Conditions of Service

Transcription

1 Conditions of Service

2 Introduction This booklet contains a summary of the council s main conditions of service for Scottish Joint Council employees. You will be advised of other conditions by your department. Conditions of service will change from time to time and this booklet will be updated as soon as possible after any changes with amendments highlighted on the intranet home page. You will find fuller details of your conditions of service in the Personnel Advisory Bulletins which are available on this site. 3

3 Contents Leave... 5 Working Arrangements Allowances... 8 Other Allowances Sickness Absence Reporting and Certification Procedure Sickness Allowance Disciplinary Procedure Grievance Procedure Period of Notice Other Conditions Definition of Service

4 Leave Annual Leave Your entitlement Leave entitlement with pay is 25 days increasing to 30 days after five years service and with effect from the start of the following leave year. If employed part-time on less than a five day week your leave entitlement is calculated on a pro rata basis to 25 or 30 days, whichever is appropriate. If at the end of the leave year you would have less than a year s service your leave entitlement will be calculated in accordance with the table shown overleaf (pro rata if you are part-time and work less than a five day week). Should you be absent through sickness or injury for a period exceeding three months, your contractual entitlement to leave will be limited to an amount equal to the period worked during the leave year as calculated by the table shown. In these circumstances, however, you will retain your full entitlement to annual leave due under the Working Time Regulations regardless of the length of the absence. If you are ill during a period of annual leave you will be allowed to take the leave at another time provided the whole period of illness is supported by a medical certificate. Leave entitlement will continue to accrue throughout periods of maternity leave and special consideration will be given in the case of an industrial injury. Taking your entitlement The leave year is 1 January to 31 December. As a general rule leave should be taken within the leave year. However, with your line manager s agreement you may carry forward up to five days into the next leave year. These days must be taken by the end of March. Any days not taken by then will be lost and there will be no payment in lieu. This will apply except where you have been unable to take your full annual Working Time Regulations leave entitlement because of sickness absence. Any such untaken entitlement will be carried over in full and may be taken at any time during the new leave year. 5

5 In any event the restrictions on carry forward of leave do not apply to employees on maternity leave. Leave will be granted subject to the exigencies of the service. If a request for leave is not granted you will be advised of the reason. Leaving the council Should you leave the council for reasons other than dismissal for gross misconduct, you will be granted, before leaving, any proportion of your leave entitlement which is due. If for operational reasons or through unavoidable circumstances such leave cannot be granted, you will be paid in lieu of leave due. Leave is granted on the assumption that you will remain in the council s service until the end of the leave year. Should you leave before the end of the leave year and have taken more leave than you are entitled to, the necessary adjustment will be made in the balance of salary payable to you at the date of leaving. Complete Months of Annual Entitlement Continuous Service 25 Days 30 Days Public Holidays There are seven public holidays (pro rata if you are part-time and work less than a five day week). These holidays are fixed by the council and advance notice is given of when they fall each year. The dates for 2013 are as follows: Tuesday 1 January Wednesday 2 January Monday 1 April Monday 6 May Monday 2 December Wednesday 25 December Thursday 26 December 6

6 If you are sick on a public holiday no substitute holiday will be given, unless this is required to ensure that you receive your full annual Working Time Regulations leave entitlement. Banked Leave The council has a banked leave scheme which allows you to save up to a maximum of five days each year for a maximum of five years to use at a later date for a specific purpose. Details of this scheme are available in a Personnel Advisory Bulletin and in your department. 7

7 Working Arrangements Allowances Unsocial Hours If your contracted hours are, either in whole or in part, within the period 10pm to 7am you will receive an unsocial hours allowance of 2.97 (wef 01/04/10) for each hour worked within that period. If your contracted hours extend beyond midnight the unsocial hours allowance will be paid for each hour worked from 8pm. You will not be entitled to an unsocial hours allowance if you are receiving an overtime allowance. Public Holiday Working If you are required to work on a public holiday as part of your normal working week you will be paid double time for all hours worked. You will also be given time off in lieu as follows: a half day off if the time worked was up to half of your normal day. a whole day off if the time worked was over half of your normal day. Overtime Where overtime has been authorised, payment will be at the rate of time and a half with the exception of overtime worked on a public holiday, which will be paid at the rate of double time. If you are on grade LG10 or above, overtime will be paid at plain time with the exception of overtime worked on Saturday and Sunday (or your two scheduled non-working days if you do not have a Monday to Friday work pattern) and overtime worked between 10pm and 7am which will be paid at the rate of time and a half; and overtime worked on a public holiday which will be paid at the rate of double time. As an alternative, compensatory time off in lieu on an equivalent basis to payment may be agreed. Hours worked up to 37 in any week will be paid at plain time rates with only hours worked in excess of 37 being paid at the overtime rate. 8

