Job Sharing Scheme

2. Job sharing exists when two people share the hours, duties and responsibilities of one full-time post. It is distinguished from most part-time work by the deliberate division of duties that would normally be the responsibilities of one full-time employee.

3. By providing the choice for the majority of jobs to be done by one person full-time or two people sharing the hours, the Authority promotes equal opportunities in its widest sense. Job sharing has the potential to improve women's job opportunities, particularly for those who have been out of the labour market for a number of years. It also enables both men and women with family commitments to continue working at their original level of skill and status, their pay pro rata to the hours worked.

4. The Job Sharing Scheme is available to all employees of the Authority and the majority of people who work for the Authority will be eligible to be considered for job sharing. Exceptions to this will be those who want free time to take up other employment that may: (a) Involve breaches of the employment contract; (b) Give reasonable cause to suspect conflicts of interests (including financial) which would damage the Authority.

5. All posts will be open to an application for job sharing though some restrictions will exist, for example: (a) Some trainee positions involving course attendance (see the section on Training and Promotion). (b) Positions where sharing would create additional costs e.g. residential positions providing accommodation; increased operational costs, etc. (c) Where consistency of care is a fundamental factor.

6. Opportunities to share part-time posts may be restricted by the number of hours to be worked and jobs of less than, for example, 15 hours may, in practice, be difficult to share between two individuals. Such applications, however, will be given the same consideration as applications to share full-time posts and the same principles will apply.

7. The decision to implement job sharing in respect of any particular post will rest with the Assistant Director. If in exceptional circumstances the Assistant Director believes job sharing cannot operate, the matter should, if appropriate, be discussed with the departmental Trade Union representatives and, in all cases, be referred to the Head of HR and Workforce.

8. If following the referral, it is the Assistant Director's decision that the requirements, specific details of the individual applicant or their personal circumstances will not be required but the reason for requesting job sharing, if known, should be stated.

9. This information will be retained for monitoring purposes only and will not be used to make decisions on future job share applications.

10. Each application will be considered on its own merits and it will be recognised that circumstances may vary, for example, between one office and another and change with time.

11. Existing employees can apply to share their own job i.e. reduce their own hours making room for a partner who must be recruited. It is also possible for two employees to apply as partners to share one job, leaving one full job vacant. In both cases the application procedure will be the same.

12. Applications should be made in writing to the Assistant Director concerned, via the employee's line manager on the appropriate form (Appendix 1).

13. The line manager must arrange a meeting to consider the request and the meeting must take place within 28 days of receipt of the written request (Appendix 2). The line manager will be advised by a representative from the Corporate HR Department. (The time limits will be automatically extended where the manager who would ordinarily consider the application is absent because of annual leave or sickness absence. The 28 day period begins when the appropriate manager returns to work or 28 days after the application is made, whichever is the sooner. Therefore, in the case of long term sickness absence the application would need to be actioned by another appropriate officer).

14. The purpose of the meeting will be to explore in detail the request and how the proposed working arrangements may be accommodated. If it is considered that the proposals are not practicable alternative arrangements can be explored.

15. In considering job share applications Assistant Directors are recommended to be mindful of the following points: post cannot be shared, the Assistant Director will inform the Head of HR and Workforce of the reason, in writing. Information supplied will be related to the duties of the post and the operational

• the operational requirements of the post
• specific duties of post
• degrees of continuity required, particularly in relation to judgement and decision making
• impact on client group
• ability to share or divide aspects of the job e.g. caseloads
• requirement to staff public counters during opening hours
• administrative arrangements to facilitate the sharing
• "overlap" time or alternative methods of communication
• domestic circumstances of the applicant e.g. new mother

16. A positive attitude should be taken to applications, negative assumptions should be avoided and the ability of the applicant to make a success of a job share arrangement should not be underestimated.

