VOLUNTARY ACTION ANGUS

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT VOLUNTARY ACTION ANGUS

EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE

INDUCTION

HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK

DATA PROTECTION

SECTION TWO

STATEMENT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT PAY

HOURS OF WORK

OVERTIME

CONFLICT OF INTEREST/CONFIDENTIALITY

DEDUCTIONS FROM WAGES

PENSION

LAYOFFS AND SHORT-TIME WORKING

PUNITIVE ACTION

SECTION THREE

ABSENCE AND SICK PAY

DOCTOR AND DENTIST APPOINTMENTS

HOLIDAYS

COMPASSIONATE LEAVE

FAMILY-FRIENDLY LEAVE

SECTION FOUR

CONDUCT

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

SMOKING AT WORK

USE OF PERSONAL VEHICLES

USE OF COMPUTERS AT WORK

ANTI HARASSMENT AND BULLYING

WHISTLEBLOWING

ANTI BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION

SECTION FIVE

NOTICE PERIODS

RETIREMENT

REDUNDANCY

LEAVING PROCEDURE

REFERENCES

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SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Voluntary Action Angus (VAA) hereafter referred to as “the Organisation”, and to express the hope that our association will be a long, happy and mutually productive one.

This Handbook is issued to all employees as a guide, not only to our terms and conditions of employment, but also to the wider environment in which we work. The purpose of the Handbook is primarily to help new staff settle quickly into Voluntary Action Angusby drawing together much of the information needed into one simple guide, which they can consult as required. We hope that it will also be of use to established employees as a reference on any point regarding their terms and conditions. With the exception of Section Two, this handbook is a non-contractual document and does not form part of your Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment.

We hope that you will read the Handbook in its entirety, but the table of contents offers a ready reference and will help you quickly locate those subjects in which you are particularly interested.

Although it is designed to answer many of your questions, please feel free to ask the Chief Executive Officer about anything that remains unclear.

ABOUT VOLUNTARY ACTION ANGUS

Voluntary Action Angus was formed out of a merger of Angus Association of Voluntary Organisations (AAVO) into Volunteer Centre Angus (VCA). As an independent charity, VAA delivers on a wide range of activities creating social and community change as well as delivering the third sector interface function for Angus. Although these can be described as core and non-core ambitions, they are nevertheless inter-related and significant to addressing the crucial issues facing Angus people in respect of advancing education, employment, community life, health and tackling growing inequalities.

VAA key functions

  • To provide leadership by developing greater social capital with communities in Angus through developing local initiatives and volunteering
  • To support the further growth and development of the third sector and volunteering capacity
  • To tackle inequalities and disadvantage
  • To support the development of new social entrepreneurial activity across all sectors and in communities
  • To advance the development of Single Outcome Agreements with Community Planning partners ensuring that the Third Sector and volunteering interests are represented and engender new opportunities for collective delivery.

EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE

The Organisation is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce. Our aim is that our workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give of their best.

To that end the purpose of this policy is to provide equality and fairness for all in our employment and not to discriminate on grounds of gender, gender reassignment, marital status or civil partner status, race, ethnic or national origin, colour, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.

All employees, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability. All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.

The principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity also apply to the way in which employees’ treat visitors, volunteers, participants,customers, suppliers and former staff members.

All staff have a duty to act in accordance with this policy and treat colleagues with dignity at all times, and not to discriminate against or harass other members of staff, regardless of their status.

Our commitment:

  • To create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all our staff are recognised and valued.
  • Every employee is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity and respect to all. No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated.
  • Training, development and progression opportunities are available to all staff.
  • Equality in the workplace is good management practice and makes sound business sense.
  • We will review all our employment practices and procedures to ensure fairness.
  • All members of staff are responsible for the success of this policy and must ensure that they familiarise themselves with the policy and act in accordance with its aims and objectives.
  • All managers must set an appropriate standard of behaviour, lead by example and ensure that those they manage adhere to the policy and promote our aims and objectives with regard to equal opportunities.
  • The senior management team have overall responsibility for the effective operation of our equal opportunities policy and for ensuring compliance with the relevant statutory framework prohibiting discrimination.
  • Breaches of our equality policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including summary dismissal.

