Management Guidance Notes on Starting Salaries for all Job Families (Revised April 2012)

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1 Management Guidance Notes on Starting Salaries for all Job Families (Revised April 2012) Introduction The University recognises that there are advantages in having some flexibility regarding the setting of starting salaries for new appointments. Some degree of flexibility enables Managers to offer a salary appropriate to the new employee s relevant skills and experience. However, it is important that Managers recognise the risks associated with applying different starting salaries for jobs of a similar size, as determined by job evaluation, particularly in terms of equal pay. This guidance is therefore designed to help Managers make sound appointment decisions which are robust, evidence-based and fair to both the new employee and existing staff. These guidelines on starting salaries link to several University policies, namely: Recruitment and Selection Policy Job Evaluation Policy Pay Review Policy Market Supplements Policy Academic Promotions Exercise Managers should be familiar with these policies and how they affect starting salaries. This guidance relates to jobs in grades A-H. Guidance on starting salaries for Professorial and equivalent roles (grade I) is contained in the Procedure for the Appointment of Professors and Readers. The University s normal practice is that new appointments will be made within the lower quartile of the salary band (or the lower half for jobs in levels that have small scales). This is the lower quartile of the full band including the discretionary range. Individuals will usually start at this position in the range because of the learning curve of the job the individual may have the basic qualifications for the job and some relevant experience but will lack the full experience to perform the job at the fully competent level. Therefore the starting position will depend on experience, qualifications, and demonstrable ability to perform the job. The starting salary may also be influenced by market factors; however this will never be the sole determining factor. In cases where a salary is being funded from external sources, such as grant funding, Managers must ensure that appointment and progression through the pay scale is managed in accordance with relevant HR policies and processes, as referred to above. Starting Salary Range by Job Grade The number of spine points within each grade differ. In the main, the bands at the lower job levels are smaller. This reflects the shorter learning curves at this level with individuals performing at a competent level in weeks or months. The table below 1

2 gives the starting salary range for each job level. This table should be read using the pay structure for reference. Job Grade Spine Points in Additional Comments Starting Range Grade A 1 or 2 The normal starting position at this level will be spine point 2. Spine point 1 will normally be used for jobs of a casual nature, student placements. Grade B 3 or 4 Grade C 7, 8, or 9 Grade D 15,16,or 17 Grade E 21,22 or 23 Grade F 27, 28 or 29 Some variations to the normal starting salary policy have been agreed for Lecturers and Researchers due to market reasons. Lecturers will normally be appointed from point 32 to 35. Research Assistants will be appointed from point 24 to 25. Grade G 37, 38 or 39 Grade H 44, 45 or 46 Recruitment Advertising It is important to be realistic and not raise applicants expectations unfairly when advertising posts. The normal practice should be to advertise the starting salary range for the job, along with expected progression, i.e. Job Title main scale min starting salary max (with progression to main scale max) Where it is felt that this will be too restrictive and not attract sufficient quality candidates, then full use of the scale may be appropriate, i.e. Job Title main scale min main scale max (with potential progression to discretionary max) Deciding which point to choose In most cases Managers will have three spine points to choose from. Their decision should take into account, 2

3 The knowledge and skills of the individual The experience and level of performance of the individual The current salary of the individual The salaries of current team members who may hold the same or similar job The wider package of benefits being offered, such as a defined-benefit pension scheme and generous holiday provision. These factors may be particularly relevant to academic roles which are not institution specific and we therefore expect wider use of the full salary scale for external academic appointments. Managers should note that the desire to match an individual s current salary should not be the only factor taken into account, particularly as this is likely to perpetuate any pay differentials which may have no objective basis. Decisions should be made with the advice of the Human Resources Manager responsible for the recruitment exercise. All appointments must be authorised by the relevant Manager and Human Resources. Appointments made above the Starting Salary Range Appointments can be made above the starting salary range, where appropriate. This may happen for example when the recruitment exercise has managed to attract a highly skilled and experienced individual, who has achieved demonstrably high levels of performance, and where this is reflected in their current salary level. Evidence must be retained from the recruitment and selection process of the justification for exceeding the normal starting salary range. It will then be acceptable to appoint the individual at a position in the grade up to the main scale maximum. Appointments at this level must be authorised by the Head of Unit or agreed nominee and Human Resources. To achieve this, and to provide a record of the reasons, the reasons must be summarised on the Request to Appoint form. Appointments into the Discretionary Range It is not normal practice to appoint into the discretionary range. However, an occasion may arise when an individual possesses truly exceptional knowledge, skill and experience and is a very high performer. In these cases it may be appropriate to appoint into the discretionary range. Appointments into the discretionary range at job levels A to F must be authorised by the relevant Head of Unit and Human Resources. Appointments into the discretionary range for job levels G and above must be authorised by the PVC/Registrar and the Human Resources Manager. External Positioning 3