17. The above points should be borne in mind and will be of particular importance if a job share application is refused.

18. Within 14 days of the meeting the line manager must provide the employee with a detailed written response either;

• accepting the request and establishing a start date;
• confirming any alternative working arrangements discussed or any compromise situation agreed at the meeting;
• providing detailed reasons for the rejection of the request which must be covered by one of the specified 'business grounds' namely;
• the burden of additional costs;
• detrimental effect on the ability to meet customer demand;
• inability to re-organise work among existing staff;
• inability to recruit additional staff;
• detrimental impact on quality or performance;
• insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work;
• planned structural changes

19. In some circumstances the line manager may need an extended period of time to adequately consider the request and assess the possibility of re-organising working arrangements. Where it is considered that an extended time period will be required this should be agreed at the meeting and confirmed in writing to the employee, e.g. attempts to recruit additional staff would obviously need an extension to the 14 day timescale. However, a written response can be provided, within the 14 day timescale, advising of the arrangements which will be put in place to try and address the situation.

20. If the employee is not satisfied with the written explanation and is not satisfied that the business grounds apply to their case then the employee has the right of appeal against the line managers decision.

21. An appeal must be submitted to the Assistant Director within 14 days of receipt of the written decision unless the line manager is the Assistant Director when an appeal must be submitted to an alternative Senior Officer (an alternative Assistant Director or Director) (Appendix 3).

22. An appeal hearing will be arranged and the meeting will take place within 14 days of receipt of the appeal submission. Where this timescale cannot be met all parties must be advised.

23. The Assistant Director/Senior Officer will be advised at the appeal hearing by a member of the Corporate HR Department.

24. Prior to the appeal hearing the Assistant Director/Senior Officer will be provided with a copy of the original request and the line managers written response.

25. At the appeal hearing the employee will outline his/her grounds of appeal and highlight why he/she feels the manager's "business grounds" for refusing the request are flawed. The manager will outline the reasons for his/her decision.

26. The Assistant Director/Senior Officer will consider the case and confirm his/her decision in writing. The Assistant Director/Senior Officer may:

• uphold the manager's decision;
• make proposals/recommendations and refer the matter back to the line manager/employee for further consideration;
• reject the manager's decision and uphold the request;

27. No further right of internal appeal exists.

28. If the application is agreed, such agreement may need to be conditional on a suitable job share partner being found.

29. Care will need to be taken when considering applications for "uneven" job shares and attempting to meet an existing employees requirements. The hours and duties of the remaining job will need to be attractive to prospective applicants or difficulties may be experienced in recruiting a partner.

28. The start date will be dependant on various factors as follows:

• If the job share consists of one person leaving half the job vacant or two partners leaving a whole post vacant;
• The hours and work pattern;
• The operational requirements of the Section and Department;
• The employee's domestic circumstances;
• Anticipated period of recruitment.

These will need to be fully discussed with the employee(s) and a mutually convenient date agreed.

30. Advertisements should include the statement "This post is open to Job Sharing" and advertisements for job share partners (i.e. half a post) should be carefully worded to reflect any arrangements that have been made with an existing employee.

31. Recruitment information sent to applicants should include appropriate details of the Job Sharing Scheme and employees nominated to handle recruitment should be prepared to deal with more specific or detailed enquiries.

32. Applications from potential job shares will be considered entirely on their merits alongside those from "full-time" candidates. It is not necessary for those applying for appointment on a job share basis to do so in conjunction with a possible partner. Joint applications will, however, be considered.

33. Applicants requesting job sharing, who are shortlisted, should be interviewed individually to assess their ability to do the job even where a joint application is made. Joint applications who appear suitable may, however, be seen together once the initial interviews have been held.

34. A meeting with the job sharing partners should be arranged prior to their start date in order that details of the working arrangements may be discussed. The arrangements made with any existing employee should be taken into account during the discussion.

