SHROPSHIRE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE S SERVICES EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT 1996

Transcription

1 SHROPSHIRE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE S SERVICES EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT 1996 STATEMENT OF WRITTEN PARTICULARS FOR SUPPORT STAFF IN SCHOOLS WITH DELEGATED MANAGEMENT (Your letter of appointment forms part of the Written Statement of Particulars and both should therefore be read together as a single document) National Joint Council for Local Government Services With effect from 1 April 1997 the National Joint Councils for Local Authorities' Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical Services (APT&C) and for Local Authorities' Services (Manual Workers) were dissolved and in their place the National Joint Council for Local Government Services was established. The effect of this important change - known as the Single Status agreement - meant that national conditions of service for both APT&C staff (the purple book) and manual workers (the Blue Book) were replaced by a new agreement of the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. The revised terms and conditions are contained in a new national handbook known as the Green Book which is available for your reference within your school or in Human Resources Section, Children and Young People s Directorate, The Guildhall, Shrewsbury (hereafter referred to as Children and Young People s Human Resources Section). Your appointment is subject to any changes agreed nationally or locally arising from the single status agreement for local government employees. 1. TERMS AND CONDITIONS Your terms and conditions of employment (including certain provisions relating to your working conditions and sickness allowance) are covered by existing collective agreements, negotiated and agreed with a specified trade union or unions (see para. 5 below) recognised by this Authority for collective bargaining purposes in respect of the employment group to which you belong. These agreements are embodied in the National Joint Council for Local Government Services as well as the Authority's Scheme for the Local Management of Schools and Personnel Handbook as amended from time to time and as adopted by the Council. These documents are available for your inspection in your school or in the Children and Young People s Human Resources Section. From time to time, variations in your terms and conditions of employment will result from negotiations and agreements with the specified union or unions, and these will be separately notified to you or otherwise incorporated in the documents to which you have reference. The Authority undertakes to ensure that future changes in these terms will be entered in these documents, or otherwise recorded for you to refer to, within one month of the change. The current principal conditions are set out in this statement and the associated letter of appointment. For any subsequent amendments to these particulars, please refer to the agreements mentioned in this paragraph. 2. CONTINUOUS SERVICE Your period of continuous service for statutory employment rights dates from the date of your commencement of employment with Shropshire Council as detailed in your letter of p-sw71lo 1

2 appointment. If you have previous continuous service with an organisation covered by the Redundancy Payments (Local Government) Modification Order 1983 as amended (which covers local authorities and related bodies) this will be included in calculating your entitlement to: - a redundancy payment - sickness allowance - annual leave - notice period (at half rate) - maternity leave With the exception of redundancy entitlement, the above will also apply if, prior to joining Shropshire Council, you were made redundant from an organisation covered by the above Order within the last 2 years, or if you left such an organisation for maternity reasons within the last 8 years and have not been in permanent full-time paid employment since. The 8 year limit does not apply in the latter circumstances for the calculation of annual leave entitlement. 3. REMUNERATION Your salary will be based on spinal column points within the National Joint Council salary spine determined by the grading for your post. Your salary position is as set out in your letter of appointment. Details of the NJC salary spine and Shropshire Grading Structure are contained in the Personnel Handbook referred to in paragraph 1. You will be paid monthly in 12 (equal) payments by credit transfer. Payment will be made directly into a bank/building society account, authorised by yourself, via the Bankers Automated Clearing Services (BACSTEL-IP) or any other electronic method of transfer. If you are unable to open a compatible account, you must notify payroll services immediately to avoid your salary/wages being withheld until a suitable method of payment can be arranged. Subject to satisfactory service your salary will rise within your grade by annual increments on 1 April up to the maximum of the grade, subject to the following qualification: - Employees with less than 6 months service in the grade by 1 April shall be granted their first increment six months after their appointment, promotion or regrading, except where the salary on 1 April following appointment, promotion or regrading would be less than one spinal column point in excess of the salary they would have received on that day in their old grade with the same authority when they shall be entitled to their first increment on 1 April. 4. PENSION ARRANGEMENTS Your position with regard to pension is set out in the information included with your letter of appointment. In the event that as an employee and a member of the scheme, that you are dissatisfied with any decision relating to your rights or liabilities under the scheme, that you refer the points that you are not in agreement, initially, to the Pensions Manager for further consideration. This is line with the internal dispute resolution procedures and in accordance with Regulation 58 of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Administration) Regulations p-sw71lo 2

