Catering and FM Updates 2022

December

Thursday 15 December

Christmas Message

Message from Stephen Sawers, Head of Catering and Facilities Management.

Wednesday 7 December

Royal Mail Strike Action - impact on delivery of December payslips

Colleagues

As you may be aware, the Royal Mail have announced further strikes are scheduled to take place on Friday 9, Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 December and this will result in a delay of payslips being delivered to home addresses for the Tuesday 13 December pay day - meaning paper payslips will not be delivered as usual on Saturday due to this strike action.

We can only apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and unfortunately this is out with the council's control.

If you have any questions about this, please contact your manager.

CFM Senior Management Team

Monday 5 December

Reminder of the Pay Award 2022 to 2023: Universal Credit and Annual leave

The 2022 to 2023 local government pay award was agreed in October and a reminder of the full award is detailed in this communication:

• you will receive the first payment in respect of this pay award, which will include backdated pay, in the December salary, paid on 13 December.
• the pay award including any flat rate is calculated based on work patterns and will be proportioned accordingly (pro rata) for part-time employees.
• if you are in receipt of Universal Credit you should be aware that this backdated pay could affect payments and more information can be found below.

Understanding your payslip:  you can find useful information about this here 

Please read this carefully - so that you understand how this may impact you and your payments.

1.  Local Government Pay Award for 2022 to 2023

The Local Government pay award covers the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and sees:

• An increase to the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate to £10.85 per hour*.
• For those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage and SCP (Spinal Column Points) 19-24 a £2,000 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week).
• A cap on the uplift for those currently earning £60,000 or more at a £3000 uplift (based on a 37-hour week).
• At remaining SCP an undifferentiated 5% or a £1,925 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week), whichever is larger.
• An uplift to the Non Standard Working Hours/Points( NSWH/P) and Work Context and Demands (WCD) of 5%, effective from 1st April 2022.

2. Backdated pay and Universal Credit

If you receive Universal Credit the amount you get changes if your take-home pay changes. This includes awards of backdated pay.

If you get additional pay within a Universal Credit assessment period (month), your Universal Credit payment will either be less than you normally receive, or your income may be too high to qualify for a payment.

Universal Credit is calculated on your personal circumstances. Because of this we, as your employer, do not know how, or if, you may be affected.

The backdated payment may mean you will either receive less Universal Credit than normal, or you may even earn too much to qualify, and your Universal Credit claim will close.

If your claim closes, you will see a message on your UC Journal telling you about this.

Will my Universal Credit payments start again automatically?

• No. If Universal Credit payments stop because you have had additional pay, you must start up your claim again.
• You should do this as soon as you can to make sure you do not miss out.

How do I reclaim Universal Credit?

• Log into your Universal Credit journal and select the "Reclaim" tab. You will find this at the bottom of the screen. This will take you to a new screen where you will be asked to answer a few simple questions. If you have any problems doing this, contact your Work Coach or visit your local Jobcentre Plus. 
• You can access your Universal Credit Journal at www.gov.uk/sign-in-universal-credit

If you need independent advice?

• You can get independent help and advice about Universal Credit from Advice First on freephone 0800 328 5644.
• You can also visit www.gov.uk/universalcredit
• If you need to chat in confidence about any financial issues you may be experiencing you can also contact Workplace Options, our Employee Assistance Provider. They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on freephone 0800 247 1100 or email assistance@workplaceoptions.com     
• Further financial information and support including grants, benefits and advice is available from the Scottish Government cost of living support website at https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/

3. Additional day of annual leave

The additional day of annual leave (pro-rated for part-time) has been added to the leave entitlement for all staff as a permanent change to terms and conditions.

Given that agreement has been reached near the end of the 2022 leave year, staff can, if required, carry forward the day's leave for 2022 into 2023 and use this by 31 March 2023. 

The additional day's Leave for 2022 should be arranged with line managers as it is a manual process and not included in MyPortal or other systems.

If you work term-time

To provide term-time staff with some flexibility, we have agreed with our trade unions that for 2022 and 2023 staff will be able to use their one day's additional leave (pro rata for part time employees) at a time they choose within the term, in line within operational requirements.  This will be managed locally and further principles on this will be issued.

The additional day in 2022 should also be taken by 31 March 2023 and for 2023 this day should be taken by 31 Dec 2023.

We will review how this operates and assess any impacts with a view to confirming in late 2023 whether we can continue with this approach from 2024.

Thursday 1 December

Leaver's Process: Important information about what happens when you leave council employment or move to work in another Service area of the council family

Our Leaver's process has been recently updated, it is important to us that we gather useful information about why our employees leave their jobs with us - this is called Exit Monitoring.

Categories of staff to be included in the leavers process include:

Although we will usually know why some staff leave the council, it is important to get feedback from all leaver's, so our Exit Monitoring process now also includes the following categories of staff: 

• Fixed Term or Temporary contracts
• Early Retirement/Voluntary Redundancy
• Casual workers
• Students on long term placement (over six weeks)
• Modern Apprentices.  

The feedback we get from leaver's is important so that we know if there is anything we could do differently or have done well.  Learning more about this is vital, particularly to understand some of the recruitment challenges we are currently facing and how people feel about their experience of working with us.  Your support with this process is greatly appreciated - helping us to better understand our workforce and why people leave.

In Catering and FM Exit Interviews will be carried out by the Area Operations Manager or their depute, the Assistant Area Operations Manager. 

Below you can find a summary of all the key steps that need to be followed to complete the Exit Monitoring process.

1. Your manager will invite you to attend an exit interview and they will also provide you with a Leaver's Questionnaire to complete - when you move to another Service area or if you are leaving the employment of the council completely.
2. Any information you provide in this questionnaire will be treated in strictest confidence and will not be used for any other purpose.
3. You should complete theLeaver's Questionnaire -if you require support to complete this please speak to your manager.   
4. Your manager will give you time during working hours to complete the form - this should take no more than 20 minutes.
5. Your manager will discuss this questionnaire with you at your exit interview.  However, if you prefer you can send it in a pre-paid envelope to the address below. 
6. Your help with this is really appreciated - this information is important so we can understand why people leave CFM and help us to gather ideas on how we can improve our working environment and arrangements.

Glasgow City Council
Financial Services
Administration Team - Catering and Facilities Management
First Floor - Rowan Park Business Centre
23 Ardlaw Street
G51 3RR

November

Tuesday 29 November 

Opportunity for you to chat to a mental health professional - at a Virtual Appointment Day

If something is playing on your mind at work, spaces are available to talk to a mental health professional from Able Future, in complete confidence, at the next virtual appointment day on Friday 9 December, from 7am to 5pm.

Your call is confidential

On the virtual appointment day, a member of 'The Better Health Generation Team' from Able Futures will phone you, at your chosen time, to discuss how they can support you.

During your call you can have a confidential chat about whatever it is that is playing on your mind whilst at work. Able Futures will discuss the support available to you and if you decide to access this, they will be able to take your details whilst on the call and help you start your journey to mental wellbeing, at your own pace.

This service is fully confidential, and the council will not be made aware of any personal appointments or bookings.

How to book

You can book your timeslot at https://calendly.com/lisa-woodward-1/appointment-booking-mental-health-support-gcc-9th

The call will take up to 30 minutes and you will need the following information to register for the phone call:

• National insurance number
• Email address
• Start date of current employment.

Support is available now

You don't have to wait until the appointment day, you can apply through the Able Futures website at any time for support. This confidential service is quick and easy to access:

• Freephone 0800 321 3137 for a chat to determine the right support for you, lines are open 8am to 10.30pm, Monday to Friday
• Apply online at https://able-futures.co.uk/mental-health-support-for-individuals/apply-for-able-futures

If you need a private safe space to talk to Able Futures or need flexibility to balance this with work and personal commitments, then you should talk to your manager to discuss how this can be accommodated.

