COMMERCIALISM INTEGRITY STEWARDSHIP. Policy and procedure for term time working

Policy and procedure for term time working COMMERCIALISM INTEGRITY STEWARDSHIP COMMERCIALISM COMMERCIALISM INTEGRITY INTEGRITY STEWARDSHIP STEWARDS...
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Policy and procedure for term time working

COMMERCIALISM INTEGRITY STEWARDSHIP

COMMERCIALISM COMMERCIALISM INTEGRITY INTEGRITY STEWARDSHIP STEWARDSHIP

Policy and procedure for term time working Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Aim and purpose Definition Eligibility Benefits Considering term time working Term time contract in practice Trial period Terminating term time working arrangements Related policies General



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1. Aim and purpose 1.1 T he aim of the suite of flexible working policies is to enable The Crown Estate to attract and retain skilled employees within the business, by being able to offer alternative work patterns which may enable individuals to better balance work and other commitments. 1.2 T his policy demonstrates The Crown Estate’s commitment to long term career development and continued promotion of equality in the workplace. We believe the policy will help to recruit, retain and encourage return to work of skilled employees.

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2. General principle 2.1 T erm time working allows both male and female employees who have direct caring responsibilities for school/ nursery age children to work during academic term times, giving them time to spend with their children during school holidays. Term time working allows employees to remain on a permanent contract but allow them to take unpaid leave during school holidays. 2.2 T erm time working gives employees a salary which can be paid equally over the twelve month period so that there is no time in the year when the individual is financially less well off.

3. Eligibility 3.1 T he ability to request term time working is available to all employees on a permanent or fixed term contract of at least 12 months duration. 3.2 W  hilst this policy applies to all employees, The Crown Estate has a statutory duty to consider requests from employees with caring responsibilities, and agreement to these requests may take priority. 3.3 T erm time working is particularly suitable for those with domestic responsibilities. Term time contracts allow carers of school age children to work during the school term but to take unpaid leave during school holidays. 3.4 Any  request to work on a term time contract would need to be considered by the line manager and balanced with operational issues. It is recognised that not all posts within The Crown Estate will be suitable for term time working contracts. 3.5 Individuals working on a term time hours basis are not eligible to participate in the flexitime arrangements.

4. Benefits 4.1 T erm time contracts have a number of benefits for employers and employees with domestic responsibilities. These include: • Overcoming child care difficulties – this style of working may allow employees who are parents of school age children to overcome the difficulties of finding suitable child care during the school holidays.

• Increased leisure time – this style of working can enable carers to engage more fully with their children during school holiday periods, helping to create a balance between work and family life. • Regular remuneration – with this style of working, salaries can be paid over the twelve month period on an equal basis so that there is no time in the year when staff are financially less well off. 4.2 Benefits for The Crown Estate include: • Improved recruitment and retention – helps both attract and retain employees with school age children who might otherwise take a complete break from employment.

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• Improved staff morale – improves staff morale through continuity of employment, where otherwise new staff would need to be recruited. • Peaks and troughs – in some jobs there may be seasonal variation to work patterns and this type of working may suit employers and to improve efficiency.

5. Considering term time working 5.1 E mployees who wish to apply to work on a term time contract should initially discuss their request with their line manager and then submit their application in accordance with the flexible working policy application guidelines. 5.2 When considering working on a term time contract, employees should consider the following: • Reduced salary – this type of working will clearly lead to a reduction in salary which might also affect final pension benefits.

• Permanent change in contract – employees working on a term time contract will be issued with a new contract of employment. There will be no automatic right to return to their original contract of employment and any change must be negotiated by mutual agreement.



• Return to work – employees may have difficulties in readjusting to the working environment following this type of extended break.

5.3 W  hen considering a request from an employee to work on a term time contract, managers should consider the following:

• Organisation of workload – this type of working may require increased organisation of workload in order to meet service needs during planned absences.



• Communication - consider scheduled events which may occur during holiday times and how to communicate such information to the employee, e.g. pay awards

• Suitable cover – for many roles, there will be a need to cover posts throughout the year and managers need to consider how such roles will be covered.

• Impact on other staff – it is vital that The Crown Estate considers the impact on other staff where one member of the team is working a term time arrangement, i.e. provisions for cover, annual leave arrangements, etc.