3 Any detailed enquiries about pension options should be made to the Pension Section located in the Resources Directorate. 5. MEMBERSHIP OF A TRADE UNION The Authority, as your employer, supports the system of collective bargaining in every way and believes in the principle of solving industrial relations problems by discussion and agreement. For practical purposes, this can only be conducted by representatives of the employers and the employees. If collective bargaining of this kind is to continue and improve for the benefit of both, it is essential that the employees' organisation should be fully representative. Your Authority is associated with other local authorities represented on the National and Provincial Councils dealing with local authorities' services. It is equally sensible for you too to be in membership of a trade union representing you on the appropriate negotiating body, and you are encouraged to do so. 6. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE If you have a grievance relating to your employment you have the right to express it and the procedure will be found in the Personnel Handbook referred to in paragraph ANNUAL LEAVE (a) Statutory and General National Holidays, and Extra Statutory Holidays In addition to statutory, general and national holidays, employees are entitled to one day's concessionary holiday which will be added to the Christmas Bank Holiday at the Authority's discretion. (b) (c) The minimum paid annual leave entitlement is twenty-two days with a further five days after five years of continuous service. The Shropshire Scheme Annual leave for former APT & C staff (including additional leave for seniority) is currently based on the following:- Service (see paragraph (c) below) scp. scp. scp. scp and over Less than 5 years years less than 10 years years less than 20 years Over 20 years NB: Entitlement to long service leave detailed above is effective from the anniversary of appointment. Additional annual leave, pro rata to service in the leave year in which the anniversary of appointment falls, should be granted. (d) Continuous Service Both the national provision for additional days after 5 years' service and the enhanced Shropshire provision for additional days after 10 and 20 years' service, are calculated on an employee's previous continuous local government service immediately prior to the commencement of the leave year, with any public authority to which the Redundancy Payments Modification Order 1983 applies. Where an employee has been compulsorily transferred to another p-sw71lo 3

4 public service and voluntarily returns to local authority, continuous service immediately before the transfer shall count for calculating additional leave. Where an employee leaves local authority employment for maternity reasons and then returns she is entitled to reckon previous continuous service provided that no other permanent full-time paid employment has intervened. No other public service shall count towards annual leave entitlement. (e) Part-Time Employees All part-time former APT & C employees shall have applied to them the provisions of the Shropshire annual leave scheme on a pro-rata basis, thus a part-time employee without previous service who regularly or on average works, say, for 3 days each week and is paid at less than scp. 22 shall be entitled to three-fifths of 22 days' leave per annum. Part-time employees who normally work five days shall have the full annual leave entitlement according to salary and length of service, although paid time off is equivalent to their normal working hours. Details of paid working year calculations are attached. (f) Timing of Annual Leave The annual leave period shall be from 1 April to 31 March. The timing of leave shall be a matter for individual establishment arrangements. All leave must normally be taken during school holiday periods. In exceptional circumstances only, and by agreement between an employee and his/her Headteacher, leave can be carried forward to the next leave year. An employee transferring outside the local government service must use up all outstanding accrued leave before the termination of employment. Employees cannot be paid for leave which has not been taken. (g) Maternity Leave and Annual Leave Paid maternity leave and authorised unpaid maternity leave of up to and including 52 weeks' duration shall be regarded as service for the purpose of calculating an employee's entitlement to additional leave allowed under the Shropshire Scheme. Paid maternity leave, and authorised unpaid maternity leave of up to and including 52 weeks' duration, shall not affect the length of an employee's annual leave entitlement in the leave year(s) in which maternity leave falls. Leave in each current year must be taken however either before maternity leave commences or on the employee's return to work if that occurs before the end of the same leave year. Absence because of maternity is not regarded as justification for carrying leave over from one leave year to the next. (h) Sick Leave and Annual Leave In the event of an employee falling sick during the period of his/her annual leave, he/she shall be regarded as being on sick leave from the date of his/that medical certificate and further annual leave shall be suspended from that date. (i) Long Term Sickness and Annual Leave If you are on long-term sick leave you will continue to accrue your annual leave entitlement throughout the leave year. If you do not expect to return to work by the end of the annual leave year (end of March) then you must make a request in writing to your Headteacher, giving appropriate notice (this is usually twice as long as the period of annual leave requested, that you wish to take your p-sw71lo 4