Visit our health and wellbeing support

For more information go to Workforce Wellbeing Support

Monday 28 November 

Change to December date for submitting overtime forms for additional hours

Your January 2023 pay is due on 10 January.

Due to the reduced number of days over the Christmas and New Year period to process the January pay - the deadlines for submitting information/changes to CBS, to be uploaded to the system in time for this pay, have been updated.

Please be aware the cut-off dates for submitting forms for additional hours to your Area Manager in December have changed. 

Change to December deadline dates

• The deadline datefor giving your overtime claim sheet to your Area Manager is now Wednesday 7 December 2022.
• The deadline date for Area Managers tosubmit the information to CBS is before 5pm on Monday 12 December 2022.

It is important these forms are submitted on or before the deadline dates detailed and completed correctly with all the relevant information to ensure there are no delays in you receiving payment for additional hours.

Payroll deadline dates for submitting overtime claim forms 2022/2023

Tuesday 15 November

Opportunity for you to chat to a mental health professional - at a Virtual Appointment Day

If something is playing on your mind at work, spaces are available to talk to a mental health professional from Able Future, in complete confidence, at the next virtual appointment day on Friday 9 December, from 7am to 5pm.

Your call is confidential

On the virtual appointment day, a member of 'The Better Health Generation Team' from Able Futures will phone you, at your chosen time, to discuss how they can support you.

During your call you can have a confidential chat about whatever it is that is playing on your mind whilst at work. Able Futures will discuss the support available to you and if you decide to access this, they will be able to take your details whilst on the call and help you start your journey to mental wellbeing, at your own pace.

This service is fully confidential, and the council will not be made aware of any personal appointments or bookings.

How to book

You can book your timeslot at https://calendly.com/lisa-woodward-1/appointment-booking-mental-health-support-gcc-9th

The call will take up to 30 minutes and you will need the following information to register for the phone call:

• National insurance number
• Email address
• Start date of current employment.

Support is available now

You don't have to wait until the appointment day, you can apply through the Able Futures website at any time for support. This confidential service is quick and easy to access:

• Freephone 0800 321 3137 for a chat to determine the right support for you, lines are open 8am to 10.30pm, Monday to Friday
• Apply online at https://able-futures.co.uk/mental-health-support-for-individuals/apply-for-able-futures

If you need a private safe space to talk to Able Futures or need flexibility to balance this with work and personal commitments, then you should talk to your manager to discuss how this can be accommodated.

Visit our health and wellbeing support

For more information go to Workforce Wellbeing Support

Friday 11 November 

Equal Pay Update

We are committed to keeping you updated about all matters relating to equal pay and pay and grading, this update provides you with the latest information.

On 28 September, we updated you on the financial strategy aimed at securing funds to allow us to settle outstanding equal pay claims. The City Administration Committee approved that strategy, and we anticipate that we will be able to finalise the funding agreement towards the end of this month.

Whilst Senior Officers have worked to finalise the funding, our negotiating team has continued to engage with representatives of the Trade Union backed claimants and those of Action 4 Equality Scotland.

Following a period of intense negotiations, we are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with this main claimant group. That agreement ends the current equal pay dispute with the Trade Unions, and paves the way for the final settlement of claims and an end to the long-running equal pay litigation against the council.

The terms of the agreement in principle remain confidential as all sides work on agreeing the details that will allow individual offers to be determined. Negotiators will now continue their work to finalise the terms of individual settlement offers, including how and when payments will be made. These are complicated issues and will still require significant work. All sides are however committed to progressing these as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Payments will now be made to around 19000 claimants - current and former employees - to cover the "gap period" between the first agreement in 2018 and the implementation of the new pay and grading system.

This agreement means the total cost of compensating staff involved in equal pay claims will be around £770 million. This has been predominantly funded by two rounds of sale and leaseback involving a range of council buildings including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the City Chambers with lease periods up to 30 years.

We will update you in future on the likely timeline to process offers and payment to claimants.

Wednesday 9 November

Change to December date for submitting overtime forms for additional hours

Your January 2023 pay is due on 10 January.

Due to the reduced number of days over the Christmas and New Year period to process the January pay - the deadlines for submitting information/changes to CBS, to be uploaded to the system in time for this pay, have been updated.

Please be aware the cut-off dates for submitting forms for additional hours to your Area Manager in December have changed. 

Change to December deadline dates

• The deadline datefor giving your overtime claim sheet to your Area Manager is now Wednesday 7 December 2022.
• The deadline date for Area Managers tosubmit the information to CBS is before 5pm on Monday 12 December 2022.

It is important these forms are submitted on or before the deadline dates detailed and completed correctly with all the relevant information to ensure there are no delays in you receiving payment for additional hours.

Payroll deadline dates for submitting overtime claim forms 2022/2023

The council is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all employees and recognises the harmful effects that addictions, such as gambling, alcohol and drugs can have on an individual's personal life, work performance and productivity. 

The council is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all employees and recognises the harmful effects that addictions, such as gambling, alcohol and drugs can have on an individual's personal life, work performance and productivity. 

Our policies

Our workplace policies have been updated to help support staff and to reduce the impact of gambling, alcohol and drug related harms on our workforce. You can read these here:

Dedicated addictions helpline - free, confidential and available 24/7

• If you have an addiction, or are affected by someone who has an addiction, you can access free confidential advice and support by calling: 0808 196 9460 any time of the day or night - all year round.
• Our Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) provides this independent support to any employee affected by addictions - it is totally confidential and free for you to access.
• You can chat to a trained addictions advisor who will listen, talk things through with you and offer advice on the next steps you can take.

External support

• Our  - outlines a wealth of information, advice and support on gambling, alcohol and drugs.
• Our   - provides access to free resources such as posters, leaflets and factsheets on alcohol consumption and drug use.

Thursday 3 November 

Financial Forecast 2023 to 2024

Colleagues,

I want to make you aware of the council's financial forecast for next financial year, 2023 to 2024, this predicts a need to make savings of £119.4 million.

A report has been prepared by Martin Booth, Executive Director of Finance, for the City Administration Committee to consider on 3 November. You can read the full report on the  and I have explained the forecast below.

I know when you read this, you could be worried by such a large shortfall and what this will mean for you and the jobs you do. At this point it's not clear, this forecast will allow political groups in the council to prepare budgets to be considered in February or March of next year.

In the next few weeks officers will present options to the cross party budget working group and no decisions will be taken until the council's budget meeting in the spring. Many of you could be involved in this process by looking at ways to reduce service and team budgets.

Everyone can play a role in this process by taking a moment to think about ways to make your job more efficient. I know you want to do the best job you can for Glasgow, if there's a better way to do that, then please feed this back to your line manager.

As always, if you have any suggestions for me or the Corporate Management Team, you can email me at annemarie@glasgow.gov.uk

I will keep you updated when more information becomes available.

Financial Forecast Explained 

The largest impact on the budget is inflation at £87.2 million. The largest part of that is pay inflation. The budget assumes that next year's pay settlement will be no lower than this year's. Adding the future implications of this year's higher than expected settlement and deducting additional Scottish Government funding means that pay inflation is expected to be £80.1 million.

The next largest impact, £26.7 million, is made up of budget pressures and the revenue consequences of capital investment. Part of that figure is the rental cost of operational properties included in the recent sale and leaseback arrangements which will fund our equal pay liabilities. This rental payment is £11.7 million.

The financial forecast assumes no increase in council tax, as that is a decision to be taken at the council's budget meeting and assumes no increases in spending.