INDUCTION

During your first week of employment you will take part in the Organisation’s formal induction programme. You will receive further guidance and training from your Manager as is deemed necessary.

You will also be asked to provide details on your next of kin, emergency contact, bank account and tax documents.

HEALTH &SAFETY AT WORK

The Organisation places the greatest importance on Health and Safety matters and undertakes to conduct its operations in such a way as to ensure the health and safety of all its employees, visitors and the general public.

If you become aware of any potential hazard or unsafe working conditions, you should have no hesitation raising them with the Chief Executive Officer.

You are required to take all reasonable steps to safeguard your health and safety, and that of any other person who may be affected by your actions, and to observe at all times published safety and fire rules and procedures.

You must report to management and enter into the Accident Book all accidents, no matter how small.

DATA PROTECTION

Data Protection legislation regulates the way in which certain data about yourself, both in paper and electronic form, is held and used. The following will give you some useful information in terms of the type of data that the Organisation keeps about you and the purposes for which this is kept.

Throughout employment and for as long as is necessary after the termination of employment, the Organisation will need to process data about you for purposes connected with your employment, including your recruitment and termination of your employment. Processing includes the collection, storage, retrieval, alteration, disclosure or destruction of data.

The kind of data that the Organisation will process includes:

  • any references obtained during recruitment
  • details of terms of employment
  • payroll details
  • tax and national insurance information
  • details of health and sickness absence records
  • details of holiday records
  • information about performance
  • details of any disciplinary investigations and proceedings
  • training records
  • contact names and addresses
  • correspondence with the Organisation and other information that you have given the Organisation.

The Organisation believes that those records used are consistent with the employment relationship between the Organisation and yourself and with the data protection principles. The data the Organisation holds will be for management and administrative use only but the Organisation may, from time to time, need to disclose some data it holds about you to relevant third parties (e.g. where legally obliged to do so by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) or where requested to do so by yourself for the purpose of giving a reference).

SECTION TWO

STATEMENT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

You will be issued with a detailed Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment at the commencement of your employment, which will detail all your main terms and conditions of employment. This Handbook augments many of the items contained within your Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment. However, you should be aware that provisions in your individual Statement will always supersede those in this Handbook.

PAY

Your basic rate of pay is given in your individual Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment . On commencement or termination of your employment, monthly pay will be reduced pro-rata where only part of the month is worked.

An itemised pay statement will be issued to you at each pay period.If you have any queries regarding your pay please do not hesitate to discuss them with your Manager.

HOURS OF WORK

Your normal hours of work are detailed in your Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment; it is your responsibility to ensure that you attend punctually for work and follow all timekeeping and absence procedures.

If you have a need to leave work prior to your normal finishing time or to have time away during the normal working period, you must not leave without first obtaining permission from your Manager.

Persistent lateness, unacceptable levels of absence and/or unauthorised absence will result in disciplinary action.

OVERTIME

In order to meet operational requirements, you may be required to work overtime as directed by theChief Executive Officer. If you are eligible for overtime payments this will be detailed in your Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment.

Otherwise, when your working hours exceed 35 hours, time off in lieu (TOIL) will be given with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer.

Part-time employees will only be entitled to overtime payments once the standard full-time hours have been worked.

TIME OFF IN LIEU (TOIL)

TOIL should be avoided and offset by using protected time off where possible. This means that if you are required to work additional hours or outwith your normal working hours, these should be offset by starting work later or finishing work earlier on that day or working less hours on another day within the same working week. TOIL must be approved in advance with the Chief Executive Officer.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST/CONFIDENTIALITY

You are not permitted to engage in any activity which might, or does, involve a conflict of interest. This means that under no circumstances must you have a direct, or indirect, interest in, or benefit in any way from, a commercial activity that might affect theOrganisation, its clients, or your judgement on the Organisation’s behalf.

Additionally, you should not lay yourself open to the suspicion of dishonesty and your behaviour must be (at all times) above reproach.