8 Overtime will be calculated in blocks of 15 minutes per day. Time of less than 15 minutes on any day will not rank as overtime. If you are on grade LG12 or above, overtime should only be claimed in exceptional circumstances. Sleeping-In Payment If you are required to sleep on the premises and be available for duty when called, you will be paid a sleeping-in payment of (wef 01/04/10) per night. This rate is determined nationally. Standby Arrangements If you take part in a specific rostered arrangement under which you are obliged to remain on call outside your normal working hours and be available to be consulted or, if necessary, called out for emergency duty, you will receive a standby payment as follows: For each overnight standby (wef 01/04/10) For each 24 hour standby (wef 01/04/10) Weekly (seven day) standby (wef 01/04/10) If contacted or called out during a standby period, or during a period when you are not on standby, a payment of (wef 01/04/10) for each such disturbance will be paid. There will only be an entitlement to one such payment within each period of two hours which starts with the first contact. The payment will only be made should the disturbance result in you having to exercise the skills for which the standby duty is required. If called out and the call out is in excess of one hour then you will also be paid for the whole of the period of the call out at the appropriate overtime rate. Call Out Arrangements If you do not take part in a standby arrangement and you are contacted and called out after you have finished work you will receive a disturbance allowance of (wef 01/04/10). If the call out is in excess of one hour, you will also be paid at the appropriate overtime rate for time actually worked. 9

9 Other Allowances Car Allowances The following rates apply for all business mileage undertaken, including that incurred in attending training courses: 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25p per mile thereafter. A supplement of 5p per mile per passenger. Passenger means another employee of the council. It does not apply to any other person. This supplement is not payable to lease car users. 10p per mile for lease car users. Motor Cycle/Bicycle Allowances The following rates apply for all business mileage undertaken, including that incurred in attending training courses: 24p per mile for motor cycles. 20p per mile for cycles (not payable if cycle is hired under the Cycle to Work Scheme). Excess Travel Allowance You will be eligible for an excess travel allowance if your place of work is changed by circumstances beyond your control and as a result you incur additional expenditure in getting to and from work. In these circumstances, the following rates apply: 25p per mile. 10p per mile for lease car users*. 14p per mile for motor cycles. 11p per mile for cycles. (* There are likely to be significant tax implications for lease car users who claim this allowance. Details are available in your department.) 10

10 The allowance will only be paid if the claim is in excess of 5 per week and only the amount in excess of 5 per week, or 1 per day for those on reduced hours, will be reimbursed. This figure will be reviewed every two years. These figures also apply where public transport is used in lieu of car travel. Entitlement to an excess travel allowance will be for a period of two years. If the transfer of location is temporary eg to a site base, and that site is closer to your home than the permanent base you will not be eligible to receive the allowance upon return to the permanent base. Subsistence Subsistence allowances will not be paid for expenditure incurred within Angus unless incurred in exceptional circumstances authorised by your director. Outwith Angus, actual expenditure on lunch and evening meal will be reimbursed upon production of a receipt, subject to a maximum of 6.50 and 20 respectively. Reimbursement will only be made if you are outwith the council for a period of four hours (including the period noon - 2pm for lunch and extending after 7pm for evening meal). Acting Up Payment If you are undertaking the duties of a higher graded post you will receive an acting up payment subject to the following. If you are on grade LG1 or LG2 you will receive the acting up payment after one day; if you are on grade LG3 or LG4, after two weeks; and if you are on grade LG5 or above, after four weeks. Once you become entitled to a payment, the payment will be backdated to the day the acting up duties began. An acting up payment will not be made if covering for holidays or self-certified sickness absence. However, if to avoid operational failure, you are required to undertake the full range of duties of a higher graded post on an acting up basis, the allowance will apply after one day irrespective of your grade or of the reason for acting up. The level of acting up payment will be determined by the extent of the higher graded duties being undertaken. This will be expressed as a percentage and based on the difference between your salary and the minimum point of the higher grade. The only exception to this will be if you are on the maximum of your grade and you are undertaking duties of a post one grade higher. In such a circumstance the calculation will be based on the difference between your salary and the second point of the higher grade. 11

