Service Level Agreement Platinum Package + IntePay. Rev 05/06/2014

Transcription

1 Service Level Agreement Platinum Package + Rev 05/06/2014

2 Service Level Agreement Platinum Package + Rev 01/12/ Platinum Package The Platinum Package is our most comprehensive package of HR consultancy and HR administration services, providing you with access to a professional and accurate consultancy service with advice from a designated HR Consultant and also a single contact for our HR administration service. The s Personnel Service Consultancy Team provides specialist expert advice and guidance on a range of HR issues within schools and academies. Working in partnership with our customers we are experts in finding practical and proactive solutions to HR issues. We have extensive knowledge of HR best practice and current employment legislation and a sound understanding of the challenges facing schools and academies. Our integrated HR Administration and Payroll service includes the following key features: Management of Employee Life-Cycle Create a record of employment, including preparation and issue of contractual documentation. Process changes to employment and personal status covering contractual and non-contractual amendments, issuing of confirmation and reflecting those changes on the system. Process all types of absence as notified, making relevant changes on the system and reflecting changes to payments with reference to policy and statute. Process the payment of emoluments to employees, including, but not limited to, salary, claims for basic and additional hours, allowances, premia and cash awards. Notice of payments by way of payslips. Reimburse valid expenses, subject to the policy and guidelines. Ensure legislative compliance of these payments. Apply deductions to employee and employer in relation to pay and earnings, covering voluntary deductions, salary sacrifice, statutory, compulsory deductions and loan repayments. Close record at end of employment including issuing of statutory notices and returns, liaising with pension provider, completion of payments and deductions as appropriate. Ensure full legislative and policy requirements are met during the employee life-cycle. Sickness and Absence Provide details of reduction in pay in accordance with the relevant terms and conditions. Compliance and Control Application of PAYE, attachment of earnings, student loans, end of year returns, policy and legislative compliance, controls and audit validation, auto enrolment, verification and transmission of payroll. Provide regulatory checks and balances for payroll items and submission of statutory returns. Validation and Auditing Carry out suitable checks on data input in accordance with best practice auditing of process, including compliance, self-audit and checking. Page 2

3 Consider and unless otherwise agreed implement audit recommendations from internal or external audit reports. Payroll Process Plan and deliver the actual process of payroll, including provision of reports and key balances to allow for correct authorisation and subsequent reporting for items such as financial controls. Advice, Customer Support and Information Provision of a comprehensive and expert first and second line advice service to all customers. Recording and reporting of queries for analysis and improvement of services and to influence policy or procedural changes. Respond in a timely manner to day to day ad hoc requests for information Service Levels and Performance Standards Service Hours Service Element Customer support Availability and Service Hours 08:30 17:00 Monday to Friday, (excluding English Bank Holidays and the concessionary day which is appended to the Christmas Bank Holidays) Service Levels HR Administration The performance measures are: Measure Respond to s Resolve calls at first contact Customer Satisfaction Target Within 3 working days 80% of all calls 80% good or better Notes: s Personnel Service will periodically carry out random checks in order to measure the target. As a minimum these will be: s Personnel Service will regularly carry out customer surveys and undertake mystery shopping to measure the target. Score 1 Poor Definition 2 Satisfactory 3 Good 4 Excellent The results of customer surveys will be shared with the parties to this agreement. Page 3

4 2.3 - Service Levels HR Consultancy Performance Measures Measure Respond to s Resolve calls at first contact Customer Satisfaction Target Within 24 hours 80% of all calls 80% good or better Key Service Areas Services Face to face on-site advice and guidance from a designated Consultant Consultant attendance at individual consultation meetings during restructuring processes / TUPE transfers / Academy consultation / Academy Conversion Support through Academy conversion including: Meeting to discuss the consultation, due diligence process and transfer of your staff. Advise on the information required and timeframes involved. During the transfer process: As set out in TUPE regulations; ensuring the transferor obligations are satisfied and the due diligence process (compilation of specific staffing information to be given to the trust prior to transfer). Setting up of new contracts for all staff. Developing and implementing an operational service for your new Academy including: The transfer and set up of employee records wide Teacher s pensions notifications. Developing new contracts of employment. Consultant attendance at informal meetings Consultant attendance at formal meetings Consultant attendance at suspension meetings Consultant attendance at Hearings to support and advise the presenting manager Consultant attendance at Hearings to support and advise the panel Consultant attendance at ET to support school Consultant attendance at SLT / strategy meetings as appropriate Provide procedural advice to investigating officers Access to a Duty Consultant between 08:30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday if your designated Consultant is unavailable Page 4