5 outstanding annual leave. Failure to make a request in this way will result in non-payment of the outstanding annual leave. This is a statutory right and therefore you will only be entitled to request a maximum of 20 days annual leave as outlined in the Working Time Regulations. NB: This only applies if you are paid for a full year. If you work term time only or some similar arrangement then holiday entitlement is included in your annual salary calculation. 8. PERIOD OF NOTICE The statutory minimum periods of notice to which you are entitled are:- Period of Continuous Employment Minimum Notice 4 weeks or more, but less than 2 years 1 week 2 years or more, but less than 12 years 1 week for each year of continuous service 12 years or more 12 weeks Subject to the above, the period of notice you will be given by the Authority to terminate your employment will depend upon the grading of your post and will normally be:- Those posts up to and including Grade 8 1 month Those graded SO1 to PO8 inclusive 2 months Those graded PO9 and above 3 months This period of notice may be varied at the time of your appointment at the discretion of your Headteacher. In the event of your post being terminated you would be entitled to receive the greater of your statutory or contractual entitlement indicated above. Unless otherwise agreed, the period of notice you must give to the Authority to terminate your employment is determined by the grading of your post and will normally be:- Those posts up to and including Grade 8 Those graded SO1 to PO8 inclusive Those graded PO9 and above 1 month 2 months 3 months 9. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE A copy of the disciplinary procedures applicable to you is included within the Personnel Handbook referred to in paragraph 1 or is available from the Children and Young People s Human Resources Section. 10. SICKNESS PAYMENTS (1) Scale of Allowances (a) Subject to the provisions of this Scheme, an employee absent from duty owing to illness (which term is deemed to include injury or other disability) shall be entitled to receive an allowance in accordance with the following scale:- p-sw71lo 5

6 During 1st year of service During 2 nd year of service During 3rd year of service During 4th and 5th years of service After 5 years' service 1 month's full pay and (after completing 4 months' service) 2 months' half pay 2 months' full pay and 2 months' half pay 4 months' full pay and 4 months' half pay 5 months' full pay and 5 months' half pay 6 months' full pay and 6 months' half pay. Note: For occupational sick pay entitlement record purposes (and without prejudice to the National Council's arrangements for self-certification days (sub-paragraph (4)(a)(i) below) and to any local agreements on "qualifying days" (for statutory sick pay purposes) "one month" shall be deemed to be equivalent to 26 working days, Saturday being reckoned in all cases as a working day. (b) (c) The employing authority shall have discretion to extend the application of the foregoing scale in exceptional cases and should review the position of employees at an early opportunity and before their entitlements to paid sick leave expire. For the purpose of this paragraph, service in a temporary capacity shall be recognised. (2) Conditions (a) (i) An employee who is prevented by illness from reporting for duty shall notify immediately their Headteacher. If absence continues after the third day he/she shall provide further notification as to the nature and probable duration of his illness. He/she shall provide a doctor's statement to the Headteacher not later than the eighth calendar day of absence. Subsequent doctor's statements shall be submitted to cover absence if it extends beyond the period covered by the initial statement, at the same intervals as required for national insurance purposes and at similar intervals in respect of the period for which SSP is payable. Exceptionally the employing authority may, in a particular case, require statements to be submitted at more frequent intervals. In cases where the first doctor's statement covers a period exceeding 14 days or where more than one statement is necessary the employee must, before returning to work, obtain a final statement as to his/her fitness to resume duties. The statements required should normally be those issued for national insurance purposes and if appropriate should be forwarded by the authority without delay to the Department of Health and Social Security. On return to work where the absence has continued beyond 3 days an employee will certify, in writing if required, the reasons for all such absences up to and including 7 days. (ii) Whilst no variation can be made in the requirement that sickness absence must be certified by a qualified medical practitioner, the employing authority may, at their discretion, accept certificates of Christian Science practitioners in particular cases according to their merits. (b) An employee entering a hospital or similar institution shall submit a doctor's statement on entry and on discharge in substitution for periodical statements. p-sw71lo 6

