Our Policies Career Break Policy

Transcription

1 Our Policies Career Break Policy

2 Aim of the policy Kelda is committed to promoting flexibility in the workplace and believes that this flexibility can increase motivation, promote work-life balance, wellbeing and improve performance and productivity. This policy, along with our other policies which promote flexible working arrangements, has been designed to help you to balance work and personal life. Kelda recognises that you may wish or need to take an extended break from work for a variety of personal reasons, during the course of your employment. This policy enables you to request an unpaid break in your career for up to one year whilst having the ability to return to employment within Kelda following this. Although there isn t an automatic right to take a career break, Kelda recognises that there may be circumstances where it is beneficial to both the individual and the company to allow an unpaid period of time away from work. Scope of the policy The policy applies to all colleagues in Kelda Group Ltd and its wholly owned group companies in the UK, including Yorkshire Water Services, Loop, Keyland Developments, and Kelda Water Services which includes KWS Alpha, KWS Defence and KWS Grampian. This policy is discretionary and doesn t form part of any terms and conditions of employment, or any collective agreement with recognised trade unions. The company therefore reserve the right to vary or withdraw the terms at any time. Definitions Continuous service: The amount of unbroken service which an employee has accumulated. Career Break: For the purposes of this policy, a career break is defined as a period of unpaid leave ranging from a continuous period of between a minimum of three months and a maximum of one year. Eligibility Providing that you have at least 2 years continuous service within the Kelda Group (acknowledging length of service rights under TUPE), you may apply for a career break. There isn t an automatic right to a career break and all requests will be considered in line with the needs of the business and your employment history. Consideration may be given to any live disciplinary, absence or performance warnings on your record. Duration Leave can be of any continuous period between three months and one year. You will not normally be eligible to take more than 1 career break in a 2 year period. Purpose Below are some examples of potential reasons for a career break, where the intention is to return to Kelda following the period of leave: 2

3 To undertake charitable work Volunteering in the UK or abroad Religious observance or pilgrimage Travel abroad Disability and or a long term health condition Childcare/fostering Care of a dependent person e.g. parent, spouse or partner This list is not exhaustive and all reasons for taking a career break would be considered on their own merits, based on weighing up the potential benefits to the employee and the company. Given that there are a number of policies available which promote flexibility in the workplace (e.g. Parental Leave in the case of childcare), it is expected that these will have been exhausted before a request for a Career Break is made. Conditions Please be aware that as you continue to be employed by Kelda during your career break, disciplinary action may still be taken if you engage in any acts or omissions during your career break, which impact on your employment. Similarly, you are required to notify your manager immediately if you are charged with or convicted of a criminal act during the period of your employment break. Application Process Your request for a career break should be made to your line manager using the Career Break Application Form (available on HR Online) giving at least 3 months notice of the date you wish the leave to commence. However, it is advisable to have discussions with your manager as early as possible in order to support planning for your potential leave and therefore giving the best opportunity for the Career Break to be authorised. The Application Form should include the reasons for your request and the duration of leave. If your request is due to an unexpected change in circumstances, this notice period may be reduced or waived. Your manager will provide you with a written response as to whether your career break has been granted and detailing the arrangements of the leave. If your application for a career break has been declined, your manager will provide you with written reasons for this. It may be that an alternative period of leave can be granted to that originally requested or consideration can be given to flexible working arrangements. Please note that leave is subject to the needs of the business and is granted at management discretion. Keeping in Touch During the leave period, you are required to keep in contact with your manager or designated contact person where practicable. Method and frequency of contact will be agreed between both parties before you begin your leave period. You are required to notify your line manager of any changes to your personal details e.g. change of address/phone number. 3

