at the earliest opportunity.4 Request grantedRequests for access to a change in working hours or work pattern should be granted withdue consideration to the needs of the service and the department. If the request is grantedthe line manager must confirm this in writing, clearly detailing the new working pattern.5 Request unsuccessfulIf the application is rejected, full details will be provided, in writing, clearly stating thereasons for rejection. An application should only be rejected where there are validsustainable service provision or organisational reasons to do so.The list below provides examples of sustainable reasons for refusal of a request :• Additional costs• Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand• Inability to reorganise work among existing staff• Inability to recruit additional staff• Detrimental impact on quality• Detrimental impact on performance• Insufficiency of work during the time the employee proposes to work• Planned structural changes• Adequate cover could be difficult to maintain, so popular days off must be fairlydistributed• Not all staff will be able to work a longer day because of the nature of the job e.g.receptionists• Potential for multiple requests to be madePlease note that this is list is not exhaustive and is only for guidance purposes. Advice andguidance should be sought from the department of O&HRD.6 Appeal ProcedureThe employee on receiving confirmation that either their request has been rejected orthe Line Manager’s proposes a compromise alternative may lodge an appeal to theSenior Manager to whom the Line Manager is responsible. Any appeal should belodged within 14 days of receipt of written confirmation of the Line Manager’s decision.The Appeal Hearing - The Senior Manager will hear the appeal within 28 days ofreceiving written notification of the employee’s request to appeal.The Senior Manager hearing the appeal may request a written statement of case inrespect of the matter from both management and the employee. Such statement’s willin turn be submitted by all parties to, and circulated by the O&HRD representativeattending the appeal hearing. Both parties will be given the opportunity to present theirstatement of case and ask questions of the other party.The employee has the right to be accompanied at the appeal meeting by theirSeptember 2008 26

Professional / Trade Union Representative or by a work colleague. A member of theDepartment of O&HRD should also be present to ensure fairness and consistencythroughout the organisation and where required provide advice on the procedure, localand national agreements and employment legislation.A hearing will not be required where, within 2 weeks of the appeal being lodged, thematter has been satisfactorily resolved informally.7 Resolution of disagreementNo request under these policies will be unreasonably withheld. Should a disagreementarise, the individual has the right to raise a formal grievance. It may be preferable in suchcircumstances, however, for the manager to seek advice on resolving the matter from anappropriate member of the O&HRD Team and a Staff Side Representative.The ‘status quo’ will be applied where an application is lodged which pertains to a changein the employee’s working arrangements. The working arrangements that were in placeprior to the change/proposed change will be reinstated/retained and maintained until thegrievance procedure has been exhausted. However, in exceptional circumstances the‘status quo’ may be set aside when both parties reach agreement to do so or, where thecontinuation of the status quo would result in a breach of statutory or other mandatoryregulations.8. Duration of ChangeAny mutually agreed change in working practice, unless stipulated otherwise at thecommencement of the change i.e. for a fixed term period, is permanent and there is noautomatic right for the employee to return to his or her previous terms and conditions oncea change has been agreed.9 Abuse of flexible working arrangementsAny abuse of the chosen scheme provisions may be viewed as alleged misconduct andthe organisation will deal with this situation in accordance with the Management ofEmployee Conduct Policy. Staff abusing the system will have the scheme provisionswithdrawn immediately.10 ReviewThis policy will be monitored and reviewed on a two yearly basis to review its utilisationand impact on service provision.September 2008 27

Appendix 1ANNUALISE HOURS WORKEDHOURS WORKED PER WEEKTERM TIME AGENDA FOR CHANGE – WHOLE YEARNUMBER OF WEEKS WHICH WILL BE WORKEDANNUAL HOURSAVERAGE HOURS PER WEEKADDANNUAL LEAVE HOURS PER ANNUMPUBLIC HOLIDAY HOURS PER ANNUMTOTAL PER ANNUMTOTAL LEAVE ADJUSTED TO COUNT ANNUALLEAVE AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY TIME DUE ASACCRUING FOR ANNUAL LEAVE PER ANNUMLEAVE PER WEEKnumber of hours per week x number ofweeks worked to give the number of hoursworked per annum OR can be the numberof hours worked per day times the numberof days worked per annumannual hours divided by 52.143 weeks perannum to give average hours per weekannual leave for average hours per week -take from AFC annual leave chartpublic holiday hours for average hours perweek - take from AFC public holiday chartadjust annual leave figure taking intoaccount that the annual leave and publicholiday entitlement counts towards accrual= (total annual leave and public holidayfigure divided by the annual hours) x(annual hours + total annual leave andpublic holiday hours)TOTAL HOURS PER WEEK TO BE PAID,INCLUSIVE OF A/L & PHAn electronic copy, with workable formulae, which will automatically calculate the totalhours per week to be paid, inclusive of annual leave and public holiday time, is availablefrom the Department of Organisation and Human Resource Development.September 2008 28

