-SQA- SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY HIGHER NATIONAL UNIT SPECIFICATION GENERAL INFORMATION EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES

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1 -SQA- SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY HIGHER NATIONAL UNIT SPECIFICATION GENERAL INFORMATION -Unit Number Superclass- -Title- AJ EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES DESCRIPTION- GENERAL COMPETENCE FOR UNIT: Advising on the design, implementation and review of procedures and processes connected with the employment of people by organisations. OUTCOMES 1. contribute to the design of employee remuneration systems; 2. contribute to the creation of a safe and healthy working environment; 3. advise on policies and procedures for the maintenance of effective employee relations within the workplace. CREDIT VALUE: 1 HN Credit ACCESS STATEMENT: Access to this unit is at the discretion of the centre. However, it would be beneficial if the candidate has a background in the basic principles of management and their effective application in a managerial role. This may be evidenced by possession of HNC Management or an equivalent qualification or relevant work experience For further information contact: Committee and Administration Unit, SQA, Hanover House, 24 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NQ. Additional copies of this unit may be purchased from SQA (Sales and Despatch section). At the time of publication, the cost is 1.50 (minimum order 5.00).

2 HIGHER NATIONAL UNIT SPECIFICATION STATEMENT OF STANDARDS UNIT NUMBER: UNIT TITLE: EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES Acceptable performance in this unit will be the satisfactory achievement of the standards set out in this part of the specification. All sections of the statement of standards are mandatory and cannot be altered without reference to SQA. OUTCOME 1. CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESIGN OF EMPLOYEE REMUNERATION SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE CRITERIA The objectives of, and constraints on, the principal employee remuneration systems are clearly described. Techniques of job evaluation appropriate to organisational requirements are proposed. The advantages and disadvantages of the principal employee services and benefits are accurately assessed in terms of their value to the organisation. RANGE STATEMENT Remuneration systems: timework; payment by results; profit sharing; skills based pay; PRP; single status. Job evaluation techniques: analytical; non-analytical. EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS Written and/or oral evidence covering all performance criteria and all aspects of the range. 2

3 OUTCOME 2. CONTRIBUTE TO THE CREATION OF A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORKING ENVIRONMENT PERFORMANCE CRITERIA Responsibilities and rights of employers and employees for health, safety and welfare are clearly identified. Advice given on the construction of a safety policy is in accordance with legislative and organisational requirements. Appropriate procedures for monitoring and reviewing health and safety policies and practice are proposed. RANGE STATEMENT The range statement for this outcome is fully expressed in the performance criteria. EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS Written and/or oral evidence to ensure coverage of the performance criteria. OUTCOME 3. ADVISE ON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS WITHIN THE ORGANISATION PERFORMANCE CRITERIA The objectives and organisation of the main participants to workplace employee relations are clearly identified. Appropriate advice is provided on procedures for resolving conflict within the organisation. Appropriate programmes to gain participation and commitment to organisational values and goals are proposed. RANGE STATEMENT Main participants: employees; employers; representative bodies; the State; European Legislation. 3

4 EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS Written or oral evidence to cover all performance criteria and all aspects of the range. MERIT Candidates who achieve all performance criteria for all outcomes will be awarded a pass. A pass with merit may be awarded to a candidate who consistently demonstrates superior performance in some or all of the following: displaying higher level skills of analysis; demonstrating a greater degree of depth, breadth, and/or complexity in their responses. providing evidence of integrative or innovative approaches in their work ASSESSMENT In order to achieve this unit, candidates are required to present sufficient evidence that they have met all the performance criteria for each outcome within the range specified. Details of these requirements are given for each outcome. The assessment instruments used should follow the general guidance offered by the SQA assessment model and an integrative approach to assessment is encouraged. (See references at the end of support notes). Accurate records should be made of the assessment instruments used showing how evidence is generated for each outcome and giving marking schemes and/or checklists, etc. Records of candidates achievements should be kept. These records will be available for external verification. SPECIAL NEEDS Proposals to modify outcomes, range statements or agreed assessment arrangements should be discussed in the first place with the external verifier. Copyright SQA 1996 Please note that this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes provided that: (i) (ii) no profit is derived from the reproduction; if reproduced in part, the source is acknowledged. 4