The table below describes the forecast and the full forecast can be read at 

Chief Executive - latest update

The cost-of-living crisis has dominated the headlines for many months now and unfortunately no one will escape the challenges this will bring to families and businesses across the city for many more months to come.

In October, we announced a series of council and voluntary venues - including libraries and community centres - which have been designated Welcome Places where we will offer alternative solutions and a place for people to feel secure, warm, with company, and with a friendly face available to help.

Welcome Places are part of a range of planned packages to help target our services to help Glaswegians.

It includes the Council's ambitious five-year strategic plan - approved last week at full council that puts the challenges and aspirations of Glasgow's people and communities at the heart of every council decision.

The plan will shape our response to the cost-of-living crisis, the climate emergency, and pressures on public services, as well as increasing the prosperity and wellbeing of everyone.

It will also ensure that people are central to how the decisions affecting their communities are taken by the council.

There are four key challenges and more than 230 commitments on how all council services will help address, support, and deliver on the city's main priorities.

The four grand challenges which have been identified as the reduction poverty and inequalities, increasing opportunity and prosperity for all citizens, addressing the climate emergency, and delivering a just transition, and enabling staff to deliver essential services in a sustainable, innovative, and efficient way for our communities.

In a move away from previous council plans, the City Government will revisit the plan annually to ensure it remains fit for purpose and to update commitments in line with changing circumstances.

It outlines missions that cover ambitious aims including ending child poverty, improving the health and wellbeing of local communities, supporting residents into sustainable and fair work, delivering sustainable transport, become a net zero carbon city by 2030, create safe, clean, and thriving neighbourhoods, raising attainment amongst children and young people, and running an open, well governed council in partnership with all our communities.

The plan will touch all of our jobs and what we deliver over the next five years and I would urge you to you have a look at the different aims and missions outlined and how it will impact your role - you can read the plan here: 

On a similar vein, we have also recently published our summary Annual Performance Report 2021 - 2022.

The report outlines the annual progress of our last strategic plan and forms part of a wider batch of information that we make available as part of our public performance framework.

You can read the report that went to the latest Operational Performance and Delivery Scrutiny Committee and presented at City Administration Committee this week - read the report here 

Wednesday 2 November

Straff Briefing - Key information on backdated pay and Universal Credit

Background

The 2022 to 2023 Local Government Pay Award was agreed on 26 October 2022.

Staff will receive the first payment in respect of the 2022 to 2023 Pay Award, which will include backdated pay, in their December salary on 13 December 2022.

This briefing provides key information for any staff who are in receipt of Universal Credit and how this Local Government pay settlement may impact this.

Please read this carefully - so that you understand how this may impact you and your payments.

1.   Local Government Pay Award for 2022 to 2023

The Local Government pay award covers the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and sees:

• An increase to the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate to £10.85 per hour*.
• For those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage and SCP (Spinal Column Points) 19-24 a £2,000 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week).
• A cap on the uplift for those currently earning £60,000 or more at a £3000 uplift (based on a 37-hour week).
• At remaining SCP an undifferentiated 5% or a £1,925 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week), whichever is larger.
• An uplift to the Non Standard Working Hours/Points( NSWH/P) and Work Context and Demands (WCD) of 5%, effective from 1st April 2022.

*Scottish Local Government Living Wage- effective from April 2022

• *Earlier this year the council continued supporting - the Glasgow Living Wage - for Grade 1 employees and it increased the hourly rate from £9.50 to £9.90 backdated to 1 April 2022.
• Therefore, if you are paid at Grade 1, your backdated pay for 2022 to 2023 will contain the difference between the Glasgow Living Wage you've received since April 2022 and the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate of £10.85 per hour agreed as part of the 2022 to 2023 Pay Award settlement.

2.   Backdated pay and Universal Credit

If you receive Universal Credit the amount you get changes if your take-home pay changes. This includes awards of backdated pay.

If you get additional pay within a Universal Credit assessment period (month), your Universal Credit payment will either be less than you normally receive, or your income may be too high to qualify for a payment.

Universal Credit is calculated on your personal circumstances. Because of this we, as your employer, do not know how, or if, you may be affected.

The backdated payment may mean you will either receive less Universal Credit than normal, or you may even earn too much to qualify, and your Universal Credit claim will close.

If your claim closes, you will see a message on your UC Journal telling you about this.

3.   Will my Universal Credit payments start again automatically?

• No. If Universal Credit payments stop because you have had additional pay, you must start up your claim again.
• You should do this as soon as you can to make sure you do not miss out.

4.   How do I reclaim Universal Credit?

• Log into your Universal Credit journal and select the "Reclaim" tab. You will find this at the bottom of the screen. This will take you to a new screen where you will be asked to answer a few simple questions. If you have any problems doing this, contact your Work Coach or visit your local Jobcentre Plus. 
• You can access your Universal Credit Journal at www.gov.uk/sign-in-universal-credit

5.   If you need independent advice?

• You can get independent help and advice about Universal Credit from Advice First on freephone 0800 328 5644.
• You can also visit www.gov.uk/universalcredit
• If you need to chat in confidence about any financial issues you may be experiencing you can also contact Workplace Options, our Employee Assistance Provider. They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on freephone 0800 247 1100 or email assistance@workplaceoptions.com     
• Further financial information and support including grants, benefits and advice is available from the Scottish Government cost of living support website at https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/
   

Your Local Government Pay Award for 2022 to 2023

The 2022 to 2023 Local Government Pay Award was agreed on 26 October 2022. 

You will receive your first payment in respect of the 2022 to 2023 Pay Award, which will include backdated pay, in your December salary - on 13 December 2022.

This pay award covers the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and sees:

• An increase to the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate to £10.85 per hour*.
• For those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage and SCP (Spinal Column Points) 19-24 a £2,000 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week).
• A cap on the uplift for those currently earning £60,000 or more at a £3000 uplift (based on a 37-hour week).
• At remaining SCP an undifferentiated 5% or a £1,925 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week), whichever is larger.
• An uplift to the Non Standard Working Hours/Points (NSWH/P) and Work Context and Demands (WCD) of 5%, effective from 1st April 2022.

*Scottish Local Government Living Wage- effective from April 2022

*Earlier this year the council continued supporting - the Real Living Wage / Glasgow Living Wage - for Grade 1 employees and it increased the hourly rate from £9.50 to £9.90 backdated to 1 April 2022.

Therefore, if you are paid at Grade 1, your backdated pay for 2022 to 2023 will contain the difference between the Glasgow Living Wage you've received since April 2022 and the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate of £10.85 per hour agreed as part of the 2022 to 2023 Pay Award settlement.

Annual Leave

• An additional day of annual leave (pro-rated for part-time) to be added to the leave entitlement for all employees, this will be a permanent change to terms and conditions.  
• More information will be communicated to staff shortly.

SSSC

• SSSC fees for all roles and grades will be paid on a recurring basis - further guidance on how payment will be made to the SSSC on behalf of employees by Scottish Government and the process for employees claiming reimbursement of any fees incurred from 1st April 2022 will follow.

Universal Credit

• Staff who are in receipt of Universal Credit should note that the backdated pay may impact your payments.
• More information will be communicated to staff shortly through a Staff Briefing.

National Insurance Contributions Changes

The UK Government has announced that the 1.25% National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase, implemented in April 2022, will be reversed from 6 November 2022, meaning, some employees will see an increase in their net pay from November 2022 onwards.

October 

Tuesday 25 October

Job Evaluation - is your job listed? Volunteer today

Catering and FM Senior Management team are in regular contact with your TU colleagues and encourage you to get involved and tell us about your job.

The main part of a job evaluation interview is simply talking about your job and what you do daily. The format is the same for all benchmark job holders and follows a standard questionnaire, as set out in the SJC Job Evaluation Scheme (the scheme used by most Scottish councils).

