EMPLOYEE SERVICES
The Council has issued its own Safety Policy, under the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974. This is set out in Appendix D1, copies of which have been distributed to all employees. Additional statements relating to the work of particular divisions or groups of workers will be issued as necessary.
13.2 OCCUPATION HEALTH SERVICE
The City Council has a contract with an occupational health service, staffed by qualified Occupational Health Advisers supported by sessional visits from a fully qualified and experienced Occupational Health Physicians. The Service is mainly concerned with ensuring that individuals are fit and healthy through pre-employment screening and referrals in line with the attendance management policy and through routine health surveillance where this is a requirement of the job. Managers make referrals to the service, as required, usually in conjunction with HR.
The Council takes seriously its duty to protect employees from verbal/physical abuse including harassment. It does this by:-
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requiring managers to carry out a risk assessment with employees who may be exposed to such abuse either in Council offices or otherwise acting on behalf of the Council.
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monitoring attacks on employees and supporting employees as appropriate, including reviewing risk assessments.
Details of how to do this are available in the Council's Statement of Safety Policy and Management Guidance Notes.
13.4 USE OF TAXIS
If employees have a fear of attack when out and about undertaking their duties, or when attending work at unsocial times of the day, they should discuss this with their supervisor. It may be possible for them to use their own vehicle, even though not an authorised car user, or a taxi, paid for by the Council. Each situation should be discussed in advance and a decision made on its merits.
13.5 INJURY BENEFITS
The Council has a scheme for the benefit of employees injured on duty. Full details are given in Appendix F1.
The Council has a scheme to compensate employees for loss arising from accidents, other than personal injuries, on duty. The details of the scheme are given in Appendix G1.
Women who are operating display screen equipment (DSE) may request that they be taken off them for the period of their pregnancy.
When an employee suspects that she is pregnant and does not wish to operate a DSE, she may inform her supervisor and request that she cease to operate a DSE. She should then seek confirmation as soon as is practicable from a medical practitioner and provide a certificate to her supervisor. If the pregnancy is not confirmed then she will return to her normal work.
During the period that she suspects that she is pregnant and, if confirmed, the period up to her commencing maternity leave, the employee will not be required to operate a DSE if she does not wish to. She will accept that, following consultation, she will be transferred to other duties either in her own section, in her own division or elsewhere in the Council. These will be of an acceptable level of responsibility in agreement with the employee. Other employees will be expected to co-operate in an exchange of duties and shall be involved in the consultation.
Up to the confirmation of pregnancy, the allocation of alternative duties will on an informal basis but, upon confirmation, the allocation of these or other duties will be reviewed and formalised through Human Resources who will assist as necessary.
13.8 DEATH IN SERVICES PAYMENT
In the event of death in service of an employee the Council makes a death in service payment equal to a contribution of their salary for a period of four weeks.
To qualify, employees must nominate the person who will be entitled to this payment and a substitute nominee. If no nominations are received, no payment will be made).
Employees should note that this payment is entirely separate to any payments that would be made in relation to employees entitlements from the pension fund which must be nominated separately to the County Pension Section.
13.9 LONG SERVICE AWARDS
The scheme rewards employees when they have been employed by the Council for 25 years, with a further gift on reaching 35 years service. In addition a small gift (to the value of £100) will be awarded on retirement.
With effect from 1st February 2006 employees will be rewarded as follows:
Long Service Awards
On reaching 25 years’ service £250*
On reaching 35 years’ service £400*
Plus small gift on retirement for those members of staff who have achieved at least 20 years service (to the value of £100).
The allowance may be in the form of a gift or cash but if Premium Bonds, National Saving Certificates or cash are chosen, it will become liable for tax and this will be deducted from salary in accordance with the normal PAYE procedure. The gift may be a single article or a complimentary set, but it is not the intention that balancing items should be purchased to make up the full sum.
An exception to the above is for employees who transferred from Leicestershire County Council on the 1st April 1997 as a result of Local Government Reorganisation who, have already received an award of £100 in recognition of 25 years service, will have this amount deducted from the value of long service award.
*These amounts are inclusive of VAT and therefore a tax invoice must be obtained so that the tax element may be reclaimed.
Only one tax-free long service award or similar is allowed every 10 years. Consequently during the transitional period between a former scheme and the current one, some employees may become entitled to the 35 year award less than 10 years from receiving their 25 year award. In this case, the income tax rules require that the second award is subject to tax. Additionally, the liability rule on the second award also applies where employees receive a retirement gift within 10 years of receiving a Long Service Award (retirement gifts being treated as long service awards for tax purposes).
Employees in the former situation, who wish to avoid paying tax, may choose to defer the second award wherever possible until 10 years has elapsed. Otherwise, and in the case of the retirement gift situation, the award must be paid through payroll to permit the deduction of income tax or the VAT and Taxation Advice Office consulted.
Protection Arrangements
It has been agreed that protection arrangements will be in place for 5 years and employees will continue to accrue length of service until retirement. Therefore employees who are within 5 years of retirement as at 1st February 2006 will be entitled to protection as necessary.
All employees who have achieved at least 25 years service with Leicester City Council will be entitled to receive an award on implementation. However, depending on their length of service at the time of retirement, employees may be entitled to receive a protected sum.
Please note that payments may be different if employees pass a threshold in the length of service level achieved at retirement.
For example 1
If on the 1st February 2006 an employee has achieved 20 years service they would not be entitled to receive any long service award under the new scheme.
If this employee retires before achieving 25 years service with Leicester City Council they will only be entitled to receive £227 on retirement (protection on old arrangements).
If this employee retires after achieving an extra 5 years service (thereby achieving a total of 25 years service with Leicester City Council) they will receive a long service gift of £250 for reaching 25 years service. They will also receive a retirement gift of £100. No protection will be required.
For example 2
If on the 1st February 2006 an employee has achieved 30 years service they would be entitled to receive a long service award under the new scheme of £250 (for achieving 25 years service).
If this employee retires before achieving 35 years service with Leicester City Council they will be entitled to receive a long service gift of £250 for reaching 25 years service. They will also receive a retirement gift of £144 rather than the £100 that is specified under the new arrangements. This is to compensate the employee who would have been able to achieve £394 under the old scheme rather than a total of £350 under the new scheme.
For example 3
If on the 1st February 2006 an employee has achieved 34 years service they would be entitled to receive a long service award under the new scheme of £250 (for achieving 25 years service).
If this employee retires before achieving 35 years service with Leicester City Council they will be entitled to receive a long service gift of £250 for reaching 25 years service. The employee will also receive a retirement gift of £144 rather than the £100 that is specified under the new arrangements as per example 2. However, if the employee achieves more than 35 years service before retirement they will receive the long service gift of £400 for achieving 35 years service plus £100 on retirement.
Click here to see the Protection Arrangements Matrix
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Last Updated: 15 December 2009 PAWS/SY
Updated: 28 April 1999