4 Organisational Changes If organisational changes occur during the career break, the company will ensure that, where possible, employees taking career breaks will be involved in any consultations or other appropriate procedures on the same basis as all other affected employees. Pay and Benefits The period of leave will not count as a break in continuous service. As you will be voluntarily requesting to cease work for a period of time for a non-statutory reason, there will be no entitlement to salary, allowances, company or statutory sick pay or quarterly or annual bonus (this will be paid on a pro rata basis relative to the duration you were at work for the bonus period in question). Full time employees will accrue annual leave at the statutory rate of 28 days (including bank holidays) during your career break. If you work part time, this will accrue on a pro-rata basis. Your accrued annual leave will be taken within the career break period. Payment of annual leave will be reviewed by the company in accordance with emerging case law and may be amended at any time. Pensions/Life Assurance If you are a member of a Kelda Group Pension Plan (KGPP), the employee and employer contributions will cease for the duration of your career break and this will count as a break in pensionable service. If you are a member of the Kelda Stakeholder+ Pension Arrangement (KS+), the employee and employer contributions will cease for the duration of your career break. However, you may make private contributions to the scheme at any time. If you wish to do this, please contact Blackrock on Life Assurance for all schemes will continue to apply as normal. Healthcare If you are eligible for healthcare cover, this cover will be removed for the duration of the career break. You may wish to take out personal cover with the current provider used by the company in order to maintain continuity of cover. If you choose this option and are still eligible for healthcare benefit when you return to work, you would be put back onto the company s policy with continuity. Alternatively, you may wish to take out healthcare cover with another provider for the duration of your career break or for your healthcare cover to cease. However, if you then return to the company scheme, please note that a two year moratorium applies, which means that you wouldn t be covered for any conditions arising during your career break within 2 years of re-commencement of your company healthcare cover. Deductions from salary If you have any regular deductions from your monthly salary (gym membership, cyclescheme, metrocard, social club, water bill saver, pension saver, childcare vouchers, union membership fees etc.) then these will cease when your salary becomes insufficient to make the deductions following commencement of your unpaid career break. Where there is an outstanding balance owed to the company, your manager will agree with you how 4

5 this will be settled and you may be asked to settle any outstanding balances in advance of commencing your leave. Company Property Any company property, including laptops, mobile phones, ID cards etc. will be returned for the period of leave. Company Cars If you are a company car user, you may choose whether to take on the full responsibilities of the lease or to surrender the vehicle. If you choose to surrender the vehicle and there is a period of time remaining on your lease, every effort will be made to reallocate the vehicle within the business. If this isn t possible, you will need to pay the cost of the contracted penalty charge, amounting to 50% of the remaining lease. Further information can be obtained from the Fleet Strategy Manager. Returning to work A return to work date will be agreed before you begin your period of leave. If you wish to return to work early, every effort will be made to accommodate the request. Alternative roles may be offered to you on a temporary basis. However, these may not necessarily be at the same band. There may be exceptional circumstances where it isn t possible to accommodate an early return and if this is the case, the reasons will be fully explained to you. You should discuss with your manager any re-familiarisation required to support you with your return to work. You will return to your substantive post where possible. If this is not possible you will return to a similar role with the same banding and salary. If you decide not to return to work following your career break, please provide your manager with a written resignation in line with the notice period specified by your contract of employment. Impact on Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Pay Normal accrued statutory maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay entitlements will apply where you become pregnant/plan to take paternity leave/are matched for adoption whilst on a career break. However, it should be noted that statutory maternity/paternity/adoption pay is based on average earnings prior to the 15 th week before the expected week of child birth. If you become pregnant/plan to take paternity leave/are matched for adoption during the career break, you should notify the company in line with the relevant maternity, paternity and adoption leave policies, with a view to making arrangements to suspend the career break if the timing of the pregnancy is such that the career break would still be in force, when maternity leave would be scheduled to start. Last update : 30 th June 2014 Next Review Update: 30 th June 2015 Policy Owner: HR-Policy & Case Team 5

6 Process Employee makes request in writing to line manager (3 months notice). Shared Services-HR Admin to make the appropriate changes on SAP. Manager speak sto the employee to understand their request in more detail and liaise with relevant parties in order to make a decision. Shared Services-HR Admin provides completed letter to manger, who will provide confirmation to the employee. Manager advises employee of decision verbally. If request is accepted: Manager sends an e mail to Shared Services-HR Admin providing the details of the agreement using 'Template A' in the manager guidelines. If request is declined: Manager confirms this in writing to the employee using the 'Template B' in the manager guidelines. 6