The evaluations of these jobs (covering around 80% of council staff) will support the development of a rank order of jobs which is the foundation for a new pay and grading scheme - this part will be a separate project.

Is your job listed? Volunteer today

If your job is listed as a benchmark job, and you've not already been asked to volunteer by your line manager, this is your opportunity to tell us about your job in your own words. To take part, you must have been in the same job for at least two years.

How to volunteer

Let your line manager know then email the Job Evaluation Team on JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk-you should include the benchmark ref number from the list.

Check the list of benchmark jobs below - for those positions marked with an asterisk (*), where we receive sufficient volunteers, we will arrange group interviews if possible. 

Jobs listed - benchmark jobs

Supporting you

Everyone who volunteers to be interviewed is asked to attend a briefing session with their line manager to understand more about job evaluation. This could be on MS Teams or face to face in one of the job evaluation hubs in the city. At the briefing staff will hear from the job analysts about the interview process and can ask questions and discuss any worries or concerns.

When staff attend the interview, they can be supported by another person, like a trade union representative or a colleague.

Our default interview method is remotely via MS Teams, however other methods are available:

• On MS Teams from home or the workplace using your own equipment of a council laptop
• On MS Teams at a Job Evaluation Hub, this allows you and your representative to be in one interview room, with the Job Analyst Team members in another room.
• A face-to-face interview at a Job Evaluation Hub.

Risk assessments for the job evaluation hubs have been undertaken and any relevant covid mitigation put in place including use of hand sanitiser, wearing masks when moving around and regular ventilation.

Frequently asked questions about interviews

Will I be given time during working hours to complete the questionnaire?

Yes, you will be given reasonable time during working hours to complete the Job Evaluation Questionnaire.  You should expect the questionnaire to take around three hours to complete.

Will I be paid additional hours/overtime if this takes place out-with normal working hours?

For job roles such as cleaners and School crossing patrollers who can't take part in this process during normal working hours additional hours/overtime will be paid.

Will I be given time to participate in the Job Evaluation Briefing and Job Evaluation Interview?

Yes, the council is committed to supporting employee participation in the Job Evaluation process.  If you are participating in the process your line manager will support your participation in the Job Evaluation briefing.

How long is the interview?

The duration of an interview varies but you should expect that it will take at least half a day.  The reason the duration varies is that some jobs are easier to describe than others and the Job Analyst Team want to make sure that they have fully explored the role you undertake, so that they are confident that the evaluation captures the demands of your job.  The Job Evaluation Team will make sure that they give you enough time to fully answer the questions and explain your role.

If I volunteer to participate am I responsible for the outcome of Job Evaluation for everyone who does the same job?

It is understandable that you may have a feeling of responsibility for the evaluation of a benchmark job. However, you are invited to describe the role that you do personally, not the role as carried out by other people.  We recognise that not everyone with the same job title carries out the same tasks in the same way.

For every benchmark job numerous staff will be interviewed and the outcomes reviewed to create a generic job overview document that will apply to everyone who does the same job. This is what makes the process robust.

Got another question to ask?

Read all the frequently asked questions and answers or more information at 

You can also email the job evaluations team on JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk or ask your line manager to do so on your behalf.

Friday 7 October 

Opportunity for you to chat to a mental health professional - at a Virtual Appointment Day

If something is playing on your mind at work, spaces are available to talk to a mental health professional from Able Future, in complete confidence, at the next virtual appointment day on Tuesday 11 October, from 7am to 5pm.

Your call is confidential

On the virtual appointment day, a member of 'The Better Health Generation Team' from Able Futures will phone you, at your chosen time, to discuss how they can support you.

During your call you can have a confidential chat about whatever it is that is playing on your mind whilst at work. Able Futures will discuss the support available to you and if you decide to access this, they will be able to take your details whilst on the call and help you start your journey to mental wellbeing, at your own pace.

This service is fully confidential, and the council will not be made aware of any personal appointments or bookings.

How to book

You can book your timeslot at https://calendly.com/thebetterhealthgenerationuk/appointment-booking-mental-health-support-gccfs

The call will take up to 30 minutes and you will need the following information to register for the phone call:

• National insurance number
• Email address
• Start date of current employment.

Support is available now

You don't have to wait until the appointment day, you can apply through the Able Futures website at any time for support. This confidential service is quick and easy to access:

• Freephone 0800 321 3137 for a chat to determine the right support for you, lines are open 8am to 10.30pm, Monday to Friday
• Apply online at https://able-futures.co.uk/mental-health-support-for-individuals/apply-for-able-futures

If you need a private safe space to talk to Able Futures or need flexibility to balance this with work and personal commitments, then you should talk to your manager to discuss how this can be accommodated.

Visit our health and wellbeing support

For more information go to Workforce Wellbeing Support

Thursday 6 October 

Chief Executive - latest update

In the early months of the last council term, we made settling Glasgow's historic equal pay claims a priority - eventually making payments worth more than £500 million to thousands of workers in 2019.

We always knew that would leave us with another negotiation within a few years; to settle new claims that were not made in time to be included first time around - and also ongoing liabilities, which would continue to accrue until we were able to implement a new pay and grading system.

Now, in the early months of this term, all of that work is taking another big step forward.

A new pay scheme can only be designed following the job evaluation process that has been underway for some time - and was, unfortunately, disrupted by the pandemic - but we are preparing by setting up a new project team.

It is developing an implementation plan, with input from our trades unions and we hope to be able to approve a new scheme next year, with the first pay date currently anticipated to be by April 2024.

We are also negotiating with claimants' representatives to settle the remaining claims - from earlier years and up to the implementation of the new scheme.

That is a complex job, but there is a shared commitment from all sides to make progress. That is really significant because it will be settling these claims and implementing a new pay scheme that will, in tandem, finally bring an end to the equal pay litigation against the council.

It is important to remember that, even when key issues in the negotiations are resolved and an agreement reached in principle, a significant amount of work will need to be undertaken to process offers and payments.

Of course, all of this comes at a price - and possibly the biggest step forward we have taken in recent weeks is to agree a funding strategy for meeting the cost of claims.

At the end of September, members agreed to use the value in some of our buildings to raise around £200 million of a total £270 million pot.

This is the same way we financed compensation offers in 2019 - with City Property borrowing the cash to buy assets from the council, then leasing them back to us.

We do this because City Property can borrow differently than the council - but crucially, because we own the company, buildings like the City Chambers and Kelvingrove never leave public ownership and can continue to be used just as they always have been.

Venues like Emirates Arena, City Halls and the Riverside Museum have been operating this way for years, with no impact on Glaswegians' ability to access them and enjoy them as they always have.

The cost to the council will be in the lease payments we make to City Property and, taking into account both deals, those are very significant amounts - but it is essential that we meet our obligations on equal pay, because it is right for our workforce and because it helps protects the council from further, costly litigation.

Information about equal pay, job evaluation and pay and grading is also on the website under latest news at Staff Updates

Cost of living support website launched - everything you need in the one place!

The cost of living crisis presents an ongoing challenge to people and families across Scotland, with many struggling to make ends meet. As part of its response to this situation, the Scottish Government has launched a marketing campaign promoting a new website that brings together in one place information on support, grants, benefits and advice, in order to help people find what support they may be entitled to.