7 (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) A case of a serious character, in which a period of sick leave on full pay in excess of the period of benefit under paragraph (1) would be relieving anxiety and materially assist a recovery of health, shall receive special consideration by the employing authority. An allowance shall not be paid in a case of accident due to active participation in sport as a profession, nor in a case in which the absence arises from or is attributable to an employee's own misconduct, unless the employing authority by resolution decide otherwise. A period of absence due to injury sustained by an employee in the actual discharge of his/her duty and without his/her own default shall not be recorded for the purposes of this Scheme. An employee who is absent as the result of an accident shall not be entitled to an allowance if damages may be receivable from a third party in respect of such accident. In this event, the Authority may, having regard to the circumstances of the case, advance to the employee a sum not exceeding the sickness allowance provided under this Scheme, subject to the employee undertaking to refund to the Authority the total amount of such allowances or the proportion thereof represented in the amount of damages received. Any period of absence in such a case where a refund of the monies advanced is made in full shall not be recorded for the purposes of this Scheme. Where, however, the refund is made in part only, the Authority may at its discretion decide to what extent, if any, the period of absence may be so recorded. The employing authority may at any time require an employee who is unable to perform his duties as a consequence of illness to submit to an examination by a medical practitioner nominated by the Authority subject to the provisions of the Access to Medical Reports act 1988 where applicable. Any expenses incurred in connection with such an examination shall be met by the Authority. The provision of this Scheme shall cease to apply to an employee on the termination of his/her employment in pursuance of the provision of the Superannuation Act applicable to his case, whether by reasons of permanent illhealth or infirmity of mind or body or by reason of age, but without prejudice to the right of an employee whose employment is terminated by reason of permanent ill-health or infirmity to receive the period of notice provided by his/her contract of service. If it is reported to the Authority that an employee has failed to observe the conditions of this Scheme or has been guilty of conduct prejudicial to his/her recovery and the Authority is satisfied that there is substance in the report, the payment of the allowance shall be suspended until the Authority has made a decision thereon, provided that before making a decision the Authority shall advise the employee of the terms of the report and shall afford him an opportunity of submitted his observations thereon and of appearing or being represented before the Authority or its appropriate committee. If the Authority decide that the employee has failed without reasonable excuse to observe the conditions of the Scheme or has been guilty of conduct prejudicial to his/her recovery, then the employee shall forfeit his/her right to any further payment of allowance in respect of that period of absence. (5) Contact with Infectious Diseases, Etc - Persons Deemed to be Incapable of Work p-sw71lo 7

8 (a) (b) An employee who, in accordance with the National Insurance Act, is prevented from attending his/her place of employment because of contact with infectious disease shall notify the Headteacher immediately and shall be entitled to receive full pay less any benefits payable under the Act. A period of absence on this account shall not be reckoned against the employee's entitlement of normal sick leave. In the case of contact with other infectious or contagious diseases the employee should not stay away from duty if he/she feels well but should report the fact of contact to his/her Headteacher. 11. PROVISIONS FOR MATERNITY, PATERNITY AND PARENTAL LEAVE Both the Conditions of Service referred to in paragraph 1 above and the statutory Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations 1999 contain provisions for female employees rights to maternity leave and maternity pay. All staff have a minimum entitlement to 26 weeks leave. Details of maternity benefits are available from the Children and Young People s Human Resources Section and, if pregnant, you are required to enquire about your rights no later than 15 weeks before your expected week of confinement and preferably earlier. For male employees the Employment Act 2002 introduced an entitlement to 2 weeks paternity leave and paternity pay in respect of a child born from 6 April 2003 onwards subject to having 26 weeks service. Further details of the scheme and the policy operated by the Authority are available from Children and Young People s Human Resources Section. Under the Maternity and Parental Leave etc Regulations 1999 an employee who has at least one year s continuous service with their employer, is entitled to take up to 13 weeks unpaid leave, up until the date of their child s fifth birthday, for the purpose of caring for their child or making arrangements for their child s welfare. This provision applies separately to both parents of the child. The Authority has adopted a parental leave scheme which applies to all employees, irrespective of length of service, and any application for leave must be in accordance with the scheme, details of which are currently available from the Children and Young People s Human Resources Section. 12. RETIREMENT AGE In accordance with the Council s policy your employment is not subject to a mandatory retirement age and you are able to continue to work beyond the age of 65. Any employee s continued employment, at any time, should be on the basis that they are fit to continue to meet the requirements of the post and the Governing Body may refer to the Authority s Occupational Health Unit for consideration and advice the position of any employee where there are grounds to question their fitness. 13. LEAVE OF ABSENCE Guidelines on leave of absence are set out at the end of this document (Appendix II). NB Circumstances in which staff in schools are allowed to take leave of absence will be as set out in the Personnel Handbook referred to in paragraph 1 and as adopted by the Governing Body. 14. MEDICAL EXAMINATION Your appointment is subject to a satisfactory report from the Occupational Health Physician. p-sw71lo 8