11 Sickness Absence Reporting and Certification Procedure In the event of sickness absence from work, you or some other person on your behalf, must report your inability to attend in accordance with the following procedure: On the first day of sickness absence Notify your manager/office as soon as practicable but in any event by no later than one hour after your normal starting time and advise of likely duration of absence. If sickness begins on a non-working day, notification should be as soon as practicable but in any event by no later than one hour after your normal starting time the next working day. The first day of sickness is regarded as the first day of sickness absence. On return to work after 1, 2 or 3 days of sickness absence Obtain and fill in self-certification form. If sickness absence continues to fourth day Notify your manager/office on that day, or if that day is a non-working day, the next working day, and advise of likely duration of absence. On return to work after 4,5,6 or 7 days of absence Obtain and fill in a self-certification form. If sickness absence continues for 8 days or more By no later than the eighth day, obtain medical certificate from doctor, obtain and fill in self-certification form and send both to your manager. Submit further medical certificates to cover any continued absence. 12

12 Note ALL 7 DAYS of the week count when calculating sickness absence including non-working days eg if first day of sickness absence is Friday, the fourth day will be the following Monday. Should you fail to comply with the requirements of this procedure, entitlement to sickness allowance may cease and disciplinary action may be taken against you. If you are ill during a period of annual leave you will be allowed to take the leave at another time provided the whole period of illness is supported by a medical certificate. 13

13 Sickness Allowance Entitlement to sickness allowance is dependent upon your service at the start of absence as follows: Service Full Pay Half Pay Less than 26 weeks Nil Nil 26 weeks but less than 1 year 5 weeks 5 weeks 1 year but less than 2 years 9 weeks 9 weeks 2 years but less than 3 years 18 weeks 18 weeks 3 years but less than 5 years 22 weeks 22 weeks 5 years or more 26 weeks 26 weeks To calculate entitlement: determine service deduct aggregate of any period(s) of absence due to sickness over preceding twelve months. To calculate sick pay Full Pay: where entitled to SSP, a sum equal to full normal pay. where not entitled, or no longer entitled, to SSP, a sum which when added to the benefits payable under the National Insurance Acts gives a sum equal to full normal pay. Half Pay: where entitled to SSP, a sum equal to half normal pay, provided that this sum, when added to SSP, does not exceed full normal pay. where not entitled, or no longer entitled, to SSP, a sum equal to half normal pay, provided that this sum, when added to the benefits payable under the National Insurance Acts, does not exceed full normal pay. 14

14 Definition of normal pay Normal pay during sick leave is normal basic pay plus any contractual working allowance which would have been earned during the period of sick leave. The above is merely a guide to enable you to be aware of your entitlement. The regulations relating to sick pay which are detailed in the National Agreement will govern any question of interpretation/entitlement. 15

15 Disciplinary Procedure Purpose and Scope The council recognises that discipline is necessary to assist in the effective delivery of services. Disciplinary rules and procedures are intended to promote fairness and consistency in the treatment of employees and in the conduct of employee relations. Rules set standards of conduct at work; procedures help to ensure that these standards are adhered to and provide a fair method of dealing with alleged failures to observe them. This Disciplinary Procedure should not be regarded primarily as a means to impose sanctions. Its principal aim is, wherever possible, to encourage improvement in conduct. Principles In operating this procedure, the following principles will be observed. Before any disciplinary action is taken the manager/supervisor responsible must be satisfied that the circumstances of the alleged misconduct have been adequately investigated and that he/she is in possession of sufficient information to make a fair decision. No disciplinary action will be taken without a disciplinary hearing having been held. You will be given at least 7 calendar days written notice of the hearing, such notice giving details of the allegation(s) and of the right to be accompanied and of the procedure which will be followed during the hearing. The hearing will normally be held no later than 4 weeks from the date of the letter. You will have the right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing by a work colleague or a representative of a trade union recognised by the council. It is your responsibility to arrange any such representation. At a disciplinary hearing both you and the management representative will have the right to call a witness or witnesses and to produce documentary evidence. Either party may request an adjournment to consider any documentary evidence produced. Written confirmation of the outcome of a disciplinary hearing will be sent to you within 10 working days. 16