• Household expenses, rents and travel costs are increasing and many people are finding it difficult to pay their bills. In some cases you may be eligible for benefits or schemes that could help.
• Energy bills are rising, but in many cases help and financial support may be available to help heat homes more efficiently and reduce heating bills. It's important to reach out for support if it's needed. 
• Many people are worried about money just now. There are benefits, grants, and free services available which may help you increase your income.
• Parenting is hard at the best of times, but when money worries hit it can be overwhelming. From free school meals or help with day-to-day costs, you could be eligible for support.
• If you're worried about money or how to deal with debt, you're not alone. Anyone can find themselves overwhelmed by financial worries, but there's support and advice available to help you.
• Rising costs can have a bigger impact on some people including older people, disabled people and those who care for them. Make sure you're getting all the assistance you're entitled to.
• If you rent your home, you have rights such as being protected from unfair evictions or rent increases.

For help and advice visit https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/

September 

Wednesday 28 September

Update on equal pay and new pay and grading scheme

We are committed to keeping you updated about all matters relating to equal pay and pay and grading, this update provides you with the latest information.

Funding equal pay claims

Senior officers have recently negotiated an external funding deal as part of a financial strategy to provide funds of around £270 million in total to settle outstanding equal pay claims, including all costs.

The funding strategy involves realising the value of the property assets of the council family.

We want to reassure you that this funding strategy is a financial arrangement to generate income for the council and will have no impact on how and where staff work, or on the delivery of any council services for the city.

The funding deal includes external finance for the sale and lease back of council family owned properties and services delivered from the properties will continue to operate as they do now. The properties include: Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Kelvin Hall, Gallery of Modern Art, City Chambers, Sighthill School Campus and Gowanbank School Campus.

The funding strategy is a decision for the City Administration Committee and a report is going to the committee to request approval to proceed on 29 September, you can read the report on the . The report also provides an update on the pay and grading project which has recently started, you can read the summary below.

Equal pay negotiations

Negotiations with representatives of the main claimant group have taken place over the summer and are continuing. There is a shared commitment to make progress from all sides but these negotiations are complex and key issues still have to be resolved. 

Future discussions will seek to achieve settlement of claims for the period up to the date on which the new pay and grading scheme is implemented (referred to as the gap period). Even where those key issues are resolved and an agreement reached in principle, a significant amount of work will need to be undertaken to process offers and payments.

At the same time, negotiations are also taking place with representatives of smaller groups of claimants. 

Once negotiations have been finalised, we will be in a better position to provide an update on the likely timeline to process offers and payment to claimants.

Settlement of all these claims will bring an end to the equal pay litigation against the council. 

New pay and grading scheme

The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work. The new pay and grading scheme will be designed with this in mind and to make sure that there is no discrimination in the future, taking input from the ongoing job evaluation work.

At this point, it is not possible to say how the new scheme will affect individuals. All jobs will need to be evaluated first and placed in a rank order based on demands of the role, then the appropriate grading and pay can be applied once the scheme has been designed.

To prepare for the work to design a new pay and grading scheme a project team has now been set up and the team are developing an implementation plan with input from our trade unions through a series of consultations and meetings. At this stage discussions are at a high level and are mainly for planning purposes that will lead to more technical research and design work.

The estimated timeline for the first pay under the new scheme is currently by April 2024 but this is based on many dependencies due to the complexity of the work involved.

Where to find the latest information

As always, we will keep you updated when information is available. Information about equal pay, job evaluation and pay and grading is also on the website under latest news at Staff Updates

Wednesday 14 September

Key information on the additional Public Holiday - State Funeral

Further to the sad announcement last Thursday of the death of our monarch HM Queen Elizabeth II, an additional Public Holiday has been granted for a day of National Mourning on Monday 19 September 2022 when the State Funeral will take place.

Catering and FM staff

On this day, the council will continue to provide the essential services required to support our most vulnerable citizens and to keep our city mobile, clean and safe. All other services will be closed as a mark of respect.

Unless you work in a care home setting and have already been notified by your manager that you are due to work on that day - all other Catering and FM services will be closed and staff will be off for Public Holiday.

If you work in a care home and are due to work on this Public Holiday you will be paid in accordance with the terms and conditions attached to your position. 

Delivering our Services

Across the council, the following Services will remain in operation and key essential staff will be required to work on this additional Public Holiday.

Book of Condolence

The Book of Condolence for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is available for anyone to sign and pay their respects in the Satinwood Suite at the City Chambers. This can be done Monday to Friday from 9am-8pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9am-5pm.

The Lord Provost, as Lord Lieutenant, was the first signatory, on behalf of the City of Glasgow, followed by the city's second and third citizens, The Lord Dean and the Deacon Convener.

Floral Tributes

The front wall of the City Chambers is the designated area for people will wish to lay floral tributes in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Staff from NRS will keep the area neat and tidy and work to minimise any damage caused by the weather. In addition, they will bring tributes on public land around the city to George Square for safekeeping.

Proclamation of the new King

The Sheriff Principal of Glasgow of Glasgow and Strathkelvin Craig Turnbull delivered the Proclamation of the new King Charles III in George Square yesterday, Sunday 11 September. You can watch this on Twitter here.

City events

With regards to events in the city, there is no specific protocol covering which events should and should not go ahead so events will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, a decision will be taken in the coming days about council meetings which were due to take place during the next few days.

More information

• For more information visit  
• Visit The Royal Household www.royal.uk for all information about the death and State Funeral events.
• Visit The Scottish Government www.gov.scot for updated public information about local events.

Friday 2 September

Glasgow Living Wage Increase

The Glasgow Living Wage is now £9.90 per hour.  We will apply this new hourly rate to all Grade 1 employees in their salary payable on 20 September 2022 backdated to 1 April 2022 (start of pay year). 

When settlement is reached for the 2022 to 2023 pay award we will apply that to the 2021 to 2022 hourly rate, any difference between the agreed 2022 to 2023 rate and the £9.90 rate being applied now will be applied at that time backdated to 1 April 22 and paid accordingly.  

August 

Wednesday 24 August

Four-week paid staff, payroll tax event and repayment of tax

You may recall a communication in March for all staff who are paid four weekly that explained the potential tax implications of receiving 14 pays instead of the normal 13 in one tax year, and how HMRC deal with such an event.

We also explained that you could receive a letter from HMRC later in this year requesting that you make a payment to deal with any tax you may owe. Ordinarily, HMRC adjusts such amounts through your tax code, they will advise you of any tax code change.

If you are affected by this event and you have received a letter from HMRC, you'll find more information in the communication of 23 March and on the website at four-week paid staff, payroll tax event  

In this instance the council has followed the HMRC rules on how to deal with this event.

If you have any questions about your personal tax then you must talk to HMRC directly, contact details will be on any communication from them. You could also visit their website at

https://www.gov.uk/tax-overpayments-and-underpayments

Tuesday 2 August

To all Colleagues in Catering and FM

Further to the message in June I hope you all have had the opportunity of some annual leave and a well-deserved break.

As we enter the second half of the year, we will be releasing our 3-year service plan in the next few weeks and a further message will come out to give you some details on our priorities and goals for the next 3 years.

For the attention of our cleaning staff

As you will know we updated you in June of the updated guidance from Scottish Government which signalled a change from our previously enhanced cleaning specifications for all buildings. As a result, we have been in dialogue with our colleagues across all Services in GCC to revisit and review their service delivery requirements.

As previously indicated, this will mean changes in how we operate however we want to reassure you all of our full support and commitment. Any changes will be done in a planned and measured way with discussion, and we will offer flexibility where possible.

This is an opportunity for people to take advantage of new roles and we will be supporting this work with a focus on training and support for all staff.

Catering and FM Senior Management Team has a strong relationship with our Trade Union colleagues and we have been updating them regularly on our plans. Our focus is to work together to ensure we move to the updated cleaning specification and to ensure we continue to deliver the services our clients and customers rely on us for.

This work will continue for a few months and we will continue to update you via this communication channel every 2 - 3 weeks. In the meantime, please work with your Area Manager and do not hesitate to contact them to discuss your individual circumstances.