5 Unlimited and telephone advice and guidance Undertake job evaluation and/or Benchmarking for support staff roles in schools Support with drafting outcome / decision letters Bespoke letters concerning employee relations matters Provision of template letters and documents Checking and revising of letters and documents Service Standards HR Administration Appointment Of New Employees HR Record Complete all relevant employment checks and advise of new appointment Set up person record on HR/Payroll system inclusive of salary details and contractual arrangements as per school instruction. Set up tax, NI, pension deductions and apply bank details. Run simulated payslip to check payments. By published submission By published By published Notify Pensions of new starters. Within 1 month of starting HMRC & starters Ensure appropriate liaison with and notification to Her Majesties Revenue & Customs. Contract of employment Produce full contract of employment in accordance with relevant terms and conditions and statutory requirements and forward to for despatch to employee. Each month in accordance with statutory requirements 4 weeks from date full info is received or within statutory provisions (8 weeks from start date). Advise on change of start date. As soon as possible. Update contract and record if start date changes Contractual and Non Contractual Amendments / Changes 2 days Contract variations completes documentation and send to. (e.g. re-grading, change in contractual hours) Produce contract variation in accordance with authorised instruction. Amendments Advise school of changes made to an active employee s record which will have an impact on pay or deductions. Including any under/overpayment that arises. By published submission 4 weeks from date full information is received or within statutory provisions By next payroll Page 5

6 Assess the impact of the above changes including advising as agreed, any over or underpayment that arises and produce letter and pro-forma of any overpayments and send to school for discussion with employee. Policy Liaise with / Notify regarding proposed changes to Policy or Procedures at the planning stage Maintenance of Employee Records Agree system or procedural changes including the timetable for delivery and any cost implications, to give effect to the Policy change proposed to an agreed timetable By next payroll At initiation of project / proposal As agreed Deliver changes to agreed timelines. As agreed Validation and quality control Undertake checking of data input - starters, leavers and bank details - all other temporary and permanent input - pay amendments, court orders, age exemption for NI and tax code changes. File maintenance Update employees file with all relevant documentation Sickness and Absence Management (working days) 100% 25% 100% 2 days of action / receipt of documentation Sickness absence Notify of any sickness absence, correctly authorised. Notify of any exceptions to normal sickness absence rules. Other absence (nonannual leave) Input all sickness absence and administration of statutory sick pay entitlement and issue of statutory documents. Half/nil pay report run and notification letter sent to schools for discussion with employee. Send letter to employee notifying of half/nil pay. If employee has since returned notify of return date. Notify of any absences, authorised in the correct format. By published submission Must comply with Policy By next payroll and issue SSP1 6 weeks before SSP expires 2 months in advance of half/nil pay By published By published submission Must comply with Policy Input all other absence to HR/Payroll system. By published Payments To and Deductions From Employees Page 6

7 Process other payments Total Contribution Pay Process Teacher Assessment Process Completes and sends appropriate form to of other payments to be made, for example payments for:- - Cash awards - Overtime and hourly claims - Expenses - Shift payments - Travel allowances - Settlement agreements - Honoraria - Standby and other allowances Process all payments to employees in accordance with authorised instructions, ensuring accurate and timely payment. Support the annual Total Contribution Pay Process in accordance with the Kent Scheme/ s policy. Process amendments as per completed spread sheet submitted by school. Unpaid leave Notify of any unpaid absence, authorised in the correct format preferably via self-service. Notify of any exceptions to normal absence rules. Attachments of Earnings Tax, NI and Student Loan application By submission Must be compliant with Policy By submission Must be compliant with Policy By published s 1 September (annually) By published submission Must comply with Policy Input deductions to be made into system By Forward immediately to all documents 1 working day from pertaining to any Attachments of Earnings notification. Accurate application and administration of Court Orders. Forward immediately to all documents pertaining to HMRC Update of system in accordance with notification received from HMRC. Correction of errors Notify of any corrections to be made to pay. By Statutory Deadline 5 working days By next available Within one month of error being identified Overpayments (working days) Identification & Correction Employee Employee to check payslip and immediately inform school of overpayment Immediately notify of any overpayment and advise EMP of identification if found through checking budget report Monthly Monthly Make the corrections to HR/Payroll record immediately, produce letter and breakdown and 2 days Page 7

