CASUAL APPOINTMENTS
Summary : currently used for those staff who are working ad hoc hours and are paid on an hourly rate of pay, a month in arrears for work carried out on the receipt of a timesheet signed by their manager. Our letter of appointment states that we have no commitment to offer them work and they have no commitment to accept any work offered to them.
Statistics : 158 staff employed on casual contracts (hourly paid)
46 of these are employed within Sports Studies
42 have over 1 year’s service
6 have over 4 year’s service
6.42 years = longest period of service
135 = number of casuals who have received 6 or less payments in 2008/09
14 = number of casuals who have received 0 payments in 2008/09
Rate of Pay : hourly rate should be based on grade/incremental point on university scales
but many of them are on ad hoc rates of pay and so do not automatically receive annual increments or pay awards. In the case of the Sports Coaches their rate of pay is determined by the level of their professional qualifications.
Roles : casuals are employed in a wide range of departments throughout the university. Examples of some of the more frequent roles are :
Sports Attendants and Coaches,
Library Shelvers
Invigilators
Demonstrators
Advice from Barry Nichol
§ Should be considered as “bank” workers rather than employees. Thereby they do not accrue rights with service and cannot claim unfair dismissal
§ We do not need to offer them work and they do not need to accept any work offered to them
§ Letters sent to workers should not contain an end date as this will confuse with a FTC. Letters to workers should in effect be open-ended
§ Working pattern should be “as and when” and can continue for as long as required but needs to be ad hoc rather than regular workign pattern
§ If the working pattern is more regulated then they should be appointed on FTC
§ As they are not considered to be employees, there is no right to notice period or sick pay.
§ Still a requirement to be paid the rate for the job in order to avoid equal pay claimso hourly rate of pay should be based on a university grade and work needs to be graded accordingly
§ Workers do accrue annual leave as set out in terms of engagement
§ Workers can opt to join the pension scheme if they wish. (check whether minimum number of hours for UoS scheme - Anne)
§ Workers still need to be compliant with university regulations – failure to do so will result in no further work being offered to them
Next Steps
· The revised appointment letter to be used with immediate effect
· To include the Conditions of Engagement with any such casual appointments
· To review the staff currently employed on “casual” contracts to check that they are on the correct type of contract