TERM TIME AGENDA FOR CHANGE – PART YEARANNUALISE HOURS WORKED - PART YEARHOURS WORKED PER WEEKNUMBER OF WEEKS WHICH WILL BE WORKED IN THE TIMEPERIODHOURS WORKED IN TIME PERIODNUMBER OF WEEKS IN TIME PERIODAVERAGE HOURS PER WEEKADDANNUAL LEAVE HOURS PER ANNUMNUMBER OF DAYS IN TIME PERIODANNUAL LEAVE HOURS FOR THE TIME PERIODNUMBER OF PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FALLING WITHIN THE TIMEPERIODAVERAGE HOURS PER DAYPUBLIC HOLIDAY HOURS FOR THE TIME PERIODTOTAL FOR THE TIME PERIODTOTAL LEAVE ADJUSTED TO COUNT ANNUAL LEAVE ANDPUBLIC HOLIDAY TIME DUE AS ACCRUING FOR ANNUALLEAVE PER ANNUMLEAVE PER WEEKnumber of hours per week xnumber of weeks worked to givethe number of hours worked forthe time period OR can be thenumber of hours worked per daytimes the number of days workedfor the time periodhours worked during the timeperiod divided by number ofweeks in the time period to giveaverage hours per weekannual leave for average hoursper week - take from AFC annualeave chart x number of days intime period/365public holiday hours for averagehours per week - take from AFCpublic holiday chartadjust annual leave figure takinginto account that the annual leaveand public holiday entitlementcounts towards accrual = (totalannual leave and public holidayfigure divided by the annualhours) x (annual hours + totalannual leave and public holidayhours)TOTAL HOURS PER WEEK TO BE PAID, INCLUSIVE OF A/L &PHAn electronic copy, with workable formulae, which will automatically calculate thetotal hours per week to be paid, inclusive of annual leave and public holiday time, isavailable from the Department of Organisation and Human Resource Development.Draft August 200829

Appendix 2FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS/FLEXI TIMEATTENDANCE RECORD SHEETName………………………..4 week period From………......... To……………….Morning Afternoon Total Hours WorkedStart Time Finish Start Time FinishWeek 1TimeTime Hours MinsMonHours in credit/debitTues…………………….WedThurs Hours Worked …….FriSat Total Hours …….SunTotal Hours +/- …….Morning Afternoon Total Hours WorkedStart Time Finish Start Time FinishWeek 2TimeTime Hours MinsMonHours in credit/debitTues……………………….WedThurs Hours Worked …….FriSat Total Hours …….SunTotal Hours +/- …….Morning Afternoon Total Hours WorkedStart Time Finish Start Time FinishWeek 3TimeTime Hours MinsMonHours in credit/debitTues……………………….WedThurs Hours Worked …….FriSat Total Hours …….SunTotal Hours +/- …….Morning Afternoon Total Hours WorkedStart Time Finish Start Time FinishWeek 4TimeTime Hours MinsMonHours in credit/debitTues……………………….WedThurs Hours Worked …….FriSat Total Hours …….SunTotal Hours +/- …….Hours in credit/debit ………… to be carried forward to next time periodSignature of Employee …………………………Certified by Manager …………………………..Date…………………………Draft August 2008 30

JOB SHARE PROCESS FLOW CHARTAppendix3Applicaton from EmployeeConsideration by Line ManagerSuccessfulUnsuccessfulJob Advertised as Job ShareReasons given in writing to EmployeeExisting Employee works normalcontracted hoursEmployee placed on Job ShareRegister if so wishesAppointmentMay ask for alternatives such as P/T,Flexible workingAgree Job Share Agreement &Objectives by Job Sharers and LineManagerRe-apply for Job Share in 12 monthsReviewed as appropriateDraft August 2008 31

APPLICATION FOR A CHANGE TO WORKING HOURS/ WORK PATTERNTo be completed by EmployeeFull Name ………………………………………………………………Post Held ………………………………………………………………Location ………………………………………………………………Ward/Dept ………………………………………………………………Appendix 4Application made under the FLEXIBLE/ FLEXI TIME / TERM TIME/ PART TIME/ SCHOOLTIME/COMPRESSED HOURS/ANNUALISED HOURS/ ZERO HOURS/ WORKING AT HOMEPolicy **I wish to make a request for the following change to my working time/pattern:(please give details of request)with effect from ……………. and understand that I will require to discuss how the change inhours will impact on service delivery. I accept that this would necessitate a permanent changeto my contractual terms and conditions of employment.Signed ………………………………………….. Date ……………………...HEAD OF DEPARTMENT/LINE MANAGERApproved/Rejected (delete as appropriate)**I support this application and confirm that this post is suitable for the change of workinghours/pattern requested/compromise agreement reached (please detail)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....**I do not support this application. The reason/s for rejection are:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Signed ……………………………………………. Date ………………………Job title:…………………………………………… Location:……………………………………..** Delete as applicableDraft August 200832

Draft May 2008 33