8 issue to school (if employee has not left) and seek approval to create a loan as appropriate. Recovery If current employee: Recover overpayment in full or start instalment recovery plan. If ex-employee: Recover from final salary. If this does not clear the overpayment advise school. Next pay period 2 days Administration Other leave Notification received from school or employee advising of other leave using form absence not due to sickness (e.g. personal leave, jury service, carers leave) Send letter of entitlement to employee and input to system in accordance with authorised instructions received. Unpaid leave completes form (absence not due to sickness) and sends to for processing. Maternity / Paternity and Adoption / Employee Input deductions to be made into system and send letter (if appropriate). advised of maternity/paternity/adoption leave by school or employee. (working days) As advised 5 days from receipt of all relevant information. By submission By payroll As soon as possible Produce and send letters and packs 5 days from receipt of all relevant information Update record and undertake appropriate calculations and ensure application of statutory pay benefits as applicable and send SMP1 if appropriate. By relevant payroll Employee Notifies school of return to work date. 12 weeks prior to end of maternity leave EMP Notifies of employees return to work date. Update record when notified of employees return and write to employee as appropriate to advise of any missing LGPS contributions. Advises whether they wish to pay missing contributions Updates HR/Payroll system to take missing contributions as appropriate and advise LGPS of employees decision. By submission By payroll Within 30 days of letter being received from By next payroll Court Orders Accurate administration of Court Orders. By payroll Tax and NI application Disturbance allowance Update of system in accordance with documentation received from HMRC. Advise of employee s entitlement to receive allowance. By next available payroll As advised Page 8

9 Produce Form of Undertaking and send to employee 5 days Chase up non return - one chase 5 days from sent date Correspondence Reply to reference requests for building society and mortgages Respond to queries from relevant Pensions Scheme Administrator. 5 days from receipt 28 days Respond to queries from HMRC. 5 days from receipt Respond to school queries regarding related matters Up to 3 working days of initial contact, with immediate referral of misdirected queries Terminations/Leavers (working days) Resignations Completes leavers form and sends to. By submission Redundancy/ Retirement/ Ill health Update system, produce and send resignation acceptance letter if member of pension scheme and notify pensions. Request pension estimate (for employees aged 60 or over) and send to employee upon receipt from Pensions Completes leavers form and sends to along with copy of retirement letter (if retiring) Update system, produce and send letter to employee (if requested) including pensions leavers notification form including life time allowance declaration. Request pension estimate (for retirements) and send to employee upon receipt from Pensions Carry out appropriate checks on final redundancy payment to be made. Death in Service Completes leavers form and advises SPS Consultancy and of death in service providing relevant information. Contacts Pensions Section and then sends letter and appropriate forms to next of kin (in liaison with SPS Consultancy and Pensions). 5 days 4 days from receipt By submission 5 days 4 days from receipt of request 3 days Upon notification of death 1 day All leavers Completed leavers form and send to. By submission Terminate record in HR/ system and send letter to employee with all appropriate pension paperwork. By Notify Pensions (LGPS or TPS) of Leavers 5 working days from notification Page 9

10 Send Age Exemption Card to employee as appropriate and where provided 5 working days Payments after leaving. Production and despatch of P45 s, including submission of EDI to HMRC. Notify of any outstanding payments or deductions. Within one month of leaving or notification (whichever is later) By submission s or earlier Ensure accurate payment after leaving subject to appropriate authorisation. Next available pay period Payroll Control Processes Statutory Returns Completion of all statutory year end processes including production of end of year tax file to HMRC via EDI and completion and presentation of P35. ONS reports Production of statutory reports including ONS Survey. Output of data BACS, pensions and other pay related data as specified. Production of P60 s Annual production and despatch of P60 s to employees. Pay Advices Produce and despatch payslips each month to s. Pay Awards and Rate Changes Notify at inception any planned changes to T&Cs rates ensuring sufficient lead time to effect changes. Ensure pay awards and changes to other rates are applied correctly and accurately including back-dated pay increases. Disaster Recovery Production, updating and where necessary use of an effective and practical payroll disaster recovery/business continuity plan. In line with statutory s In line with statutory s Within agreed s In line with statutory s Before pay day At planning stage Within agreed s. Agreed plan annually reviewed and updated if necessary Validation and Auditing Compliance To consult and liaise with on policy and procedural change requirements at the planning stage and provide with requirements once finalised. Provide on-going service ensuring compliance with statutory obligations, policy and procedures. Provide advice on whether proposed policies or single actions are compliant with legislation and best practice and obtain confirmation in writing that the action should proceed where this may be contrary to that advice. Continual In line with statutory obligations and policies. Page 10