16 You will have the right to appeal against any disciplinary action - this right will be explained in the written confirmation of the outcome of the hearing. If you are alleged to have committed misconduct you may be suspended. Such a suspension will be termed precautionary suspension, will be on full pay and will not in itself constitute disciplinary action. A precautionary suspension will be for as short a period as possible and should it have to last longer than originally anticipated you will be advised of the reason(s). Responsibility For Discipline Each head of department is responsible for maintaining discipline within their department. They, or an officer nominated by them, have the right to warn, dismiss, withhold incremental progression, reduce grade or apply any other appropriate disciplinary sanction subject to your right of appeal as outlined below. During the course of work, a manager/supervisor may caution or reprimand you about minor infringements of established standards of conduct. Where such action is necessary you may be counselled about these shortcomings and, where appropriate, advised what improvement is necessary. Such a caution or reprimand will not constitute disciplinary action in accordance with this procedure. It is recognised that some misconduct is too serious to be dealt with informally and that counselling will not always have the effect of improving behaviour. In such circumstances, the following forms of disciplinary action may be taken. In considering an appropriate form of disciplinary action due regard will be given to your employment record as well as to the seriousness of the offence. Oral Warning Where minor misconduct occurs which the manager/supervisor considers cannot be dealt with on an informal basis, he/she may issue an ORAL WARNING. In such circumstances the manager will make it clear that formal disciplinary action is being taken, will explain the reason for the warning, the nature of the improvement in conduct required and that further more serious disciplinary action is likely if there is a recurrence of misconduct. The warning and the circumstances surrounding it will be recorded, a copy given to you and a copy entered on your personal file. Written Warning If the issue is sufficiently serious or if further misconduct occurs, a WRITTEN WARNING will be issued. This will set out the reason for the warning and, where appropriate, the nature of the improvement in conduct required and will also state the likely consequences of any further misconduct. 17

17 Final Written Warning More serious misconduct or further misconduct after a warning has been given may warrant a FINAL WRITTEN WARNING. This will set out the reason for the warning and, where appropriate, the improvement in conduct required. It will also state that any further misconduct is likely to result in dismissal. Dismissal Repeated misconduct will normally result in DISMISSAL. Certain offences will be regarded as GROSS MISCONDUCT warranting SUMMARY DISMISSAL ie dismissal without notice whether or not any previous warnings have been issued. The following list, which is not exhaustive, gives examples of offences which will normally be regarded as gross misconduct: Theft; fraud; falsification of records including timesheets; fighting, deliberate damage to council property; physical assault; serious negligence; serious insubordination; serious breach of the confidentiality of council information, including the disclosure of confidential information to an unauthorised person or use of such information to gain personal advantage; failure to disclose a personal financial interest in a contract or proposed contract with the council, unauthorised acceptance of any fee or reward in connection with work. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the offence, it is not necessary to progress from one level to the next. For example, it is possible for a final written warning to be issued without a written warning having previously been issued. An employee cannot be dismissed for a first offence unless gross misconduct has been established. It is also possible to supplement the above warnings by applying other disciplinary sanctions including withholding incremental progression, demotion without protection of pay or suspension without pay for up to 10 working days. Time Limits Warnings will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after the following periods of satisfactory conduct: Oral Warning 6 months Written Warning 12 months Final Written Warning 18 months Right Of Appeal If you wish to appeal against disciplinary action you must do so within 14 calendar days of receiving written confirmation of that action stating the grounds for your appeal. That confirmation will detail to whom the appeal should be addressed. Appeals against dismissal will be heard by an Appeals Sub-Committee comprising elected members. Appeals against all other forms of disciplinary action will be heard by the head of department or a senior officer nominated by that officer but will not be heard by the officer who chaired the disciplinary hearing. 18

