Employee Pay and Benefits

Policy

April 2008
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 CONTENTS

Page No’s

1. Introduction 3

2. Employment Terms and Conditions 3

3. Pay 4

4. Sickness Payments 5

5. Overtime Payments 5

6. Pension Scheme 6

7. Maternity/Paternity Leave Payments 7

8 Flexible Employee Benefits 7

Where full Policy documents are referred to the current version can be found on the
Intranet under Human Resources

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Bolton at Home is proud of providing a total reward package for

employees which includes a competitive range of employee benefits. We
are committed to attracting, retaining and motivating the highest quality
people and we believe that our staff are our biggest investment.

1.2 Bolton at Home want employees to feel valued and enthusiastic in their
work and want to demonstrate this by continuing to strive to ensure that
our employees are provided with a remuneration and benefits package
that remains competitive. Bolton at Home want to promote good working
relationships that support mutual understanding and trust and encourages
open and honest communications whilst rewarding commitment, offering
dignity at work and allowing employees to genuinely balance work and
home life.

1.3 This policy will provide details with regards to the terms and conditions of
employment with Bolton at Home in relation to pay and general benefits.
These terms and conditions refer to all employees with the exception of
the Chief Executive and the Group Executive Team.

1.4 The Terms and Conditions of Employment for all Bolton at Home
employees have been negotiated with the Joint Trade Unions in line with
the Bolton at Home Facilities Agreement and are effective from 1 st
September 2007.

2. EMPLOYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.1 Employee’s terms and conditions which affect their employment are laid
down in their ‘Statement of Employment Particulars’. The ‘Statement of
Employment Particulars’ is sent to the employee when they are first
appointed to their role. Any later changes to the job will be detailed in a
new statement or in a letter explaining the changes.

2.2 The ‘Statement of Employment Particulars’ provides details of:

 Date of Commencement of Employment

 Details of Continuous Service (if applicable)
 Title of post
 Employment status
 Place of work
 Hours of work and remuneration
 Overtime Payments
 Probationary Period
  Holidays
 Sickness Pay
 Pension
 Periods of notice on termination of employment
 Important rules regarding Health & Safety, Bolton at Home’s Disciplinary
and Grievance policies, membership of a Trade Union and confidentiality
of information.

2.3 The Human Resources Team will send any relevant amendments,
changes, deletions or additions to an employee’s terms and conditions in
writing to the employee. These documents should be kept in a safe place
along with the ‘Statement of Employment Particulars’.

3. PAY

3.1 When an employee joins Bolton at Home they are issued with a unique
Pay Number. This number should be used in all correspondence and
queries in relation to pay issues. Employees should notify the HR Team if
any personal details change, for example, name, address, bank account
number etc.

3.2 Salaries will be paid directly into the employees bank account via the
Banking Automatic Credit System (BACS). Unless the employee is paid
weekly, all payments will be made into the employees account on the 18 th
of each calendar month. If the 18th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, salaries
will be paid on the Friday before the 18th of the month.

3.3 Employees will receive payslips detailing the money being credited to their
account.

3.4 Bolton at Home has introduced a figure of £2.00 above the national
minimum wage which will become the minimum wage for Bolton at Home.
This figure will be maintained each time the national rate rises. Trainees,
Modern Apprentices and all paid work placements will continue to have
separate provisions as detailed in their ‘Statement of Employment
Particulars’.

3.5 Subject to satisfactory service, increments will be paid on 1st April of each
year until the maximum of the grade is reached. This is subject to 6
months service in the grade. Employees with less than 6 months service
in the grade at 1st April will receive their initial increment on the completion
of 6 months service and from 1st April thereafter.

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4. OVERTIME PAYMENTS

4.1 Bolton at Home provide a 10% shift allowance payment for shifts starting
after 10.00pm. This will be applicable to all new employees from 1 st
September 2007. The shift allowance will be protected for existing staff as
detailed in the paragraphs below. Bolton at Home does not pay
enhancements, standby allowances or on call payments.