• Suitability of the employee to work a term time working arrangement and the flexibility which may be required to make the arrangement work in practice. 5.4 T he line manager should then discuss the proposal with the HR department before making a final decision. Final agreement to any flexible working arrangement is subject to approval from the relevant Director. Note the procedure outlined in the Policy on parental and carer requests for flexibile working. 5.5 A  ll requests will be considered on the merits of the individual case, balanced with operational requirements. If a request has been rejected, full details should be provided in writing to the employee, clearly explaining the reasons for doing so. 5.6 Employee’s may ask for the decision to be reviewed, and details of any arrangements will be confirmed in writing.

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6. Term time contract in practice 6.1 Status of term time contracts A term time contract is an ongoing contract that continues during school holidays through periods of paid and unpaid leave. The member of staff can either be a full time or part time employee during this time at work.

An agreement for term time working may be made for a fixed period of time, or indefinitely, and is an amendment to your contract. You will receive a letter outlining the agreement, including any trial period which may be required and the process for terminating the arrangement.

6.2 Planning leave Employees on term time contracts will accrue annual leave on a pro-rata basis, and are usually expected to take the majority of their paid annual leave during the school holiday period and not during term time. However, a small amount of annual leave (for example, a maximum of 5 days) may be held to be taken for emergencies or domestic difficulties which may arise from time to time.







Managers should agree with the member of staff on how much additional unpaid leave is required to cover the school holiday period and when exactly paid leave will be taken. These arrangements should be made as much as a year in advance if possible. To calculate specific annual leave entitlements for those employees working on term time contracts, managers should consult the HR department.



Worked example: Mr. X works for The Crown Estate and puts in a request to be at home with his children during the school holidays as follows:



2 weeks at Easter 9 weeks in Summer 2 weeks at Christmas Total: 13 weeks



Mr X has opted to take all his paid leave during the break. Under his terms and conditions of service, Mr. X has an annual leave entitlement of 18.5 days. This is based on a full time leave entitlement of 25 days but as Mr X only works 39 weeks, he is entitled to 18.5 days annual leave.



This leaves an additional 46.5 days which he agrees to take as unpaid leave. Mr. X’s salary is therefore made up of 52 weeks (260 days) less 46.5 days unpaid leave, giving a total of 213.5 days. For example, Mr X’s full time equivalent salary is £20,000 per annum. To calculate his salary for term time working, his full time salary is divided by 260 days and then multiplied by 213.5 days. That is:



£20,000 261 x 213.5 = £16,360 per annum



This is then paid in equal instalments over 12 months.



The individual will be entitled to any public holidays which fall during the periods which they are expected to work.

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6.4 Upon leaving If an employee resigns, then their annual leave entitlement and unpaid element will be calculated to their leave date, and any excess/surplus will be deducted or paid with final salary. Individuals should be aware that this may result in a significant deduction from their final salary. 6.5 Pension benefits You should note that working part time or on a term time contract will have an affect on your reckonable service and may impact final pensionable salary, both of which are used to calculate pension benefits in the Civil Service and Crown Estate Pension Schemes.

For further information please speak to your pension administrators, details are available are available from HR.

7. Trial period 7.1 C  onfirmation of term time working will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a trial period of six months. The Crown Estate will review and assess the employees work performance during this trial period. The Crown Estate reserves the right to extend the trial period if it considers this to be appropriate for any reason. During the trial period, and throughout the period of term time working, the employee is required to comply with all rules and procedures of The Crown Estate in force from time to time. 7.2 If the employee does not wish to continue term time working after the trial period, they have the right to return to their former pattern of working, which was in place immediately prior to the agreement. However, the employee is required to inform the HR Department, and to give one month’s notice of their intention to return to their previous pattern of working. Likewise, if The Crown Estate does not wish an employee to continue to work term time hours after the trial period, the employee will be required to return to their former pattern of working on issue of one months’ notice by The Crown Estate.

8. Terminating term time working arrangements 8.1 I f an employee’s application for term time working is approved it will continue until terminated by either party giving one month’s notice in writing. The Crown Estate has the absolute discretion to revoke the working arrangements at any time and employees have no automatic right to return to their original working arrangements. 8.2 T he Crown Estate may terminate the arrangement without notice where the employee is in breach of their contract, or in breach of any policies and procedures of The Crown Estate.

9. Related policies 9.1 T he Crown Estate’s polciy or parental and carer requests for flexible working should be read in conjunction with this policy as it outlines the correct procedure to be followed for term time working requests.

8. General 8.1  This policy supersedes any arrangements previously set out in the Staff Handbook and Working for The Crown Estate - A guide for employees.

If you have any queries regarding the application of this policy, please speak to your line manager or a member of the HR team. Date last reviewed: April 2013 Agreed with: GMB and PCS This policy will be reviewed every 2 years, or earlier if legislation or practice changes.

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