9 15. PROBATION (NEW APPOINTMENTS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE ONLY) Your appointment is subject to a six months' probationary period. 16. REFERENCES Your appointment is subject to the receipt of satisfactory references. 17. HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY Copies of the Health and Safety Policy commended by the Council and adopted by the Governing Body are available in your school for inspection. All staff share a responsibility or their own health and safety, and that of others, and should be aware of the policies and procedures adopted by the school. 18. CODE OF CONDUCT In order that staff are aware of the standards of conduct expected of them the Authority has produced a Professional Code of Conduct for Staff Working in Schools. A copy of the Code will have been included with your letter of appointment. 19. WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY AND PROCEDURE In line with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and the Authority s commitment to the highest possible standards of openness, probity and accountability, a Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure has been adopted for all employees of the Council. A copy of the Policy and Procedure is included in the Personnel Handbook referred to in paragraph 1. Alternatively copies are available from the Children and Young People s Human Resources Section. 20. NATIONAL FRAUD INITIATIVE Along with other public bodies, Shropshire Council co-operates with the National Fraud Initiative introduced by the Government. This aims to promote the best use of public money by detecting and reducing fraud wherever possible. As part of this initiative, and as a condition of service, the Authority will from time to time supply payroll details to the Audit Commission to be matched against other information supplied to it. All data under these arrangements would be dealt with in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. Further information can be obtained from the Council s Audit and Consultancy Division, Shirehall, Shrewsbury (Tel: Shrewsbury ). 21. SMOKING AT WORK POLICY The Council s policy is that for reasons relating to health and safety, smoking is not permitted in any Council building. This policy has been extended to include schools. Employees are also not permitted to smoke in the presence of young people whilst on duty off site. 22. PART-YEAR EMPLOYEES p-sw71lo 9

10 (a) Calculation of Working Year See Appendix I attached (page 11). (b) Payment on Leaving The following arrangements which have been agreed with the Trade Union (Unison) will apply to a part-year employee on leaving a particular post. Leave End of Autumn Term End of Spring Term End of Summer Term Pay to 31 December 30 April (or up to and including the day prior to the beginning of the Summer Term if this is earlier) 31 July (except those who have worked a full academic year or more who would receive payment up until 31 August) An employee who leaves during the term will be paid up to and including the date they leave. An employee leaving at the end of term, having not completed a full term, will be paid up to and including the last day of term. (c) Special Needs Posts Temporary appointments to provide support for a pupil/group of children identified as having special educational needs may be amended or terminated before the given date if considered appropriate by the Authority. In such cases the employee will be given at least one week's notice of the termination of the appointment. 23. OTHER CONDITIONS The National Joint Council agreements referred to in Paragraph 1 directly affecting other terms and conditions of your employment currently cover: Appointment and Promotion Post Entry Training Salary and Grading Provisions Hours and Leave Sickness Payments and Maternity Leave Travelling and Subsistence Official Conduct Appeals against Salary Gradings and Grievance Procedure Payment to staff in the event of assaults on employees. You will receive one twelfth of your annual salary for each full month s employment by bank credit transfer at the end of each month. For any periods of employment of less than a full month, you will be paid a proportion of the full monthly salary based on the number of days in that calendar month. Each month s payment is complete in itself with neither side having the right when the appointment terminates to endeavour to match payments received to hours actually worked. Arrangements for payment on leaving or the termination of contract are detailed in paragraph 22(b) above. p-sw71lo 10

11 These rules and local agreement made by the Authority directly affecting other terms and conditions of your employment or supplementing existing NJC agreements can be found in the Personnel Handbook for Schools with Delegated Management. Occasionally existing agreements may be revised and new agreements introduced. When this happens the Personnel Handbook will be updated as soon as possible. April 2007 p-sw71lo 11