4 When it is felt that the internal salary levels for an occupational group will not attract the quality or quantity of staff required a decision may be made to alter the normal starting salary position for that occupational group. This will only be done when at least two pieces of evidence indicate that the external market requires such action. (See Market Supplements Policy for further details). Internal Appointments to a Higher Grade and Regradings Where an employee s salary is on the main scale of a grade, before the internal appointment or regrading takes place, the employee will be appointed to the first point of the new grade. If the employee s salary is within the discretionary range of a grade, before the internal appointment or regrading takes place, the employee will receive one increment. In both of the above cases, the employee will receive their next increment on 1 August, except where their appointment/regrading is effective between 1 April and 31 July, where the next increment will be awarded the following year. This is in line with the treatment of external appointments as detailed in the Conditions of Service. Internal Appointments to the Same Grade Employees appointed to a new position on the same grade as their existing post will not receive an increment on appointment. Normal practice will be to appoint the employee to their current spine point. However, regardless of the date of the internal appointment, the normal expectation of an increment on 1 August, as outlined in the Conditions of Service, will apply. Secondments and Acting Up Payments Particular guidance is provided below to reflect the different nature of these two situations. Secondments are pre-planned appointments into a substantive post where the secondee is expected to fulfil the full role for a defined period. The secondee should then return to their role and be no better or worse off than they would have been if they had stayed in their original post. Acting-up payments are appropriate for short-term arrangements where an employee takes on some additional duties normally performed by a higher-graded role. Some judgement is required as to how much of the higher-graded job is being taken on and how this should be rewarded. Secondment to a Higher Grade 4

5 Where an employee s salary is on the main scale of a grade, before the secondment commences, the employee will be appointed to the first point of the new grade for the duration of the secondment. Incremental progression on 1 August will not take place, regardless of the commencement date of the secondment. On return to their substantive post, the employee s salary will be equivalent to what it would have been, had the employee not been on secondment. Where an employee s salary is within the discretionary range of a grade, before the secondment commences, the employee will receive either one increment, where the secondment is to the next grade up or be appointed to the first point of the grade where this is 2 grades higher. This starting salary for the secondment will be fixed for the duration of the secondment. Incremental progression on 1 August will not take place, regardless of the commencement date of the secondment. On return to their substantive post, the employee s salary will be equivalent to what it would have been, had the employee not been on secondment. Secondment to Same Grade Employees seconded to a new position on the same grade as their existing post will not receive an increment on appointment. However, regardless of the date of the secondment, the normal expectation of an increment on 1 August, as outlined in the Conditions of Service, will apply. Longer-Term Secondments In cases of longer term secondments, e.g. those lasting over 12 months, these arrangements may be varied to allow some progression. An appropriate arrangement should be agreed in discussion with your Human Resources Officer. Covering higher graded duties (acting up payments) Payment to staff in grades A to E who temporarily undertake duties of a higher graded post for a continuous period exceeding 15 working days (for part-time staff this would normally be 3 weekly cycles of work) will be a minimum of 1 increment. Once the qualifying period has been met, payment will be backdated to the start of the acting up period. The payment will be determined after taking into account the employee s current salary and spine point, the bottom point of the grade to which the acting up will take place, and the proportion of the duties being undertaken at the higher grade. Monitoring All appointments into the University Pay Structure will be monitored to ensure that they appear equitable and fair and free of any bias regarding gender, race, disability or age. This data will also inform the review of market competitiveness of our scales. Effective Date 2007 Approval Staff Committee Policy/Procedure Richard Boggie, Reward Manager Owner 5

6 6 Last Reviewed Revised April Revised November Approved by Staff Committee.