With kind regards

Senior Management Team - Catering and FM 

June

Thursday 30 June - Equal Pay Update

As part of our last equal pay update on June 10, we explained that negotiations had unfortunately been paused for a number of weeks due to circumstances outwith the council's control.

At that point, we were uncertain if this pause would have an impact on when it will be possible to make offers and payments to claimants. It is now clear that it will.

You will be aware it had previously been hoped that initial offers could be made to some claimants as early as August - with more to follow in October. Having now been able to resume discussions, all parties - including the trades unions and legal teams representing claimants - agree that this is no longer achievable, and the proposed timelines will need to be extended.

At this stage, we do not have definitive dates to share with you - however, everyone involved is conscious that, even after agreement is reached, there is a major administrative exercise to be completed to issue offers and process payments.

We have a series of negotiation meetings scheduled for July and August and all parties remain committed to making progress on outstanding matters as soon as possible.

We are also working hard to understand what the likely new timeline will be and, once we have more detail, we will update you further.

Tuesday 21 June 

To all Colleagues in Catering and FM

As we approach the end of the school term, many of you on a term-time contract will be looking forward to a well-deserved break. For those of you that are 52-week, we hope that you have some holiday plans to enjoy.

May we take this opportunity to thank you for all your hard work, support and commitment to delivering council-wide services.

For the attention of our cleaning staff

As you will be aware, because of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, we had to react quickly to Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland guidance related to enhanced and additional cleaning across all our areas. Now restrictions have largely been removed and the Scottish Government has recently updated its guidance in non-health care settings, we now need to review our service and cleaning needs across each location. 

Last week we updated Trade Union colleagues that we are now developing a plan which will re-balance and realign cleaning resources across the whole of our business area. For many colleagues there will be no change, however, for some we will need to assign you to another location/shift patterns - but we will keep these moves within your local area to minimise any disruption for you. This is to ensure our cleaning services are delivered where they are needed most.

We will engage with you over the coming months as we start to develop the changes to our service delivery model, and we will keep you updated through the usual communications channels.

If you have any questions or queries, please raise these in the first instance with your Area Operations Manager.

With kind regards

Senior Management Team - Catering and FM 

Monday 13 June - Equal Pay Update

Some time has now passed since we last communicated with staff about equal pay matters and we felt it was important to provide an update on the current position.

Unfortunately, due to an issue affecting those representing some claimants and over which the council had no control; negotiations were unable to take place for a number of weeks.

This, inevitably, has posed a challenge for all parties - particularly in terms of meeting the proposed timeline for offers, which was already tight.

Negotiations have now resumed.  We don't yet know for sure what impact the recent pause will have on our ability to conclude negotiations within the planned timescale, but all parties are committed to making progress on outstanding issues.

We appreciate that these matters directly affect many of our staff. The council is committed to resolving equal pay issues and we will continue to keep you updated.

Wednesday 8 June - Job Evaluation - is your job listed? Volunteer today

Over 650 staff who are in benchmark jobs have now been interviewed, or are scheduled to take part, in the process to evaluate jobs in the council.

The main part of a job evaluation interview is simply talking about your job and what you do daily. The format is the same for all benchmark job holders and follows a standard questionnaire, as set out in the SJC Job Evaluation Scheme (the scheme used by most Scottish councils).

The evaluations of these jobs (covering around 80% of council staff) will support the development of a rank order of jobs which is the foundation for a new pay and grading scheme - this part will be a separate project.

What staff said

Staff who have taken part in job evaluation interviews are asked to provide feedback, this is what they told us:

• "The analyst appeared to have a good understanding of the role I perform."
• "the job analyst and support staff were excellent at putting me at ease, being considerate of needing comfort breaks and, of course, explaining anything that I maybe didn't fully understand."    

Is your job listed? Volunteer today

If your job is listed as a benchmark job, and you've not already been asked to volunteer by your line manager, this is your opportunity to tell us about your job in your own words. To take part, you must have been in the same job for at least two years.

Check the list of benchmark jobs at:

Job Evaluation Benchmark Jobs

Remember not everyone in the council needs to be interviewed so if a high number of staff volunteer then not everyone will be selected.

How to volunteer

Let your line manager know then email the Job Evaluation Team on

JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk

You should include the BM Ref number from the list.

Supporting you

Everyone who volunteers to be interviewed is asked to attend a briefing session with their line manager to understand more about job evaluation. This could be on MS Teams or face to face in one of the job evaluation hubs in the city. At the briefing staff will hear from the job analysts about the interview process and can ask questions and discuss any worries or concerns.

When staff attend the interview, they can be supported by another person, like a trade union representative or a colleague.

Our default interview method is remotely via MS Teams, however other methods are available:

• On MS Teams from home or the workplace using your own equipment of a council laptop
• On MS Teams at a Job Evaluation Hub, this allows you and your representative to be in one interview room, with the Job Analyst Team members in another room.
• A face-to-face interview at a Job Evaluation Hub.

Risk assessments for the job evaluation hubs have been undertaken and any relevant covid mitigation put in place including use of hand sanitiser, wearing masks when moving around and regular ventilation.

Frequently asked questions about interviews

Will I be given time during working hours to complete the questionnaire?

Yes, you will be given reasonable time during working hours to complete the Job Evaluation Questionnaire.  You should expect the questionnaire to take around three hours to complete.

Will I be given time to participate in the Job Evaluation Briefing and Job Evaluation Interview?

Yes, the council is committed to supporting employee participation in the Job Evaluation process.  If you are participating in the process your line manager will support your participation in the Job Evaluation briefing.

How long is the interview?

The duration of an interview varies but you should expect that it will take at least half a day.  The reason the duration varies is that some jobs are easier to describe than others and the Job Analyst Team want to make sure that they have fully explored the role you undertake, so that they are confident that the evaluation captures the demands of your job.  The Job Evaluation Team will make sure that they give you enough time to fully answer the questions and explain your role.

If I volunteer to participate am I responsible for the outcome of Job Evaluation for everyone who does the same job?

It is understandable that you may have a feeling of responsibility for the evaluation of a benchmark job. However, you are invited to describe the role that you do personally, not the role as carried out by other people.  We recognise that not everyone with the same job title carries out the same tasks in the same way.

For every benchmark job numerous staff will be interviewed and the outcomes reviewed to create a generic job overview document that will apply to everyone who does the same job. This is what makes the process robust.

Got another question to ask?

Read all the frequently asked questions and answers or more information at 

You can also email the job evaluations team on JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk or ask your line manager to do so on your behalf.

Benchmark jobs - volunteer now if your job is listed

If you job is listed below, we need you to take part in a job evaluation interview.

How to volunteer

Let your line manager know then email the Job Evaluation Team on

JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk

You should include the BM Ref number from the list.

May 

Data Makes a Difference - making the best use of data helps to improve services to our citizens

 

Data underpins everything that we do as a council - it supports both our policy and operational decision making and can help to improve lives and save costs.

It is of huge importance to us and how we work - many of our decisions are based on evidence and research. When we get quality data to support a programme of work, we can reap many benefits - for both our city, our citizens and our organisation.

If we get poor insight data, this can have devastating consequences for our projects and also impact the lives of our citizens.

Tuesday 24 May - Are you worried about money?  

We have created an information factsheet to help staff who may be concerned about money just now.

It includes a comprehensive list of some recommended Government approved pathways that are available for free, impartial and confidential money advice and support.
 

Staff Information Factsheet

Here is a list of some recommended Government approved pathways that are available to you, for free, impartial and confidential money advice and support.

Information on local support services for Glasgow City and other Scottish Local Authority areas can be found here: https://www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/cash-first-leaflets

Benefits

1. Citizens Advice Scotland- Freephone: 0800 028 1456(Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) for help with housing, benefits, debt, and consumer issues such as energy bills.