If you are ever in doubt as to whether you are breaching this policy, either from additional employments or activities outside of work, you must consult your Manager immediately.

You will not, either during or after employment with the Organisation, use for your own benefit, or disclose to any other person, or Organisation, information of a confidential nature relating to the Organisation or any third party, obtained during the course of your employment, without first obtaining the written consent of the party concerned.

DEDUCTIONS FROM WAGES

The Organisation may recover from you any sum which you may, from time to time, owe to the Organisation. The Organisation may recover such sums by deducting it from any sums payable to you by the Organisation (including your wages) whether by way of one such deduction or a series of deductions. For example, this will cover deductions from wages of overpayments, expenses, loans, damage caused by you and any other money due from you to the Organisation.

Where it is intended to make any such deduction, you will be notified of the total amount owed and of the rate at which and the means by which the Organisation intends to recover the sum.

PENSION

Voluntary Action Angus operates a pension scheme with the Pensions Trust. As an employee you are expected to contribute a minimum of 2% and the Agency will contribute 8% of gross salary. The details of this scheme may be subject to amendments from time to time. Further details on scheme rules are available from your Manager

LAYOFFS AND SHORT-TIME WORKING

The Organisation reserves the right to lay you off or require you to work short-time without your normal remuneration on a temporary basis if this is considered necessary. You will be given as much notice as is reasonably practicable given the particular circumstances necessitating the lay off. Where applicable, guarantee payments will be made in accordance with statutory provisions.

PUNITIVE ACTION

Under the Organisation Disciplinary Procedure the employee may have other punitive action imposed as a disciplinary measure as an alternative to dismissal including (but without limitation): demotion or transfer, loss of seniority or salary increment, suspension without pay. An employee will have the right to appeal against any such alternative sanction as set out in the Organisation Disciplinary Procedure.

Please refer to Section 4 for full details of the Organisation Disciplinary Procedure.

SECTION THREE

ABSENCE AND SICK PAY

What to do if you are sick

If you are unable to attend work for reasons of sickness you should contact your manager before or around your normal starting time to advise them of the situation, the nature of your sickness and its likely duration. Such notification is to be made personally (or if you are unable to do so, then by a relative, neighbour or friend). It is your responsibility to keep your manager advised of the status of your illness and to provide the appropriate sickness certification.

If you are sick during a period of scheduled annual leave you are required to adhere to the sickness absence procedure and provide the necessary sickness certification.

Sickness Certification

If you are unable to attend work due to sickness you will need to provide medical certification as follows:

Absence of up to seven calendar days: For any period of absence lasting up to seven calendar days, you should fill out a self-certification form on return to work; these are available from your manager.

Absence of more than seven calendar days: If an absence has been (or you know that it will be) for longer than 7 days then you must submit to the Organisation a certificate from your doctor (a “Statement of Fitness for Work” or “Fit Note”) stating you are not fit for work and the reasons why. If sickness absence extends to more than 7 days you are required to notify your Manager once a week thereafter and supply fit notesto cover the whole period of absence.

If your doctor provides a certificate stating that you "may be fit for work" you should inform your line manager immediately. We will discuss with you any additional measures that may be needed to facilitate your return to work, taking into account your doctor's advice. This may take place at a return to work interview. If appropriate measures cannot be taken, you will remain on sick leave and we will set a date to review the situation.

The Organisation will take a serious view if employees take sickness leave that is not genuine and this may result in disciplinary action being taken.

Sick Pay

You shall be entitled in any one period of 12 months to remuneration during temporary absence due to sickness or injury as follows:

During 1st three months service1 month full pay

From 4 months to 12 months service 1 month full pay, 2 months half pay

2nd year of service2 months full pay, 2 months half pay

3rd year of service4 months full pay, 4 months half pay

4th and 5th year of service5 months full pay, 5 months half pay

After 5 years of service6 months full pay, 6 months half pay

Any periods of absence not covered by the above will be paid at SSP only.provided you meet the criteria laid down in Government SSP regulations. When you are sick for 4 or more consecutive days you will be paid SSP by the Organisation, if you are eligible. This is treated like wages, being subject to Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions.