FAQs for implementation. Lump sum

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1 FAQs for implementation Lump sum 1. What is the lump sum? The lump sum is the equivalent of the difference between your current and new salary back dated to 1 August 2005 from date of implementation 1 May For staff employed throughout this period this equates to nine twelfths of the difference. 2. Why would I not get a lump sum in my letter? There could be several reasons for this: You have submitted your JDO past the deadline of 9 November You have been assimilated onto the single pay spine at a salary level which is the same as your current salary. This can occur if your job has either been red or white circled. 3. Will I get a lump sum if I leave UCL before the implementation date of 1 May 2006? There are 2 possible answers to this question: If you leave before receiving and signing your offer letter sent out in the second half of January 2006, then the answer is NO If you leave after signing and accepting your offer you will receive a lump sum. This will be calculated on the basis of the difference between your monthly current and new salary multiplied by the number of months you are employed at UCL from 1 August My lumps sum is so small. Why is this? As your lump sum is dependent on the difference between your current and assimilated salary and in addition your evaluation there will be a few staff where the sums are negligible, even zero. This will happen because the difference is so small. Annual leave 5. Why is annual leave not backdated to 1 Aug 05? Problems would occur in the organisation with regards to the annual leave outstanding between May and beginning of the annual leave year in October. Additionally, the negotiated terms and conditions will all apply from 1 May Do we get any extra annual leave between implementation date and beginning of annual leave year in October? If you accept the offer and opt for the 27 days annual leave you will receive a prorata of 5/12ths of the difference from May to September. For example if your current annual leave is 20 days you will receive an extra (27-20) x 5/12 = This is then rounded up to the nearest half day. Your total extra leave will be 3 days. A ready reckoner has been put on the pay framework web site

2 Red Circles 7. My job has been identified as red circled. If I accept the package, how will my salary be assimilated onto the new pay and grading structure? Your salary will be assimilated to the equivalent point on the new pay spine on or above (but not below) current basic salary. You would then receive protection as described in the assimilation procedure. 8. If my job is red circled, how will my London Weighting be affected? Your London Weighting will not change. You will continue to benefit from cost of living increases on your London Weighting. 9. If my job is red circled, will I be eligible for any automatic or discretionary increments? No. You would not be eligible for automatic, additional or discretionary increments. Professors 10. If I am a professor how will my salary be affected? There will be no change in your current salary because any increases in pay are determined by the Senior Academic and Research Promotion procedure. However, you will need to accept the offer of the new package to ensure that you continue to receive cost of living increases. The new pay and grading structure 11. What are contribution points? The black lines marked in the midst of each grade (see new pay and grading structure) are what are known as non-contributory maximums. For example, in grade 6, the non-contributory maximum is at point 27. This means that anyone who is on grade 6 will automatically progress every year, on 1 August up to point 27 (for exceptions to this see FAQ 13). However, to progress beyond this point into contribution points, you would need to make additional contribution. The progression procedure deals with this process and you need to read this before considering an application. 12. What are assimilation points? Assimilation points have been created for assimilation purposes only, in order to reduce the number of red circles. Those staff put on assimilation points will remain on that point unless the post is regraded or they apply for and are offered a post on a higher grade.

3 13. Is incremental progression automatic for all staff no matter what the circumstances? Possible circumstances where you do not receive annual automatic incremental progression include the following: You are subject to formal disciplinary action; Your job is red circled; You are on an assimilation point; You are on a contributory point. Current discretionary incremental differential 14. If I am currently on a discretionary point or have received an extra increment for additional contribution will I receive an additional increment on assimilation so as to maintain the differential? No. Assimilation to the new pay and grading structure has already taken into account your higher relative salary. You will go onto the nearest higher point of your new grade. Hours / FTEs 15. If I am a part-time member of staff (i.e. my FTE is less than 100%) how will the harmonisation of terms and conditions affect my hours? On assimilation, your FTE % will remain the same. For example, if you currently work 17.5 hours of a 35 hour contract and opt for the 36.5 hours and 27 days annual leave your hours will be the same fraction of 36.5 as they were of 35. In this case it is 0.5 which means your working week will be instead of TUPE 16. How will this affect staff who transferred to UCL under TUPE arrangements? Staff who transferred to UCL under TUPE arrangements have the additional option of accepting the package on offer whilst retaining their existing working hours and annual leave arrangements. All other TUPE protected terms will be superseded by the package on offer. Information; what & when 17. What information will I receive with my offer letter? All staff with the exception of Professorial and academic and research staff will receive the following information: An offer letter which includes your proposed grade and salary along with the back dated element. The letter includes an Offer Response Form (ORF)which you will need to complete and return to accept your offer. Pre-addressed return envelope (for return of ORF).

4 Role description which includes the HERA score. A guidance document entitled job evaluation and assimilation to the single spine at UCL. The guidance document includes the new grading structure, summary of harmonisation of terms and conditions, Assimilation and Appeals Procedure. Grading structure with assimilation points. 18. What information will I receive as a Professorial member of staff? Your current salary will be confirmed. You will be offered the new terms and conditions and asked to sign and return your Offer Response Form (ORF). 19. What information will I receive as a member of academic or research staff? You will receive information about your new grade and salary along with your back dated lump sum payment. This will be in the form of an offer along with your new terms and conditions. You will need to return the Offer Response Form (ORF) to accept this offer. 20. Will my HOD be informed of my offer before me? Yes. Your HOD will receive a Heads of Department Only" summary document which will inform Heads of Departments of the outcome for their staff prior to the individual distribution of letters. Offer Response Form (ORF) 21. What happens if I don t return a signed ORF before the deadline of 24 February 2006? You will be deemed to have rejected the offer. You will not be assimilated on to the new pay and grading structure and your salary will be frozen at the 31/7/06 level. You will not receive any further cost of living increases after the July 2006 increase. Appeals 22. I understand that in order to submit an appeal an employee must accept the offer made by UCL. Why do I need to do this before hearing the outcome of my appeal? The appeals process forms an integral part of the Pay Framework Agreement. To appeal, you therefore need to accept the terms of the agreement which includes the appeals process. Alternatively, you can opt to reject the offer, forgo the right to appeal but remain on your current salary and terms and conditions of service. Overtime/Maternity Pay/Sick pay 23. When is the implementation date for the new arrangements for overtime/maternity pay/sick pay? This will be from the date of implementation currently set for 1 May 2006.

5 New starters 24. What happens for new starters who joined UCL after 1 Aug 2005 but on existing 35 hour contracts? Can they still elect to retain their current hours and annual leave protection? Yes Grading reviews post implementation 25. What will be the grading review procedure post-implementation? UCL in consultation with the trade unions is currently going through a process of agreeing a new procedure. Once agreed, this will be put on the HR web site. The regarding process will be implemented after 1 st May New jobs 26. How will new jobs be evaluated post-implementation? You will need to send a JDO for each new post to your HR Consultancy contact who will then evaluate the job and advise you of the grade which should be used to advertise the new post. The Pay Framework team are currently working on a set of role profiles which it is hoped will assist staff in formulating JDOs. These should make the differences between grades clearer. They will be put on the website as soon as they are generated and agreed. Change of job 27. What happens if I change job at UCL and have opted to retain my 35 hour or TUPE working week? Will I be able to retain this in my new job? Yes. Change of grade 28. What happens post-implementation if I am upgraded and opted to retain my 35 hour or TUPE working week? Will I be able to retain this in my new upgraded post? Yes.

6 Pensions 29. Is the lump sum pensionable? No. However if you plan to retire over the next year, when the Pensions Team contact you, you will be offered the opportunity to pay your employees contribution on any lump sum such that it would be pensionable. Probation 30. What happens if I am on probation at the 1 st May? You will transfer to the new probationary arrangements (available on the HR website). London Weighting for NHS staff 31. As an NHS employee I have a different London weighting than the UCL standard LW of Has this been taken into account in my offer? Yes. Your assimilation salary will take account of your higher London Weighting such that you do not suffer any detriment Pre-1987 Academic Contracts 32. How does the proposed offer affect academic staff on pre-1987 contracts? The offer under the pay framework agreement will only change these specific terms set out in the offer. All other terms remain unaltered. The protections enjoyed by academic staff on pre-1987 contracts remain unchanged.