Visit: https://www.cas.org.uk/ for online information, advice, and guidance or find your local bureau.

2. Social Security Scotland- Freephone: 0800 182 222(Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) to find out about benefits and grants, need support paying for a funeral, disabled people, carers, young people entering the workplace. Visit www.mygov.scot/benefits for more information.

If you're disabled, you can get free support from an independent advocate to help you to apply for Social Security benefits. Freephone: 0300 303 1660, email: helpline@voiceability.org or visit: www.voiceability.org to find out more.

3. Scottish Welfare Fund- you may be able to get a grant if you need help you pay for essentials, such as food, gas, electricity, or household goods. Visit: https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-welfare-fund/how-to-apply

4. Department for Work and Pensions- for information on welfare, pensions and working age, disability, and ill health benefits visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions

5. Long Term Conditions & MacMillan Cancer Support Service- Phone: 0141 287 5901(Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) for free, confidential money advice and support for anyone diagnosed with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, heart failure or stroke.

6. Home Energy Scotland- Freephone: 0808 808 2282(Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-5pm) for advice and help to keep your home warm, cut your energy costs, and reduce your bills. Visit: https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/ for more information.

Debt advice

1. National Debtline- Freephone: 0808 808 4000(Mon-Fri 9am-8pm,Sat 9.30am-1pm) for free advice and resources to help you with your debts. Visit: https://www.nationaldebtline.org/

2. Step Change- Freephone 0800 138 111(Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-4pm) for free advice, guidance and tools to help with debt problems. Visit: https://www.stepchange.org/how-we-help/debt-advice-scotland.aspx

Community lenders

1. Glasgow Credit Union (GCU)- Phone 0141 274 9933. Financial Benefits are available to council staff including low-cost loans, member discounts and competitive deals on mortgages and insurance. Visit: https://www.glasgowcu.com/gcc-join-today/ or their Financial Wellbeing Hub.

2. Find Your Credit Union (FYCU)- Search the online directory of Credit Unions https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/credit-unions/glasgow-credit-union/

More information and support

1. Workplace options- our Employee Assistance Provider is available 24/7 for free, confidential, and independent advice and support that matters to you and your family.

Freephone: 0800 247 1100or email: assistance@workplaceoptions.com

2. Breathing Space- Freephone: 0800 83 85 87(Mon-Fri 6pm-2am, 24 hours at weekend) if you are feeling low, anxious, or depressed.

3. Samaritans- Freephone: 116 123(24/7) or find out other ways of getting in touch.

Thursday 12 May - Payroll - deadline dates for submitting overtime claim forms

Please see below the payroll deadline dates and important information about submitting overtime claims forms for additional hours - to make sure you receive your payments on time.

• It is important these forms are submitted on or before the deadline dates detailed below and completed correctly with all the relevant information to ensure there are no delays in you receiving payment for additional hours.
• All overtime claims must be submitted at the end of each working week and not held back until the end of the submission period. 
• Overtime claim forms should be posted on the Friday of the week the overtime has been undertaken (with exception of any Saturday working).
• This will ensure the forms are received by the team at Olympia for processing on the Monday - so all overtime payments are received on the relevant pay date.

Payroll - deadline dates for submitting overtime claim forms  

March 

Monday 28 March - Four Weekly Paid Staff - Payroll Tax Event

Corporate HR wish to make staff who are paid every four weeks, aware of a situation that may affect their tax circumstances following the pay due on 5 April 2022.

If you are paid every four weeks, you could be affected by what HMRC call a 'Week 56 event.'

CBS have advised that staff who are paid every four weeks will receive 14 pays within the current tax year instead of the usual 13 pays. This does not mean you will receive an extra pay; but that during the designated tax year between 6 April 2021 and 5 April 2022 there will have been 14 pays.

The council is required to notify Week 56 payments to HMRC as employees will have used up their personal allowance over the 13 normal pay periods.

What is the impact of Week 56 payments?

• To stop employees affected being taxed on the whole of the 14^th pay on 5 April 2022, the council is required to follow the HMRC rules and will automatically allocate an extra amount of tax-free pay for those in receipt of a personal allowance.
   
• This will make sure that your pay on 5 April 2022 will continue to be the normal expected amount.
   
• As a consequence of this, you may receive more than your annual personal allowance in the current tax year of 2021 to 2022. Later this year HMRC could issue a P800 form to employees; this deals with over and under payments of tax following a 'Week 56' payment.
   
• The P800 form explains how your tax has been calculated; HMRC normally adjust such amounts through your tax code.

More information

If you are paid every four weeks, please remember that you could be affected as outlined above. But remember that the amount you are paid every four weeks in the current tax year will not be affected.

If you have any questions, please see the detailed Questions and Answers provided by CBS, below.

We will update you with any further information relating to this should it become available.

Week 56 - Potential Implications for employees

Questions and Answers

Background

As an employee you are generally entitled to a certain amount of income before paying tax. This is called the 'Personal Allowance'. In 2021-22 the personal allowance was £12,570.

When calculating PAYE tax, your Personal Allowance is divided by the usual number of pay periods in the year in order to calculate the tax-free pay for that period. For example, a weekly paid employee is allocated 1/52 of their annual allowance in each weekly pay period (12570/52 = £241.73).

Tax is calculated after deducting the personal allowance and if you are paid four-weekly your entire allowance is normally 'used up' following the 13^th pay. 

However, in the tax year 2021 to 2022 there will be 14 four-weekly payment periods in the year, or 56 weeks. Your 14^th pay falls on Tuesday 5 April 2022.

What is 'Week 56'?

In the tax year 2021 to 2022 (which runs from 6 April 2021 to 5 April 2022) there are 56 Tuesdays, so four-weekly paid employees will receive 14 pays in that year, rather than the usual 13. This final payment is referred to as 'Week 56'.

The council is required to notify Week 56 payments to HMRC through our Real Time Information (RTI) returns at the time of payment.

How could this cause an issue?

A problem could occur because your annual personal allowance has already been 'used up' by period 13 and you are generally not entitled to any more tax-free pay in that year. However, if no tax-free pay is allocated in period 14 then tax would be calculated on all of your earnings resulting in less take home pay than usual.

Your take home pay on 5 April 2022 (period 14) will not be affected unless other personal circumstances have changed.

How does HMRC deal with Week 56 payments?

To protect your take home pay, HMRC regulations stipulate that an extra amount of tax-free pay be allocated to period 14 when calculating the tax due for that pay period, even if the tax-free pay for the year has already been allocated. This means that your overall tax-free pay for that year will be greater than the annual personal allowance.

The payroll software automatically applies the HMRC rule where there is a 'Week 56' event and allocates the appropriate additional tax-free pay.

In circumstances where your earnings are below the annual tax threshold by period 14, no additional tax-free pay is allocated to the pay of 5 April 2022, as the 'tax-free pay' for the year has not yet been exhausted.

How might this affect an employee in the following tax year?

HMRC may seek to recover the extra allocation of tax-free pay from you in a future tax year and issue a P800 notification to you which details the calculation and any under or over payments of tax. Ordinarily, HMRC adjusts such amounts through your tax code. HMRC will contact you to advise you of the tax code change.

If you are a registered user of Self-Assessment you may not receive a P800 and will be notified of any under or overpayments following the returns you make through this process.  

What about National Insurance?

Your National Insurance contributions are not expected to change. Earnings for National Insurance calculations are assessed on a periodic basis rather than an annual basis. The pay of 5 April 2022 (period 14) will therefore be assessed as normal and the usual periodic thresholds and rates will be applied.

Are there other implications?

