Supporting worklife balance: NHSScotland PIN policy

Annex C: Model Job-share Policy

1 Introduction

This organisation is committed to equal opportunities and the promotion of flexible, employee-friendly working practices for all members of staff. By implementing this job share policy, the organisation aims to create an environment which will allow all employees to utilise their skills, talents and experience and thereby allow it to both recruit and retain a well-motivated and committed workforce.

Job sharing represents an opportunity for staff to work an alternative work pattern hours while maintaining their career prospects and personal development.

Job share is designed to increase the variety and seniority of work available to those not seeking full-time employment, without reducing the number of full-time jobs in the organisational structure. It is intended to:

• Increase the pool of labour from which the organisation can draw staff;
• Increase employment opportunities for people committed to caring for children, partners, or other relatives;
• Make it easier for employees returning from maternity leave to cope with career and family, thus retaining the benefits of their skills and experience;
• Enable existing employees to reduce working hours (e.g. for personal/domestic reasons; as a pre-retirement option, etc.);
• Improve possibilities of career development for people who do not work full-time;
• Allow employees to broaden their experience and increase job satisfaction by undertaking a wider range of responsibilities at work; and
• Allow employees to pursue outside interests.

2 How Job Share Might Arise

Job sharing can be introduced into a post in a number of ways:

• An existing employee formally applying to management for a job share arrangement to be agreed in respect of the post they currently hold;
• An internal application being made by one member of staff to share a post;
• A joint internal application being made by two or more existing employees as a unit to share a post;
• An external application being made by a candidate to job share a post; and
• Two or more separate applications being made, whether internal or external, which can be matched together to form a job share unit.

3 General Principles

3.1 Eligibility

The opportunity to request a job share is open to all members of staff, as well as to prospective members of staff, irrespective of the grade or level of the post.

3.2 Sharing of Duties

The sharing of the duties and responsibilities of a post may take several forms. The aim in all cases is to ensure the most efficient means of operation. Division may be into projects, tasks, clients or merely time, as the case may be.

Great care should be taken not to confuse working arrangements with the job description. Although the duties may be divided, the overall responsibility must be shared. One partner should not be able to monopolise the most prestigious areas of work.

The partners should always be in a position to demonstrate that at some time each had fulfilled the duties and responsibilities of the whole post.

Hours should be organised to suit both the service and the employees. However, it is understood that the hours/days/weeks agreed with either job sharer should always be such that should a part vacancy occur, the working arrangement to be advertised will form a sufficiently viable package to attract new applicants.

4 Terms and Conditions

The general spirit and intention of the scheme is that all terms and conditions of service should be applicable to job sharers on a pro-rata basis.

4.1 Contract of employment

Each partner to a job share will hold an individual contract of employment. The post holder's job title will be that given to the established post with the endorsement "(job share)" - for example: "Medical Secretary (job share)".

The hours to be worked will be individually stated for each partner to the job share.

4.2 Rate of Pay

Pay rate will be pro-rata to the salary grade for the number of hours worked. Commencing salary and increments will be determined in accordance with NHS terms and conditions.

4.3 Annual Leave

The standard annual leave entitlement under NHS terms and conditions of service will apply pro-rata to the number of hours/days worked.

4.4 Public and Extra Statutory Holidays

Public and statutory holidays will be agreed between the job share partners and their line manager to ensure that a pro-rata division is maintained and legislative entitlements honoured.

4.5 Sick Pay

Job sharers shall have applied to them the provisions of the appropriate NHS terms and conditions of service pro-rata to the number of hours worked.

4.6 Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Parental Leave

Job sharers shall be entitled to the appropriate NHS terms and conditions relating to maternity, paternity, adoption and parental leave. Payment will be applied on a pro-rata basis.

4.7 Changeover/Overlap Arrangements

Where continuity is regarded as an essential requirement of the job share, such arrangements must be achieved within the normal established total hours, subject to management discretion.

4.8 Travel Allowances

Entitlement to travel allowances will be determined according to the nature of the post.

4.9 Car Leasing

Individual job sharers who are eligible can apply for a car under the organisation's leasing scheme.

4.10 Superannuation

All job sharers will be able to join the NHS Superannuation Scheme. However, because job sharers are on reduced pay this also means that they will pay less into the fund and in turn will get lower pension benefits for the period of the job share. Job sharers should consult the Scottish Public Pensions Agency to discuss their particular circumstances.

4.11 Overtime

Overtime approved by the manager, will be payable if an individual job sharer works more than the full time hours per week for the post. This will be paid and agreed in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of employment.

4.12 Training

Job sharers shall have access to training opportunities on the same basis as all part-time and full-time employees with respect to day release qualification courses.

In respect of work-related training courses, job sharers will be paid only where attendance coincides with their normal working hours. However, where training takes place on a day when a sharer does not normally work they should be allowed time off in lieu.

4.13 Notice Periods

Normal notice periods will apply.

5 Selection Procedure

Where a job share request is approved, in principle the post holder will continue in their current contracted hours until a job share partner is found. If a job share appointment to the "part" vacancy cannot be made within three months from the day of the first advertisement, the post holder will remain in their current contracted hours and the job share cannot be progressed.

Where a job share is not approved an individual should be encouraged to meet their manager to discuss other possible alternatives. Where a job share is approved, it will be the responsibility of those involved in the selection process to ensure that the skills and the experience of the prospective job sharers are sufficient to undertake the full duties of the post, as detailed in the person specification.

Each job share applicant will be required to complete an application form for the post and each shortlisted candidate will be interviewed separately in accordance with normal recruitment practice.

Job sharers shall be treated in the same way as other part-time or full-time employees in relation to promotional opportunities.

6 Termination/Resignation

In the event of the resignation of one job share partner, the vacancy shall not be advertised until the remaining sharers have been offered the opportunity to take up the remaining hours. If the individual is unable to take up these hours, the hours will be advertised. If the job share appointment cannot be made within three months of advertising, the job share cannot be maintained. Under these circumstances, full consultation will take place with the job sharer and his/her Trade Union/or Professional Organisation representative and attempts would be made to redeploy the remaining job sharer into another suitable post where appropriate and in line with the local redeployment policy.

7 Working Arrangements

There are various ways in which the working week may be divided for job sharers. Possible options include working on a half day basis, a half weekly basis or alternating days. Working hours must be agreed by both job sharers and line management. In normal circumstances job sharers will not be required to cover their partner's absences, though they may opt to do so in specific instances.

The working patterns of job sharers shall not be altered without full consultation and after attempts have been made to reach agreement.

8 Individual Responsibility

Each job sharer is responsible individually for the satisfactory performance of his/her own duties. They are not responsible for their partner's conduct and capability and, for the purposes of the disciplinary and grievance procedures, job sharers will be treated individually.

9 Monitoring, Review and Evaluation

This policy will be monitored, reviewed and evaluated every two years by the Area Partnership Forum or equivalent, taking into consideration legislative changes and developments in good practice to ensure it meets the needs of all employees.