Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy December 2015 Author: Responsibility: Sue Hand, Head of HR All Staff Effective Date: December 2015 Review Date: December 2017 Reviewing/Endorsing committees Approved by Risk Management Group Date Ratified by Executive Management Team Executive Committee 7 December 2015 17 December 2015 Version Number 002 POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 1
Names of those involved in policy development Name Designation Email Rian Connell HR Business Partner Rian.Connell@hertsvalleysccg.nhs.uk Sue Hand Head of HR Sue.Hand@hertsvalleysccg.nhs.uk Names of those consulted regarding the policy approval Date Name Designation Email Equality Impact Assessment prepared and held by Date Name Designation Email Committee where policy was discussed/approved/ratified Committee/Group Date Status Equality Impact Assessment Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is committed to promoting equality in all its responsibilities as commissioner of services, as a provider of services, as a partner in the local economy and as an employer. This policy will contribute to ensuring that all users and potential users of services and employees are treated fairly and respectfully with regard to the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender, reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 2
Contents Page 1. Introduction 4 2. Scope 4 3. Responsibilities 4 4. Key Principles 4 5. Existing or Returning NHS Staff 4 6. Starters New to the NHS 5 7. Acting Up 6 7. Monitoring and Review 6 Appendix 1 Workforce Changes Approval Process Form 7 Appendix 2 Equality Impact Assessment 12 HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 3
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (the CCG) aims to ensure equity by having a consistent approach to salaries for all staff: commencing employment with the CCG appointed to a new post within the CCG undertaking a secondment to a higher banded post within the CCG temporarily acting up into a higher banded post within the CCG 2. SCOPE This policy applies to all employees of the CCG. 3. RESPONSIBILITIES 3.1 All recruiting managers have the responsibility to ensure that they familiarise themselves with the principles of this policy before making any salary offer. 3.2 The Human Resources Department has the responsibility to monitor the implementation of the policy and to ensure that salaries on appointment are managed fairly across all departments and areas of the CCG. The Human Resources Department will request documentary evidence e.g. payslips, from appointees to support any proposed salary offer except when the appointee is an existing CCG employee. 4. KEY PRINCIPLES 4.1 The principle of fair pay for all employees is enshrined in the NHS National Terms & Conditions of Employment, based on equal pay for work of equal value criteria. 4.2 Local agreements on starting salaries on appointment will apply if NHS National Terms & Conditions require clarification or more detail related to their implementation. 5. EXISTING OR RETURNING NHS STAFF 5.1 All new employees should be appointed on a salary point in the relevant band that is no higher than the second Gateway point in that band. The principles below apply equally to both permanent or fixed-term (temporary) appointments and/or secondments. Existing NHS staff, whether internal or external, who are appointed to a post at the same band within the CCG will be appointed on their current pay point. If this is an external candidate this will need to be evidenced by means of an inter-authority transfer or by providing a copy of a recent payslip. In this instance the incremental date will remain the same. This applies equally to permanent or fixed-term (temporary) appointments and/or secondments. Existing NHS staff whether internal or external who are appointed to a post at a higher band within the CCG will be appointed on the minimum pay point in the new band. However, if this does not result in an increase in pay, the appointee will go to the first pay point in the band which would result in an increase in pay. If this is an external candidate HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 4
this will need to be evidenced by means of an inter-authority transfer or a copy of a recent payslip. In this instance the incremental date will change to the date of the new band and appointment. 5.2 Any previous period or periods of NHS service should be taken into consideration when determining the appropriate starting salary for appointees returning to NHS employment. Evidence would need to be provided of any relevant continuous personal development during this period. 6. STARTERS NEW TO THE NHS 6.1 All starters new to the NHS will start on the bottom of the pay band. In exceptional circumstances consideration may be given to a salary offer above the minimum of the pay band to recognise relevant experience. No offer above the minimum of the pay band should be made before written approval has been obtained from Finance and the Head of Human Resources or their deputy and countersigned by the relevant Director. Under no circumstances will a new entrant to the NHS be offered a salary that is above the second gateway for the pay band in question unless a fully documented assessment of the candidate s qualifications and relevant experience has been undertaken and they fully meet the requirements for passing through the second gateway. Similar experience in partner organisations e.g. GP/Local authority, as well as where newly appointed staff are already working in integrated/shared teams may be considered (see paragraph 6.3 below). 