35. Job sharers will be appointed on individual contracts in accordance with employment law.

36. The Establishment Control Team in the Corporate HR Department should be informed that the post will be filled on a job share basis. Information on the system will be amended and downloaded to departments. The employee details will then need to be amended by the employing department and the Appointment Form and Statement of Particulars reflecting the job share arrangements will be issued by Transactional HR.

37. The Statement of Particulars and Appointment Form should be issued to employees on or before the first day of their employment.

38. Letters of appointment should include the specific details of the Job Share arrangement.

39. Conditions of Employment information necessary for the completion of these forms is detailed in paragraph 35-46 of this document.

40. Duties of the post will be stated in a job description in the agreed format with an addendum stating any special requirements as a result of the job sharing arrangements. The job description should be issued to the employee(s) before duties commence.

Working Arrangements  

41. The alternative patterns normally worked by job shares are:

Job Share arrangements do not always require a 50/50 split and other patterns of work will be given equal consideration.

42. The Department and the Job Sharer must reach an agreement before the job share starts, about the working pattern and the degree of flexibility that can be built into the Scheme. For example:- If it is impossible for an afternoon sharer to start work earlier than 2.00 p.m. this should be stated at the outset.

43. In some jobs good communication between partners is important particularly when continuity of service or advice is essential. The use of a message or day book, dictating machine or bring forward facility on a computer (if available) should be explored as possible alternatives to an overlap in time.

44.  If a job sharer is without a partner as a result of resignation or promotion. Permanent replacement arrangements should be made to fill the post as soon as possible. These should be in the form of: (a) offering the post on a full-time basis to the remaining sharer; then if not accepted (b) advertising for a suitable partner having regard to the working arrangements of the person in post. If a job sharer is temporarily without a partner because of sickness, maternity leave etc., he/she should be given the opportunity of working full-time for the period in question. If this is not acceptable normal cover arrangements will apply.

Hours

45. The combined hours worked by both sharers must not exceed the total number of hours worked in the full-time job. In situations where flexi-time operates this should be applied, wherever possible, to job sharers. Where amendments to the flexi-time system have been made to accommodate the requirement to cover public counters, this requirement should be met by all appropriate members of staff, not exclusively by job sharers.

Pay

46. This will be pro rata to grade for the post and number of hours worked, based on National Conditions of Service. Job sharers may be on different salary points within the scale or grade of the post according to qualifications, experience or length of service. Normal incremental progression shall apply.

Overtime

47. Job sharers will not be asked to work additional hours other than in exceptional circumstances, e.g. the provision of cover for absence of the Job Share partner. Any additional hours worked will be paid at plain time. Overtime rates will not be payable unless a Job Sharer exceeds the hours per week of a full time officer.

Length of Service

48. For the purpose of assessing eligibility for increase in annual leave, sickness leave etc., service is not considered to be pro rata e.g. an employee commencing service in 1990 will be deemed to have five years service in 1995.

Sick

49. The NJC for Local Government Services and local agreement will apply, based on earnings which are pro rata to the hours worked.

Annual Leave

50. NJC and Sefton's Local Conditions of Service will apply, pro rata to the hours worked. Existing employees with a protected leave entitlement shall retain that entitlement pro rata to the hours worked.

Calculation of annual leave entitlement is simple if the job share arrangement is a straight division of the hours but becomes more complicated with an uneven division. To calculate leave entitlement the following approach should be adopted.

The two extra statutory days should be added to the leave entitlement at the beginning of the calculation and leave should be calculated in hours.

The following formulas will enable the leave entitlement for all job share arrangements to be calculated.

Actual hours worked ÷ full-time hours = pro rata figure
Pro rata figure x full-time leave entitlement = actual leave entitlement

Calculations should be rounded up to the nearest half hour. Calculating leave in terms of hours provides more flexibility for both the department and employees concerned, however, leave should not be taken in blocks of less than half a day until less than that amount is remaining, or in exceptional circumstances.