4.2 Employees who are required to work on Public Holidays (excluding Craft
Workers) are paid double time and will be allocated a day’s leave for each
public holiday they have worked.

4.3 Employees who are required to work beyond their contracted hours and
after the Flexi Scheme time limit of 19.00pm will be paid overtime.
(Additional hours worked before 19.00pm should be classed as flexi time).

4.4 Employees who are required to work beyond their contracted hours, that is
before 7.00am and after 19.00pm, as overtime can receive payment at the
standard contracted hourly rate of pay. Employees who work beyond their
contracted hours and after 19.00pm may alternatively take this additional
time worked as hours, again as standard contracted hours.

4.5 All existing employees will receive 5 years protection on their contracted
shift allowance hours only (as stipulated by the Statement of Employment
Particulars) from 1st September 2007 on the rates of pay as of 31 August
2007. Protection will be in place for the following 5 years until 30 August
2012 without any increase to the protected element.

4.6 After the 5 years on 1st September 2012, the protection will decrease to
50%. The 50% protection element will be calculated as the full rate of the
contracted shift allowance hours only as of 31st August 2007 with any
subsequent pay award percentage added and the final total for protection
will be 50% of this calculation. This protection will be in place until either
the employee changes their job or leaves Bolton at Home.

4.7 Employees in receipt of ‘standby’ or ‘on call’ allowances at 1 st September

2007 will be protected for this allowance until 1st September 2012.

5 SICKNESS PAYMENTS

5.1 The sickness payment scheme operated by Bolton at Home covers absence
from work due to personal sickness and the payments are as follows:

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 During 1st year of service 1 months’ full pay and (after completing
4 months’ service) 2 months’ half pay.

During 2nd year of service 3 months’ full pay and 3 months’ half
pay

After 3rd year of service 5 months’ full pay and 5 months’ half
pay

5.2 Sick pay may be suspended in cases of an accident due to active

participation in a sport as a profession, in cases where absence arises
from or is attributable to the employee’s own misconduct, or injury while
working in the employee’s own time on their own account for private gain
or for another employer. The employee is informed of the grounds for
suspension of sick pay and has the right of appeal against this decision to
the Personnel Sub Group.

5.3 Extensions to sickness payments are discretionary and can assist in

recovery of an employee by helping to relieve anxiety. Applications should
be made to the Director of Organisational Development who has the
discretion to extend payments.

5.4 Bolton at Home will meet the repayment of the cost of a medical
statement/certificate when requested and this will be paid through the
employee’s salary/wage.

5.5 Employees who are absent as a result of an accident are not entitled to
sick pay allowances when damages may be recoverable from a third party
in respect of the accident. However, it is the practice of Bolton at Home to
pay the employee the normal sickness allowance, subject to an
undertaking to refund to Bolton at Home the total amount of such
allowance or the proportion thereof represented in the amount of damages
received. Immediate notification of such a case must be made to the
Payroll Section.

5.6 Industrial Disease or Accidents – Absence in respect of normal sickness is

entirely separate from absence through industrial disease, accident or
assault arising out of or in the course of employment with the organisation.
Periods of absence in respect of one are not set off against the other for
the purpose of calculating entitlements under the scheme.

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5.7 Industrial Injury Validity of Claim – Any dispute over the validity of a claim
from employees in respect of industrial injury should be dealt with under
Bolton at Home’s Grievance Procedure.

5.8 An employee who cannot attend work because of contact with an

Industrial Disease is entitled to receive normal pay. The period of absence
is not reckoned against the employee’s entitlements under this scheme.