6.2 Business case for applications for appointment to a salary above the minimum pay point must be made on the CCG Workforce Changes Approval Process form see Appendix 1. To ensure equity, in applying for an additional pay point(s) for relevant experience, consideration must be given to the salary level of existing CCG staff in the same or a similar role who have similar relevant experience. Any additional pay point(s) will only be considered based on relevant experience/qualifications for the post. It will not be given where market forces have led to difficulties in recruiting to specific job roles or to a unique position within the CCG. In such cases a Recruitment and Retention Premium may be applied once all recruitment routes have been exhausted. Please refer to the CCG s Recruitment and Recruitment Premia Policy for further guidance and information. 6.3 Any period or periods of relevant employment with employers outside the NHS where these are judged to be relevant to NHS employment may be taken into account when determining the appropriate pay point for a new appointee. For this purpose, service with a non-nhs employer during which the individual was eligible to join the NHS pension scheme should be recognised. Alternatively, when a non-nhs employee has been working permanently as an integral member of a CCG team with identical duties and responsibilities, this period should be recognised as NHS service if they are subsequently offered employment within that team. In these exceptional circumstances, the starting salary will be the equivalent of the appointee s current salary with the outside organisation and may be above the second gateway. Please speak to the Human Resources Department for additional advice and guidance. HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 5
7. ACTING UP 7.1 Occasionally it may be necessary to fill a post on a higher pay band on a temporary basis when a vacancy is unfilled, but being advertised, or the post is being held open for someone who is due to return for example from long-term sick leave, maternity leave, etc. In such instances, pay should be set either at the minimum of the new pay band or, if this would result in no pay increase, the first pay point in the new pay band which would deliver an increase in pay. Temporary movement into a new pay band should not normally last more than six months or less than one month except in instances of maternity leave or long-term sick leave where a longer period may be known at the outset. Where a temporary movement into a higher pay band results in only one additional extra pay point, the incremental date remains the same. Where temporary movement into a higher pay band results in more than one extra pay point, the incremental date for the period of the temporary movement becomes the date the movement began. 7.2 On return to the original post, pay will revert to the original pay point, but will take into account any incremental increases that may have been due during the acting up period. 8. MONITORING AND REVIEW This policy and procedure will be reviewed periodically by Human Resources in conjunction with operational managers and Trade Union representatives. Where review is necessary due to legislative change, this will happen immediately. HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 6
WORKFORCE CHANGES APPROVAL PROCESS WORKFORCE CHANGES APPROVAL PROCESS Introduction The following process is designed to ensure that a robust Workforce changes process exists in line with best practice, audit requirements and the requirements of Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG). The process will be used to ensure that suitable approval/authorisation is provided within BCCG prior to any workforce changes actions being undertaken. Once the appropriate approval is given by BCCG, HR will be instructed to undertake the appropriate action. This process will apply to all workforce changes with a financial impact, including recruitment, hiring of agency workers/interims, increases in hours, change of posts/cost centres and re-grading of positions and contract extensions. Business Case As a first step, a business case (see attached form) must be submitted before any changes are agreed and made to staff contracts or recruitment is initiated. The business case should be prepared by the relevant manager, with agreement and sign off by the relevant Director. Approval must also be given by the appropriate management accountant in Finance in BCCG. The business case should then be submitted, along with an up-to-date Job Description and Person Specification to HR who will add the appropriate advice/relevant comment to the business case from a workforce perspective. HR will then send the completed business case to BCCG panel The BCCG executive panel will then make a decision on whether to approve the business case or not. Please be aware that agreement to recruit or amend any other employee related costs will only be considered if they can be accommodated within the current budget. Serious thought must therefore be given to funding before a business case is prepared. Approval Process The Business Case will be reviewed by HR and relevant comments/advice added and then forwarded to the BCCG executive panel. The Executive panel will then make a decision on approving the business case and will notify managers submitting business cases of the decisions made regarding approval, the Executive panel will also notify HR of the decisions taken. Panel Decision In the event that the panel approve a business case, HR will immediately commence the recruitment process/appropriate action for that vacancy in consultation with the relevant line manager. HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 7