18 At an appeal hearing you have the right to be accompanied by a work colleague or a representative of a trade union recognised by the council. It is your responsibility to arrange any such representation. The decision reached at an appeal hearing is final; however, any right to make a claim to an employment tribunal is unaffected by this procedure. In the event of any disciplinary action being reconsidered and withdrawn, any written reference to the action and to the disciplinary proceedings will be deleted and you will be advised accordingly. Committee Or Sub-Committee Appointments Your head of department has the right to dismiss you if you were appointed by a committee or sub-committee, provided that the Convener of the committee responsible for the department is consulted prior to the disciplinary hearing. Disciplinary Action Against Employees Who Are Trade Union Officials Normal disciplinary standards are expected of you if you are a trade union official. You are subject to this disciplinary procedure although no disciplinary action will be taken against you until the circumstances of the case have been discussed with a full-time official of your trade union. Criminal Charges Or Offences A criminal charge or offence will not be treated as an automatic reason for disciplinary action. Each case will be investigated with regard to the relevance of the charge or offence to your duties and responsibilities. The council will not be constrained from taking disciplinary action simply because criminal proceedings are pending. Harassment Sexual, racial or any other form of harassment or bullying will be regarded as serious misconduct. The council has a separate procedure for dealing with complaints of harassment, but any employee found to have committed such an act will be subject to disciplinary action. The Role of the Personnel Team The Assistant Chief Executive is responsible for monitoring the operation of the Disciplinary Procedure to ensure its fair and consistent application. The advice of the Personnel Team should be obtained by any manager considering formal disciplinary action or investigating a possible disciplinary issue. The Personnel Team must be consulted before a disciplinary or appeal hearing is arranged and be represented at any such hearing. The Personnel Team must also be consulted when disciplinary action against a trade union official is contemplated and, wherever operationally possible, before an employee is given a precautionary suspension from duty. 19

19 Grievance Procedure Purpose And Scope This Grievance Procedure is intended to enable employees to seek redress for complaints relating to their employment where normal management/employee communication has failed to resolve matters. The procedure aims to resolve complaints at as early a stage as possible. This procedure applies should you wish to complain formally about any matter relating to your work or the terms of your contract of employment except issues relating to your grade, to flexible working, to harassment or bullying or to disciplinary matters, for which the council has separate specific procedures. Procedure 1. If you wish to complain formally you should discuss the matter with your immediate supervisor, explaining the basis of your complaint and the redress you are seeking. Your supervisor will reply orally to your complaint within 2 working days. If your immediate supervisor is the subject of your complaint, you should raise the matter with a senior manager (while this would normally be your supervisor s manager this may not always be appropriate). That manager will reply orally within 2 working days. 2. If you are still not satisfied you should, within 14 calendar days, write to your head of department stating in full the basis of your complaint and the redress you are seeking. 3. Your head of department will, within 5 working days of receipt of your written complaint, arrange a meeting with you and other interested parties to consider your complaint. This meeting will normally be held within 4 weeks of receipt of your written complaint. The Personnel Team will be represented at the meeting. 4. Your head of department may advise you of the conclusions reached at the end of the meeting, but in any event will confirm the conclusions in writing within 10 working days of the meeting. 20

20 5. Should you continue to be dissatisfied, you should, within 14 calendar days, write to your head of department explaining what you continue to be dissatisfied with and indicating that you wish to pursue the matter to the Appeals Sub-Committee of the Strategic Policy Committee. You will at this stage be advised of the procedure to be followed. The Appeals Sub-Committee will meet to consider your grievance, normally within 10 weeks of receipt of your letter. The letters provided at stages 2 and 4 of this procedure will form the basis of the submission to the Appeals Sub-Committee to be supplemented, if desired, by an oral presentation. Notes You are entitled to be accompanied at any grievance hearing or appeal by a work colleague or a representative of a trade union recognised by the council. A complaint may be submitted and pursued by a group of employees or by a trade union recognised by the council on their behalf. The head of department may be represented during the procedure by another nominated officer. Should your department fail to comply with the time limits, unless this has been agreed by you, you may move to the next stage in the procedure. Should you fail to comply with the time limits, unless this has been agreed by your department, your grievance will not be progressed. A grievance which has been dealt with by the procedure cannot be reconsidered within a period of 12 months. This procedure does not prejudice any rights you may have under the National Agreement. 21

21 Period of Notice Your entitlement to receive, in writing, notice of termination of employment and your requirement to give the council, in writing, notice of termination of employment is as follows: From the Council Service Period of Notice 1 month or more but less than 5 years 4 weeks 5 years or more but less that 12 years 1 week for each year of service 12 years or more 12 weeks From the Employee Four weeks. Note If paid on grade LG10 or above, the minimum period of notice on both sides will be 8 weeks. If employed on a temporary basis for a period of less than 2 years the period of notice on both sides will be 1 week. General No notice will be given to any employee dismissed on the grounds of gross misconduct. The council may decide to waive the requirement for you to work the whole, or part, of the notice period. In this situation you will be advised accordingly and will receive payment in lieu as compensation for, and equivalent to, any basic pay and contractual working allowance which would have been earned during that part of the period of notice outstanding. You will also receive a sum equivalent to any accrued holiday entitlement outstanding as at the end of the period of notice. 22

