Amendments to the Civil Service Worksharing Scheme
- Is the Civil Service Worksharing Scheme being amended?
Yes. A worksharer is a staff member who was recruited to a full time position and has opted to reduce his/her hours to an agreed worksharing pattern.
- How is it being amended?
With effect from 1 July 2013, new worksharing patterns that are less than 50% of full time working hours will not be approved.
- Are there any exceptions to this?
There are two cases were an exemption may apply. These are:
- staff who are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance can continue to work for up to 15 hours
per week
- staff with a disability who have been provided with a reasonable accommodation to
work less than 50% of full time working hours can continue to work such pattern for
as long as the reasonable accommodation is required.
- I currently work less than 50% of full time working hours. How am I affected?
Staff, who on 30 June 2013, are on patterns of less than 50% can retain the work pattern on a personal to holder basis.
- Is my worksharing pattern subject to review?
In line with Circular 11/2010 all worksharing patterns should be reviewed on an annual basis. This Circular (i.e. 12/2013) reiterates this requirement that each individual’s worksharing arrangement be formally reviewed on an annual basis, or earlier, if required. This Circular also sets out that where such a review has not yet taken place, a review must be completed by the end of 2013.
- Can my worksharing pattern be altered by management or can I retain it indefinitely?
Worksharing arrangements must be compatible with the business needs of the organisation. Over time, a pattern that was previously approved may no longer be suitable to the business or other staff may be seeking access to the Scheme. Management has always had the right to alter or change an individual’s worksharing arrangements and that is not changed by this Circular. However, management must have reasonable business grounds and give reasonable notice (usually 3 months)before an individual can be required to change their worksharing arrangements.
- Do I have a right to be granted worksharing if I look for it?
No. The implementation and operation of the worksharing arrangements is, and has always been, at the discretion of management. While all applications will be considered, management reserves the right, on reasonable business grounds, to refuse access to the Scheme. Management also retains the discretion to alter, reduce, terminate and/or standardise the range of worksharing patterns available to staff having regard to the specific business needs of their organisation. Nothing in this Circular changes management’s prerogative in this regard.
- I was on a 9 to 3 worksharing pattern. How can I work up the additional hours?
In relation to the 9 to 3 worksharing pattern, the hours for the morning and afternoon are set out as 3 hours 42 minutes for the morning and 1 hour 43 minutes for the afternoon. Flexibility around these hours, where flexitime is available, and core hours have been agreed locally in Departments according to business needs. This arrangement will continue. Core and flexi bands in place prior to 1 July will either remain unchanged or, if changes to the core times are required to facilitate the additional working hours required for this worksharing pattern, changes will be negotiated locally between the relevant parties.
- I am on a 9 to 3 worksharing pattern. Can I still work up a day and a half (am) flexi leave?
In order that employees on a 9-3 worksharing pattern can continue carrying over enough flexi hours to take a day and a half (morning) flexi leave, a carryover of 9 hours 10 minutes will be allowed, on a ring-fenced basis. This concession does not create a precedent for other worksharers who did not have access to this arrangement prior to 1 July 2013.
- I am working a 3 day week pattern. Can I still work up a flexi day?
In order that employees on a 3 day week can continue carrying over enough flexi hours to take a flexi day, a carryover of 7 hours 30 minutes for those on 60% patterns will be allowed, on a ring-fenced basis. This concession does not create a precedent for other worksharers who did not have access to this arrangement prior to 1 July 2013
- Can staff currently availing of a 50 per cent worksharing pattern opt to remain on their current hours i.e. move to a pattern that is less than 50 per cent?
There is a provision in the Haddington Road Agreement that no new worksharing pattern of less than 50 per cent should be approved. This is reiterated in paragraph 7 of Circular 12/2013.
PLEASE NOTE:
With effect from1 July 2014, the maximum amount of flexi leave allowed in any flexi period is one day