Bank Holidays

51. All bank holidays should be divided between sharers, pro rata to the hours worked. Arrangements for the division should be made well in advance and mutually agreed. See examples at Appendix 4.

Maternity Leave/Pay

52. NJC for Local Government Services and local agreements will apply to leave and to payments pro rata to hours worked.   

Female employees who wish to return to work on a job share basis, after maternity leave should apply three months prior to their return to work. This should be made clear to the employee before she commences maternity leave. Information on job sharing and other flexible working arrangements is contained in the Maternity Booklet issued to all pregnant women employees. (The booklet is also available on the Intranet.)

The requirement to return for a period of three months to retain maternity pay applies equally to women returning from maternity leave on a job share basis and will commence at the date of return.

Special/Compassionate Leave

53. Sefton Local Conditions of Service will apply to job sharers requesting special or compassionate leave.

Superannuation

54. All employees regardless of their hours of work are automatically eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme.

The calculation for retirement benefits is the same for full-time and part-time members. However, if the implications for a full time employee securing a job share arrangement (or any part-time work) will be that the pay used in the calculation is not the actual pay but the whole time equivalent and part-time membership is reduced accordingly, e.g.: 

Miss Jones retires at age 65 with 10 years service at whole time (37 hours per week) and 10 years service at 10 hours per week. Membership calculation would be as follows:

10 years: whole time = 10 years reckonable service
10 years @: 10 hpw = 2 years 256 days
37 hpw   
TOTAL 12 years 256 days 

The Pensions Section of the Finance Department can provide further advice on any query regarding how a reduction in work hours will affect future pension entitlements.

Periods of Notice

55. The period of notice to terminate the contract of employment will not be pro rata to hours worked but based on National or Local Conditions of Service for the full-time post.

Car Allowances

56. Entitlement to Essential or Casual User car allowance will be determined by the nature of the post. If a Casual user allowance is allocated it will apply to part time employees in full on the same basis as full time employees.

If Essential user is allocated to the post both sharers will receive a lump sum.

Interview Expenses

These will be paid in full, individually to both sharers.

Removal Expenses

The Aid to Recruitment Scheme will be applied in full, individually to job share employees provided they meet the requirements.

57. Matters of grievance and discipline will be handled through the Authority's Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures.

58. In all cases of grievance, discipline and in assessment of an employee's performance, any job sharer will be treated as an individual responsible for their own allocation of work, not the work of their partner.

59. The long-term benefits of training to the individual, the department and the Authority should be considered at all times and balanced with the operational requirements of the department. Job sharers will have the same
access to training facilities as full-time employees. All applications for training, either in-house or external should be fully considered and every effort should be made to grant them.

60. Course fees etc., where approved, will be paid in full. Day-release and study leave will be granted on a pro rata basis where appropriate. If the day-release falls on a working day the employee will repay half the time. If the day-release falls on the employees day off they will be reimbursed half the time.

61. If job sharers applications for training are likely to cause operational difficulties, mutual agreements should
be made. For example, one sharer attends a day release course this year and only essential internal courses. The second sharer attends suitable internal courses this year and has the opportunity for a day-release facility in the future.

62. Some trainee positions involving course attendance as stated in paragraph 5 may make job sharing impossible to operate. For example, positions requiring block release or sandwich courses.

Job sharers wishing to attend courses in their own time should be given encouragement and support to do so.

63. Job sharers may apply for promotion either individually or as a unit.  Applications will be considered individually on their own merit and offers of appointment can apply to an individual or partnership.

64. Job sharers must be aware that, if a redundancy situation arises, a reduction in hours will significantly affect their redundancy payment.

65. Details of the Job Sharing Scheme should be made available to all existing and prospective employees.

66. HR staff, those nominated to handle vacancies and other appropriate staff should ensure they are aware of the details of the Scheme.

67. The operation of this procedure is subject to review by the Head of HR and Workforce, which may result in changes, subject to consultation with the Trade Unions and to approval by the Council.