FLOW CHART VACANCY APPROVAL PROCESS Workforce Change Required Business case completed by relevant line manager (budget holder) and finance and sent along with job description and person specification to HR for comment/ workforce advice HR will review the business Case and add advice/comment before submitting to BCCG Panel Not Approve Business Case presented by supporting director/recruiting manager and considered by Approved Panel notifies manager Panel notifies manager and HR and finance HR liaises with manager as Recruitment commences/workforce change instructed and actioned HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 8
Log id: HR Only Workforce Business Case Please ensure that all sections are completed. PLEASE NOTE: The panel will only consider business cases which have been fully completed. So please ensure that this form is fully completed (including sign off) before sending it to H.R. Any forms not completed in full will be returned resulting in a delay to your request. Please send completed cases to: ccg.recruitment@nhs.net Post Job Title: Department/base Director Budget holder: Cost Centre: Request type please specify: (Tick that apply) recruit to new post recruit to existing post agency consultancy temporary up-grade job evaluation additional hours working Please specify hours increase in hours Please specify hours other Additional Information: (if replacing a leaver, please provide previous post holders name and leaving date, duration, pay band, pay point, salary, wte) Name and contact details of the person available to provide additional information (if required) Does the proposal increase or decrease current costs and by how much per annum? If an increase in costs is proposed what is the source of funding? HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 9
Please give a short business case setting out the rationale for the change If this business case is not approved, please describe how any gaps (and risks) will be mitigated Describe the alternative options that you have considered Budget Manager: (Electronic Signature) Date: Finance Approval (Electronic Signature) Date: HR recommendation Date: HR signature (name) (Electronic Signature) HR recommendation Date: HR signature (name) (Electronic Signature) HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 10
APPROVAL BY BCCG PANEL NOT APPROVED BY BCCG PANEL (Electronic Signature) (Electronic Signature) REASON IF NOT APPROVED DATE HR USE ONLY ACTION TAKEN: DATE: HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 11
Template 1: Mapping of Function (including Policies, Practices or Project) Name of Service Area/Department Human Resources Name of (Policy, Practice, Process or Project) Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Main purpose of the Service/Policy/Project The main purpose of this policy is to ensure the CCG applies the principle of fair pay for all employees, as enshrined in the NHS National Terms & Conditions of Employment. Based on equal pay for work of equal value criteria, and a consistent approach to determining starting salaries on appointment is applied across the organisation. Who is affected by it? All employees. Who benefits from this function, project, policy and how? All CCG staff will benefit from this policy as the policy provides clear guidance on determination of starting salaries to ensure fairness across the organisation. Is there any evidence that groups (including staff or service users) have different needs, experience and priorities in relations to this particular proposal? No HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 12
Is there any evidence that the policy/function/process could lead to any quantitative or qualitative difference in impact on certain groups? What impact will the service/policy have on the following groups? (Please complete as fully as possible) Equality Impacts Positive impact it could benefit Race Asian or Asian British Yes Black or Black British White (including Irish) Gypsies/travellers Negative impact it could disadvantage Gender Women Yes As above Men Yes As above Trans-gender Yes As above Age Children/young people Yes As above Older people Yes As above Disability Visually impaired Yes As above Hearing impairment Yes As above Physically disabled Yes As above Learning disability Yes As above Mental Health problem Yes As above Sexual Orientation Lesbians Yes As above Gay men Yes As above Bisexuals Yes As above Religion or belief Faith groups Yes As above Reasons/Comments This policy will ensure that the criteria for the starting salaries for all staff are based on evidence of NHS service, qualifications and relevant experience regardless of race, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation or philosophical belief. HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 13
Does the policy/function/project provide an opportunity to promote equality of opportunity and good relations more effectively? All Human Resources policies, practices and procedures are constantly checked against equality legislative requirements and best practices to ensure that no person is treated less favourably on the grounds of their race, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation or philosophical belief. Do you need any additional information to help you reach an informed decision? No Is the function/policy/procedure/project considered to be: High, Medium or X Low. In establishing the priority level, look for clues from existing data as to whether the policy or practice may be causing negative impact and should therefore need a full assessment to be carried out. HR37 Starting Salaries on Appointment Policy Page 14