5 HIGHER NATIONAL UNIT SPECIFICATION SUPPORT NOTES UNIT NUMBER: UNIT TITLE: EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES SUPPORT NOTES: This part of the unit specification is offered as guidance. None of the sections of the support notes is mandatory. NOTIONAL DESIGN LENGTH: SQA allocates a notional design length to a unit on the basis of time estimated for achievement of the stated standards by a candidate whose starting point is as described in the access statement. The notional design length for this unit is 40 hours. The use of notional design length for programme design and timetabling is advisory only. PURPOSE The purpose of this unit is to enable candidates to develop knowledge, understanding and skills of a generalist nature in the areas of reward, health and safety and employee relations. The unit is aimed at those candidates who have an understanding of the basic principles involved in managing people and of their effective application in a managerial role. CONTENT/CONTEXT The unit is concerned with areas which are essential to maintaining and developing a well motivated and committed workforce through the design, implementation and review of policies, procedures and practices for remuneration, health and safety and employee relations. Outcome 1 is concerned with employee reward systems. Reward components and their interrelations should be explored with pay, bonus, commission and benefits being considered. Pay structures and criteria for effectiveness should be analysed in relation to the organisation s internal and external environment. Objectives, methodology and limitations of job evaluation should be studied. Employee benefits should be analysed in relation to their value to the organisation. Aims, development, types and administration and control of benefits packages should be analysed. Outcome 2 is concerned with health and safety legislation and safety management, the law relating to health and safety should be studied. Sources of law including common law, constitutional law, statute law and the European dimensions should be outlined. Criminal and civil liability should be investigated according to the needs of the student group eg. fire safety laws, transport, building regulations, codes of practices relating to various industries. (This could take the form of individual project/research). Safety management should concentrate on policy statements, organisation and arrangements for health and safety and should focus on hazards, risk assessment and control and monitoring arrangements associated with management responsibility. 5

6 Outcome 3 is concerned with employee relations and should focus on the participant and parties involved, and the policies and processes required. The parties should include management, employees, employer organisations, employee organisations and a consideration of the role of the state. Policies and procedures should include issues related to union recognition, non-recognition, de-recognition and analysis of the processes of consultation, negotiation, participation and involvement. APPROACHES TO GENERATING EVIDENCE A variety of teaching and learning approaches should be utilised throughout this unit. Tutor exposition, class and group discussion, individual and small group research projects, role play and case studies are all appropriate to developing knowledge and skills required. Candidates should be encouraged to draw on real work situations, policies and practice and where appropriate to subject these to review and evaluation. Ideally a holistic approach to delivery should be utilised either by using a real or created organisation to provide the context for developing the required competences. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES There are a number of reliable, valid and practicable approaches to assessing candidate competence in this unit: 1. The outcomes could be assessed individually: Outcome 1: Extended response: construction of a pay and reward system for a given organisation. Outcome 2: Assignment: case study. Outcome 3: Assignment: written or oral report analysing employee relations strategies for given organisation. An integrative approach to assessment could be utilised either in the form of a case study dealing with all 3 outcomes or as critical review of the student s own organisation and its policies, procedures and practices. The above are intended as examples. Tutors should explore alternative approaches taking account of available resources and candidate experience. EXEMPLARS There is a wide range of text material both printed and electronic (eg. on line databases) available providing rich and stimulating source and resource material in the areas covered by this unit. PROGRESSION This unit forms part of the Diploma in Management. It contributes to the underpinning knowledge requirement of the SVQ Management level V. 6

7 REFERENCES 1. Guide to unit writing. 2. For a fuller discussion on assessment issues, please refer to SQA s Guide to Assessment. 3. Information for centres on SQA s operating procedures is contained in SQA s Guide to Procedures. 4. For details of other SQA publications, please consult SQA s publications list. 5. MCI Management Standards. 6. IPD Professional Standards. 7. PSLB Standards. Copyright SQA 1996 Please note that this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes provided that: (i) (ii) no profit is derived from the reproduction; if reproduced in part, the source is acknowledged. 7