Agenda item

Policy Section Number (new number)

Existing/New Section

Section Heading

Amendment/addition Notes

Recruitment and Selection Policy

9.2

Revised Existing

Disability Confident Scheme and Armed Forces Veteran

It was highlighted on consultation that the policy referred to the “Guaranteed Interview Scheme” rather than the Disability Confident Scheme (which was referenced elsewhere within the policy). This has been updated within the policy, but the major change is to remove the requirement for HR to attend these interviews. Line managers have had People Manager Essentials training, which was an extensive session on the recruitment and selection policy, and it is therefore considered unnecessary to include another member of staff to make disabled candidates feel more at ease. It is acknowledged that having more people in an interview could cause considerable pressure, and line managers should be equipped to conduct an interview alone, having prepared and understood any reasonable adjustments necessary ahead of time.

Domestic Abuse Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy re branded to new format.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the substantive provisions.

4-8

New

The domestic abuse policy has been revised significantly, but the policy itself doesn’t have a process to follow, but more so the commitments LCC makes to victims. Those commitments are captured in brand new clauses 4-8 which focus on the importance of confidentiality, an explanation of who can be affected by domestic violence and what it is, acknowledging that it can have an impact on the workplace, encouraging open conversations, and listing the specific support and adjustments which are on offer (including a new entitlement to 2 days paid leave).

9

New

Disciplinary action against perpetrators

The existing policy is silent on what (if any) action would be taken against the perpetrators of domestic abuse. The revised policy makes clear that any domestic abuse in the workplace will not be tolerated, and also captures the fact that LCC may consider taking disciplinary action if domestic abuse has taken place outside of the workplace, but which has an impact on someone’s role. Following consultation, we have specifically included that this might be where conduct could bring LCC into disrepute or where we have to balance our duty of care to another employee.

N/A

N/A

White Ribbon Ambassadors

We have a network of trained employees who are available to the victims of domestic abuse or their line managers who are equipped to have open conversations and provide the appropriate support. The revised policy signposts them as additional sources of support.

Parental Leave Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy introduced with branding to match new format.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the entitlements and procedure to be followed.

4

New

Entitlement

Reflects statutory scheme – eligible employees must have 1-year continuous service and have or expect to have parental responsibility for the child and be taking the time off to care for the child. They are entitled to 18 weeks leave per year unpaid and can take no more than 4 weeks in any one year.

5

New

Taking parental leave

In ordinary circumstances, no more than 4 weeks of leave can be taken in one year and must be taken in 1-week blocks, however for parents of disabled children, they can take their leave in less than 1 week blocks if necessary, but they are still subject to the same requirement to take no more than 4 weeks per year and no more than 18 weeks in total.

6

New

Our right to postpone

The statutory scheme acknowledges an employers right to delay/postpone parental leave, which would only be in cases of undue disruption, but our policy reflects the statutory regime that any postponement cannot be beyond 6 months. It should only be in exceptional circumstances that a request is postponed/delayed.

Special Leave Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy introduced with branding to match new format. The policy consolidates 4 existing policies and introduces the new statutory right to Carers Leave.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the procedure to be followed for each individual policy.

3.

New

Definitions

Following consultation, definition of Dependant has been clarified to include grandparents.

N/A

N/A

Following feedback from internal networks, it has been repeatedly fed back that employees would prefer not to have to telephone their line managers in emergency situations for a variety of reasons. In each of the policies where contact is necessary, any method of communication is now acceptable, but employees will be expected to accept a follow-up call from their line manager at an alternative time if the line manager contacts them. This concession is to acknowledge that not everybody communicates in the same ways and particularly in emergency situations it may be particularly distressing, whilst also highlighting the importance of LCC knowing where staff are and appropriately recording absences for pay reasons.

Emergency Dependants Leave

Simplified to not refer to annual leave at all (previously if there was outstanding annual leave there would be no paid entitlement) and to provide everybody regardless of length of service 2 paid days off to attend to dependant emergencies.

Carers Leave

The government recently introduced a new statutory right to Carers Leave. This is an entitlement to 1 working week of unpaid leave to deal with caring responsibilities. The LCC policy reflects the statutory offering in respect of entitlement and eligibility and notice requirements (i.e. For ½ or 1 day of leave, 3 days’ notice is required or for longer, then twice the amount of leave as notice) albeit we acknowledge within the policy that the notice provisions may not always be met given the emergency nature of care. Requests cannot be refused but they can be delayed in exceptional circumstances, and it would only ever be in truly exceptional circumstances that a request be delayed.

Unpaid Leave

The existing policy separated out Unpaid Leave into different categories according to the length requested and had different length of service requirements for each. The eligibility has been simplified so that all employees who have passed probation are entitled to make a request. For any requests less than 3 weeks this can be approved by the line manager, and for any requests 3-12 weeks, need to be approved by the Chief Officer. The request process is the same, and requests can be rejected for business reasons. Any Unpaid Leave which exceeds 12 weeks will be considered a career break.

Maternity Leave Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy introduced with branding to match new format.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the procedure to be followed.

7.1-7.2

Revised existing

Annual Leave

The existing policy provided a limit on holiday carryover to 5 days. This has been revised to remove this limit on carryover, to ensure that all outstanding leave can be carried forward, but to implement a time limit to book the leave i.e. any carried over leave must be pre-booked in the first 2 months after returning (but this can be booked for any time of the year). This was the intention from the outset but has been clarified to make that intention clear as a result of consultation.

Adoption Leave Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy introduced with branding to match new format.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the procedure to be followed.

7.1-7.2

Revised existing

Annual Leave

The existing policy provided a limit on holiday carryover to 5 days. This has been revised to remove this limit on carryover, to ensure that all outstanding leave can be carried forward, but to implement a time limit to book the leave i.e. any carried over leave must be pre-booked in the first 2 months after returning (but this can be booked for any time of the year). This was the intention from the outset but has been clarified to make that intention clear as a result of consultation.

Partner Leave Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy introduced with branding to match new format.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the procedure to be followed.

Name of Policy

Policy renamed to Partner Leave as a more inclusive name to acknowledge all genders who are partners to primary parents.

Entitlement

The existing policy was an enhancement beyond the statutory. All employees were entitled to 1 week full pay and leave regardless of length of service, but the second week was subject to statutory pay and eligibility for leave.

Now, the policy provides for 2 weeks enhanced pay and leave no matter the employees’ length of service, and therefore the provisions relating to eligibility have been removed.

There are new statutory regulations in relation to how leave can be taken and the notice requirements, so these have been updated within the policy i.e. leave can be taken in 2 1 week blocks and 4 weeks’ notice of each week must be given.

Shared Parental Leave Policy

N/A

N/A

Branding

Policy introduced with branding to match new format.

N/A

N/A

Generic Layout

Layout follows new format. Scope, Purpose, Roles & Responsibilities followed by the procedure to be followed.

7.1-7.2

Revised existing

Annual Leave

The existing policy provided a limit on holiday carryover to 5 days. This has been revised to remove this limit on carryover, to ensure that all outstanding leave can be carried forward, but to implement a time limit to book the leave i.e. any carried over leave must be pre-booked in the first 2 months after returning (but this can be booked for any time of the year). This was the intention from the outset but has been clarified to make that intention clear as a result of consultation.