Employment Policies

 

Core Flexible Working Arrangements

Definition of Terms in Use

 

The Council recognises the benefits to be gained by developing existing working arrangements and introducing new provisions under the auspices of a Work Life Balance Policy. This is about introducing flexible working practices so that all employees regardless of their age race or gender can find practical solutions that allow them to balance/combine their working life with other responsibilities.

 

Annualised Hours

 

Annualised hours is defined as a system where the number of hours worked on an annual basis is configured to meet service imperatives taking account of seasonal factors e.g. longer working days in summer and shorter working days in winter.

 

Compressed Working Hours 

 

Compressed working hours is defined as full time working hours being worked over fewer days e.g. 4 on 4 off or 9 day fortnight.

 

Home/Teleworking 

 

Home/teleworking is defined as time spent working outwith the office environment.  Employees workplace could therefore be their home or one or more locations owned by GCC. This arrangement could be for all or part of the week and normally involves communication resources and Information Technology to facilitate communication with colleagues.

 

Flexible Working 

 

Flexible working hours allows employees to arrange their working hours  within a broad time span.  Certain hours are designated core hours when attendance is necessary, outwith the core hours there is flexibility to organise attendance subject to the exigencies of the service and cover requirements.

 

Job Sharing 

 

Job sharing is defined as the voluntary sharing by two persons of all the duties of an established post with the salary and appropriate conditions of service shared on a pro-rata basis.  The arrangement normally involves an equal split of the post and is only appropriate where there is a Service need for duties to be shared.  If the work of the post is carried out by two or more individuals working autonomously then the Reduced Hours/Part Time Working provisions should be utilised.

 

Reduced Hours/Part Time Working 

 

Part time working is defined as any situation where an employee works less hours than a standard working week.

 

Shift Working 

 

Shift working is defined as an employee who works on:-

  • rotating shifts in immediate succession covering 24 hours.
  • alternating shifts covering a period of more than 11 hours.
  • other patterns which are neither rotating or alternating and vary according to a pre-determined roster.

 

Term Time working 

 

Term time working is defined as employees working on a full or part time basis during the education school terms.

 

Time Off In Lieu Arrangements 

 

Time of in lieu (TOIL) is defined as time off granted with pay to compensate for additional hours worked outwith standard working hours or flexible working hours bandwidths.

 

The Council must ensure that the advantages of providing flexible working arrangements are balanced against the needs of the Service and best value. It will be for Heads of Service to determine and assess those arrangements that are or may/may not be suitable for the various categories within their service.

 

Back to Vacancies