22 You may ask the council to agree to waive the requirement to work the whole or part of the notice period. Should the council agree, you will not receive payment for that period waived. If you fail to give or serve the required period of notice a sum equivalent to the period of notice not given/served will be deducted from any outstanding monies due to you (including accrued holiday entitlement). Any payment made in lieu of notice is subject to tax and national insurance. 23

23 Other Conditions Other Paid Employment You should not engage in any other regular paid employment or business activity without prior approval. If you wish to do so you must apply to your head of department using the Application to Carry Out Other Paid Employment form which is available in your department. Your request would not be refused unless it was considered that it would be to the detriment of, or in conflict with, your employment with the council. Where a request has been authorised, permission may subsequently be withdrawn if the other employment/business activity was considered to be detrimental to your employment with the council. Should you sustain an injury as a direct result of engaging in other employment or business activity, you would only be paid any statutory sick pay to which you may be entitled during any period of absence arising from the injury. You would not be paid the normal sickness allowance payable by the council. Employee Code of Conduct This code sets out the standards of conduct the council expects of employees in a range of areas and gives advice on how to meet these. A copy of the code is available in your department and on the Employee Matters pages of the intranet. Interest In Contracts If it comes to your knowledge that you have a personal financial interest in a contract, whether direct or indirect, which has been, or is proposed to be, entered into by the council, you must, as soon as possible, give notice in writing to your head of department of the interest. 24

24 Receipt of Gifts, Gratuities and Hospitality Acceptance of Gifts and Hospitality You should not accept any gifts or hospitality unless you can: justify accepting that gift or hospitality; and be sure that you will not be criticised for doing so. It is a serious criminal offence to receive or give any gift, loan, fee, reward or advantage in return for doing or not doing anything, or to show favour or disfavour to any person, in the course of your work. You are personally responsible for any decision you make on accepting gifts or hospitality offered to you and, if appropriate, your partner. If you are in any doubt, get advice from your head of department. You must never ask for gifts or hospitality. The council s policy on gifts and hospitality, including circumstances when you must not accept gifts or hospitality, is set out in full in the Employee Code of Conduct. Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disciplinary action being taken against you. Acceptance of Fees, Commission, etc. You must not keep any fee, commission or other payment you collect or receive in relation to your work without permission from your head of department. If you accept a fee, commission or other payment from a person or organisation who has or may get a contract from the council to provide any work, goods or services, you may be dismissed without notice. Smoking Ban In accordance with the terms of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 and the council s aim to create a working environment which is both safe and healthy, smoking is prohibited in council premises and in council vehicles. 25

25 Miscellaneous In addition to the conditions outlined in this booklet, the council has a range of terms and conditions of employment applicable to you, covering the following subjects: Adoption and maternity support Adoption leave and pay Alcohol and drug misuse Assisted removal/relocation and internet use Flexible retirement Flexible working Harassment at work HIV and AIDS in employment Leave of absence Maternity leave and pay Parental and dependant leave Paternity leave Performance at work Redeployment Retirement Sickness absence Secondment Severe weather Stress at work Time off for emergency services; public duties; Children s Panel and trade union duties, activities and training Whistleblowing Details of these are available in Personnel Advisory Bulletins and in your department. 26

26 Definition of Service Your entitlement to various benefits referred to in this booklet ie annual leave, period of notice, sickness allowance and maternity benefits, is determined by your service. For the purposes of annual leave, sickness allowance and maternity benefits, service is defined as continuous service with any public authority to which the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc.) (Modification) Order 1999 applies and continuous service with the NHS. For the purpose of notice, service is defined as continuous service with this council. If returning to local government service following a break for maternity reasons, previous service will however be taken into account for the purposes of annual leave, sickness allowance and maternity benefits provided that no paid employment was carried out during that period and for the purposes of sickness allowance and maternity the break in service did not exceed 8 years. If you were employed in local government at 30 June 1999 and have had no subsequent breaks in service, service for the above purposes is defined as aggregated service with any public authority to which the above 1999 Order applies. Should you wish clarification on service which is recognised by the council for the above benefits, please contact your department. 27

27 Angus Council, Angus House Orchardbank Business Park Forfar DD8 1AX Published November 2012 (E Version) Angus Council Print & Design Unit