Please refer to Bolton at Home’s ‘Managing Attendance Policy

details Available on the Intranet

6. PENSION SCHEME

6.1 Bolton at Home recommends entry into the Local Government

Superannuation Scheme. Employee contributions are based on pay and
will be between 5.5% and 7.5% dependant on earnings .Contributions are
paid directly from the Employees salary each month. Bolton at Home will
make a contribution of approximately 11%. The benefits provided include
annual pensions, widows/widowers benefits, children’s allowances, ill
health retirement and death grants. Further details can be obtained
from the Human Resources Team. Or from www.gmpf.org.uk

7. MATERNITY/PATERNITY LEAVE PAYMENTS

7.1 Bolton at Home offers a supportive maternity package to expectant

mothers in the workplace which includes referral to Occupational Health
Services and a comprehensive pay package which offers up to a
maximum of 52 weeks maternity leave for all pregnant employees
regardless of length of service. Bolton at Home also offers enhanced
Paternity Pay for partners with up to two weeks paid leave at normal pay.
Leave is also available subject to qualifying criteria for Employees who
are adopting a child

Please refer to Bolton at Home’s Policy and Guidelines on

Maternity/Adoption and Paternity

8. Flexible Employee Benefits

Bolton at Home is committed to providing a competitive and flexible range of
employee benefits. We are continually striving to improve benefits for all

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employees. Details of existing and new schemes are provided by the Human
Resources Team at induction for a new employee as well by promotional
campaigns, email and Team Brief.

Learning and Development Opportunities

8.1 As an Investor in People, which is a recognised national standard, Bolton

at Home offers employees a wide range of personal learning and
developmental benefits such as:

 Skill and career development opportunities

 Sponsored study
 Assessment and Development programmes
 Personal Development Plans
 Leadership Programmes
 Modern Apprenticeships
 Personality Profiling

Work Life Balance

8.2 Bolton at Home is committed to exploring flexible working practices within

the organisation for all our employees. Bolton at Home Work Life Balance
Policy outlines options available to employees including:

 Term time working

 Compressed hours
 Home-working
 Voluntary reduced hours
 Employment Breaks

Guidelines are provided in the Work Life Balance Policy and employees
should discuss options to promote work life balance with their Line Manager
in the first instance.

Flexible working scheme

8.3 Flexible working is available to the majority of employees within Bolton at

Home dependent upon the needs of the service. Following successful
recruitment, eligibility for the flexible working scheme is confirmed in the
employee’s appointment letter.

Occupational Healthcare

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8.4 Bolton at Home provides a comprehensive and confidential Occupational
Health Service to all employees to help promote welfare and well being as
well as providing a range of diagnostic testing and referrals to specialists
for further advice. Services include physiotherapy, counselling, reflexology
as well as a range of other services to help people remain in work as well
as support those who are returning to work after an illness.

Healthcare

8.5 The Bolton & District Hospital Saturday scheme is available with
immediate benefits to all employees. The scheme offers affordable help
with everyday healthcare costs. Payments can be made directly from an
employee’s salary on a monthly basis.

Discounted Gym membership

8.6 Bolton at Home have created partnerships with local gym services
providers to offer employees a discounted rate of gym membership.
Further details can be obtained from the Organisational Development
Team.

Childcare Vouchers Scheme

8.7 Bolton at Home shares the concerns of employees about balancing

working life with demands made on parents, which is why we have
introduced the Childcare Vouchers Scheme. The scheme offers help
towards saving money on childcare costs as the Childcare Vouchers are
exempt from Tax and National Insurance payments. Childcare Vouchers
are available upto a maximum of £243 per month and contributions are
made directly from the employee’s salary. Further details can be obtained
from the Human Resources Team.

Credit Union

8.8 Bolton at Home works in partnership with a Credit Union which acts as a
saving facility and offers low interest loans to members. The scheme is
open to Bolton at Home employees and customers.

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Car Loans

8.9 A Car Loan scheme if offered in conjunction with Bolton Council which
allows employees to apply for a car loan which can then be directly paid
back through their salaries.

Travel Allowance

8.10 Bolton at Home will reimburse mileage costs for employees who use their
vehicles as part of carrying out their duties for their roles. The allowance is
paid at an essential or casual depending on the roles. Please see
Bolton at Home’s Travel and Subsistence Allowance Policy for
further details

Subsistence Allowance

8.11 Bolton at Home will also reimburse costs towards meals for employees
when they are working on business related to Bolton at Home. Please see
Bolton at Home’s Travel and Subsistence Allowance Policy for
further details.

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