12 APPENDIX I Working Year Calculations SALARY CALCULATION FOR PART-YEAR EMPLOYEES A large number of support staff in schools work term-time only or other arrangements which involve a working year of less than 52 weeks. The salary for such staff is calculated according to their actual working year with additional weeks so as to incorporate a proportionate paid holiday entitlement. 1. The salaries of part-year staff in posts which prior to 1 April 1997 were covered under the NJC Conditions of Service for Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical Services (APT&C) employees are calculated in accordance with the locally agreed arrangements as indicated in the examples set out below. This includes administrative/clerical staff, technicians, librarians and classroom support staff. In all cases payment of salary is made in 12 equal monthly instalments. a) 38 weeks work (ie term time only) Employees with under 5 years service 38 weeks at full pay plus 38/46 x 31 days pay (ie 22 days annual leave and 9 days Bank Holiday) = 26 days Thus giving a total of 38 weeks term time plus 26 days = 43 weeks 1 day (paid year) ie weeks Employees with over 5 years service 38 weeks at full pay plus 38/46 x 36 pays pay (ie 27 days annual leave and 9 days Bank Holiday) = 30 days Thus giving a total of 38 weeks term time plus 30 days = 44 weeks (paid year) b) 40 weeks work (ie term time plus 2 weeks during holiday periods) Employees with under 5 years service 40 weeks at full pay plus 38/46 x 31 days pay (ie 22 days annual leave and 9 days Bank Holiday) = 26 days Thus giving a total of 40 working weeks plus 26 days = 45 weeks 1 day (paid year) ie weeks. Employees with over 5 years service 40 weeks at full pay plus 38/46 x 36 days pay (ie 27 days annual leave and 9 days Bank Holiday) = 30 days Thus giving a total of 40 working weeks plus 30 days = 46 weeks (paid year) p-sw71lo 12

13 2. For premises staff employed part-year in posts which prior to 1 April 1997 were covered under the NJC Conditions of Service for Manual Workers there are separate arrangements. The range of posts covered and the respective working year and calculated paid year are as indicated below. Cleaning assistants Working Year Term-time plus 3 weeks periodic cleaning Paid Year Up to 5 years service Over 5 years service weeks weeks Cleaners in Charge/ Janitors Term-time plus 4 weeks periodic cleaning (3 weeks periodic cleaning after 5 year s service) weeks weeks Supervisory assistants Term-time only weeks weeks p-sw71lo 13

14 APPENDIX II LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR SUPPORT STAFF - GUIDELINES 1. Special Leave Additional leave with or without pay has been granted in special circumstances at the discretion of the Authority. Advice is available from the Children and Young People s Human Resources Section. Interviews The following standard approach has been adopted in relation to time off for interviews. Employees with less than one year's service since taking up their present appointment with the Council are required to take annual leave when attending job interviews. After one year's service time off with pay should be granted, for any interviews within the local government service or in other public sector areas. For interviews for other posts, annual leave should be taken. 2. Compassionate Leave The following guidelines (for both former APT & C Staff and Manual Workers) have been approved locally for dealing with requests for compassionate leave. Circumstances Death or Serious Illness of Close Relative Protracted Illness of immediate relative. Funeral of Colleague Attendance at hospital, doctor, dentist, etc Leave Allowance Up to 5 days with pay. Up to 5 days with pay. The employee would then normally be required to use annual leave. In exceptional circumstances, and where annual leave has been exhausted a further period of unpaid leave not exceeding one month may be considered. Requests for unpaid leave in these circumstances beyond one month should be considered within the budget share available. Normally a half day with pay or up to one day if travelling involved. Reasonable time off with pay, provided that the attendance is not possible outside normal working hours. NB The term 'close' and 'immediate' relative are normally taken to include the mother, father, sister, brother, husband, wife, son or daughter of the employee. Time off may also be granted in the case of a mother-in-law or father-in-law but in these cases particularly, the time off would depend on whether there were any other direct relatives to handle funeral arrangements and would be restricted to the amount of time required to attend the funeral and make appropriate arrangements. Serious illnesses of a parent, brother, sister, husband or wife are not intended to cover routine illnesses such as colds and flu or other ailments albeit where these necessitate the sick person remaining at home. The purpose of approving the p-sw71lo 14

15 leave is to allow for particular caring by the close relative where this is necessary to the sick person s well being having taken account of the family circumstances. As far as children are concerned it is suggested that any significant illness of a baby or very young child is serious for this purpose. Beyond that age a judgement has to be made on whether it is important for the employee to be absent or it is alternatively reasonable to expect parents to make normal child care arrangements. It is not intended that the leave entitlement should be interpreted by staff as enabling them to take time off every time their child is ill whatever the reason (where there is doubt and cases are borderline it may be desirable to consider unpaid leave of absence as an alternative). 3. Other Absences Agreed practice has been With pay - Hospital appointment Moving house Taking close relative to hospital Funeral of friend Driving test (one occasion only) Governors Meeting, Council, Civic and JP duties Child to doctor or dentist 1 day 1 day 1 day Up to 1 day ½ day Up to 18 days in any year Up to ½ day if appointment cannot be made outside school time Without pay - Visit to solicitor Court witness (to be reclaimed) Jury service (to be reclaimed) Taking friend to hospital Car breakdown Severe weather (except in agreed exceptional circumstances) p-sw71lo 15