11 Payroll Validation Produce and review validation and exception reports with a view to compliance and to highlight and amend any potential errors. Review validation and exception reports and notify subsequent amendments to data as appropriate. Sign off key outputs of payroll in a timely manner to allow the process to proceed. Produce and send Payroll Summary Report to school Self-Audit Undertake checking of data input - court orders, NI exemption - tax code changes - One-off payments exceeding 500 (non-salary) - Salary payments exceeding 4000 net Monthly Monthly - for reports produced during run of, the will be expressed in hours, not days. Monthly 100% 25% 100% 100% Advice and Information Provide information Provide relevant information to as requested Advice Respond to requests for advice that require factual information pertaining to issues Respond to queries from LGPS on current and previously employed staff. Subject Access Respond to requests to Personal information (under Data Protection or Freedom of Information Act) Legislation changes Advise on legislative changes and possible impact on service or organisations 3 working days 3 working days 20 working days 40 calendar days for Data Protection 20 working days Freedom of Information As appropriate Process timetable Plan an Annual timetable of at least 6 months in advance, containing the following critical dates : Date submissions must be received at Final input date and time for inclusion on the Run times of Anticipated date financial reports will be available Date BACS will be transmitted. Pay day (especially if not standard date) Although this timetable will be provided to s at least 6 months in advance, the right to amend due to business requirements at short notice will be retained. The period between submission cut off and run will be 5 working days. 6 months in advance of effect, UNLESS AS NOTED IN DETAIL. Page 11

12 process Deliver a consistent payroll run process, in line with statutory requirements, best practice and audit recommendations. Continually review that process to ensure it remains within these parameters. Transmit BACS promptly to ensure payment on pay day. Produce and distribute payslips to s (via KCC printing agent, or self-service when available) not later than pay day. Post reporting Maintain correct costing on the structure of the system to ensure that reports reflect correct set up. Monthly Monthly 1 day Ongoing Process net pay and other transfers to ensure that salaries account has sufficient credit following all main and advance payment runs in addition to any deduction related payments as agreed. Provision of costing and reconciliation reports. As part of the pay run produce BACS payments due to third parties so that necessary transfers can be made for deductions. Provide accounts payable with details of any deduction related payments not capable of being automated as BACS payments as agreed. This option will only be used if the preferred option (above) cannot be managed by the technology implemented. Within 2 working days of completion of the process Preferred date is by due date for Pensions, Tax and NI through split BACS Within 2 working days of completion of process Submission and Communication Data for all of the above should be submitted to SPS via the following means (in priority order): 1. Self Service (when this is available) 2. Electronic submission (i.e. zipped ) 3. Via document management workflow from SPS (when available) 4. Hard copy (where signed documentation is required) It is recognised that some statutory forms (i.e. P45, MAT B1) will need to be sent in hard copy format direct to the payroll provider, therefore copies of these will be deemed as a suitable form of submission. SPS commits to providing, via internal intranet and other suitable means, the methods of communicating with s, including the above preferences, addresses and the requirement for nominated school contact to be the primary point of contact. We also commit to providing details of the complaints procedure (as noted below) and feedback received from surveys. Page 12

13 2.7 - Confidentiality and Security Personal files and all employee data will remain confidential and secure and maintained in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Information will only be released to authorised individuals. Users of computerised systems (including self service) are responsible for keeping their passwords confidential and changed frequently. There must be no sharing of passwords under any circumstances. Where a generic account or password is created for use by multiple users it is the responsibility of those users to ensure that the data will remain confidential and secure. Head Teachers are responsible for notifying SPS without delay, of all staff changes, leavers etc. so that relevant updates can be made Changes to Your Package 3.1 Upgrades If you wish to upgrade your HR administration package we can action this for you with immediate effect Downgrades If you wish to downgrade your package, we require 6 months notice, in writing, which will start at the beginning of the next month after the notice has been given. Package downgrades are not available for those customers on a fixed term contract. 4.0 Annual Pensions Service Return (Academies Only) As your payroll provider, from April 2015 the s Personnel Service can now produce, validate and submit the Teachers Pensions Annual Service Return for this current financial year and then on an ongoing basis. A per teacher per year additional cost will be applied if you wish to take this service Complaints Procedure The s Personnel Service shall use best endeavors to deliver the Services in accordance with this Agreement. We also know that sometimes you will want to let us know that you are not happy about something that we have done or not done. We hope that we can sort these problems out with you to your satisfaction but accept that on occasions this will not be possible. For this reason, there is a complaints procedure which gives you the chance to tell us when you think something has gone wrong and offers you the assurances that your complaint will be taken seriously. Often you will be able to resolve problems face to face, or by telephone but if you feel that this is not possible then you can put your complaint in writing and send it to the SPS Customer Service and Resourcing Manager. If you are writing, it would be appreciated if you could cover the following points: What your complaint is about The brief history of the complaint from your point of view Your view on what should happen next The names of any staff involved When a complaint is received the s Personnel Service will: Try to put it right Page 13

14 Respond to your correspondence within five working days Where we are not able to meet that, perhaps if a response requires further investigation, we will agree a timescale with you if we cannot resolve your query within the five working days. In all instances your complaint will be looked into by a senior member of staff and that person will contact you. We will also ensure that lessons are learned from what happened and work to prevent it happening again. Page 14