If you claim Child Benefit payments the additional period of earnings that falls into the period between 6 April 2021 and 5 April 2022 may contribute towards the upper Child Benefit limit of £50,000; this is the point at which tax is due to be paid back for those claiming the benefit.

If you are in receipt of Universal Credit you are not expected to be affected by this event as earnings are evaluated on monthly assessment periods.

What should I do if receive a P800 from HMRC?

Your tax has been calculated in line with HMRC guidance in this circumstance and an extra amount of tax-free pay will be allocated in order to protect your take home pay in the pay of 5 April 2022. You should therefore follow instructions and guidance detailed on the notification.

More information

Further advice about P800 can be found on the gov.uk website at: 

https://www.gov.uk/tax-overpayments-and-underpayments

Friday 25 March - Unison and GMB agree to exemptions from strike action to provide minimum cover for critical HSCP

Dear colleague,

You will be aware that there is a planned industrial action by two Trade Unions (Unison and GMB) on Tuesday 29 March and Wednesday 30 March 2022 and a further two days on Wednesday 20 April and Thursday 21 April 2022. 

We have been in discussions with the Trade Unions on life and limb cover and I am pleased to advise that following a meeting with the joint Trade Unions (GMB and Unison) this morning, we have reached an agreement that our cleaning and catering services are an essential part of providing life and limb cover. This is to an agreed minimum level within Homelessness/Children's Units and Care Homes.

The Trade Unions support and understand the need for this essential life and limb cover. As such the Trade Unions will agree that staff grades 1 to 6 who are trade union members can volunteer to be part of the cover arrangements in these services if they wish to do so. This agreement is subject to our commitment that we will continue to try and achieve some of the cover from agency staff and volunteers and that we will not exceed the agreed minimum levels requested.

I would like now to ask staff in Homelessness/Children's Units and Care Homes to consider volunteering to attend work to be part of the life and limb cover arrangements within your own workplace.  Managers will now make contact with staff to make this request or alternatively staff can make contact with their manager to advise of their availability.

If you work in other areas of the service and would like to volunteer to work in the above services during the days of action you can still do so, please contact your manager to advise of your availability.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message.

Wednesday 16 March - Equal Pay Update from Annemarie O'Donnell, Chief Executive

Colleagues,

By now many of you will be aware that strike action is planned by groups of staff with equal pay claims on 29 and 30 March and 20 and 21 April.

I urge the staff involved in this strike action to think again about the consequences of their decision given that the council has already stated its intention to make offers on the majority of new claims on the basis of the 2019 deal.

Vital council services that look after our most vulnerable citizens and support the education of our young people will be affected by this strike. 

To update you further on this commitment, on 10 March the City Administration Committee approved recommendations in a report on equal pay to:

• provide funding of around £30 million for equal pay claims

• seek agreement with claimant representatives on:
  • the calculation of individual settlement offers
  • the date from which settlement payments will be made.

You can read the full report here.

I can assure you that senior council officers are ready to proceed with negotiations with claimant representatives in relation to the new claims, as soon as is possible, to resolve this matter.

I also want to remind you that as previously stated, we have always been committed to considering options to deal with what is often referred to as 'the gap period' - the time between 2018 and the eventual implementation of a new pay and grading scheme. We are currently working through options to finding a solution.

I hope that when you read this, you now understand that the council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay and dealing with equal pay claims, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work.

I remain committed to talking with our trade unions when they are willing to do so, to resolve this dispute and the affect it will have on vital city services.

Regards,
Annemarie O'Donnell
Chief Executive

Tuesday 15 March - Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Employee Survey - Get involved and share your views

Stephen Sawers, Head of Facilities Management, Equality and Diversity Champion for Financial Services says:"I would encourage all of our colleagues in the BME community to get involved and share your views by completing our BME Employee Survey.  We want to hear about your experiences of working for the council so we can deliver on our Equality Outcomes and our commitment to create an Inclusive workforce.  You will find more information about how to access the survey and how you can get involved in the group that will analyse the data from the survey below - your voice will make a difference."

In our Equality Outcomes the council has given a commitment to:

• 'create and celebrate a diverse and inclusive workforce' and
• to make sure that 'black and ethnic minority people have increased representation within the council's workforce'

Have your say - how to access the survey - by 23 March 2022

• If you are a BME employee you can complete the survey here.

Get involved

• We will also be looking for BME employees to be part of a short-term working group to analyse the data and help to develop the final report for the CMT, starting the week after the survey ends. If you are interested and have analytical skills, please let us know by emailing: BMENetwork@glasgow.gov.uk

More information

• Find out more about the work of the BME Employee Network on Connect.

Monday 14 March - Pre-election guidance for staff

The pre-election guidance is for everyone working for the council or ALEOs and tells you about the rules that will apply in the run up to the Local Government Elections which will take place on Thursday 5 May 2022.  

The pre-election period starts on Monday 14 March 2022.

The general restrictions on party political activity apply at all times.

Restrictions on communication activity undertaken by local authorities are contained in the 1986 Local Government Act (as amended), and the associated Code of Recommended Practice on Local Government Publicity. The attached guidance explains the code, the effect of the restrictions and further restrictions on staff activity.

This advice does not cover every conceivable situation so you should always consult your line manager if you are in any doubt.

Questions can also be directed to myself, Elaine Galletly, Director of Legal and Administration Services, at  elaine.galletly@glasgow.gov.uk or to Colin Edgar at  Colin.Edgar@glasgow.gov.uk

Elaine Galletly

Director of Legal and Administration Services

February 

Equal Pay Update

The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay and dealing with equal pay claims, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work.

We reached an agreement to settle a substantial number of claims in 2019 - and it was agreed by all parties, at that time, that we would then seek to deal with new claims covering the same period.

While these claims were explicitly not covered by the 2019 agreement, the council has made it clear in discussions with claimants' representatives that its proposed approach remains absolutely rooted in that deal.

As a result, we can now update you that the council is prepared to make offers to settle new claims on the basis of the 2019 deal.

We have also always been committed to considering options to deal with what is often referred to as 'the gap period' - the time between 2018 and the eventual implementation of a new pay and grading scheme, and negotiations will continue on this area.  We are currently working through options to finding a solution.

January 

Time to Talk - Monday 1 to Friday 5 February

Time to Talk Day is a national mental health campaign which takes place in February each year. It is organised by See Me, Scotland's national programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination. As one of only six See Me partnership organisations in Scotland, we are committed to supporting the mental health of our staff and providing the appropriate support routes to aid wellbeing.

For 2022 the theme is 'Talk, Listen, Change Lives'.It is important that we all take the time out to have these conversations with each other and also listen - to support all of our mental wellbeing.

Time to Talk day is on Thursday 3 February,however, we would like everyone to get involved in the week run up to the actual day and actively encourage you to have conversations about your mental health with each other from Monday 31 January.

So in supporting one another we would like you to set some time aside during the week to plan a catch up with a colleague - either virtually, in person or over the phone. For example, maybe there's someone you've been meaning to catch up with but haven't got round to it. You could chat about how things have changes over the past 24 months and how that makes you feel.

Time to Talk support

Visit our support pages for additional campaign resources and things you can get involved with.

Health and wellbeing support

Visit our dedicated Workforce Wellbeing Support on our website.

You can access our staff website at Staff Updates from any device with an internet connection. It has a lot of useful information to help improve your health and wellbeing - in particular you may find our Staff Health and Wellbeing Handbook very useful. This is your one stop shop for all health and wellbeing support.

Mental Health Support for Staff

Your health and wellbeing handbook

This handbook brings together a range of recommended internal and external health and wellbeing information, guidance and support in the one place for ease of reference.

It contains quick links to all the relevant resources that can be accessed online - broken down into key topics and themes. For example:

•       Supporting a Healthy Lifestyle - such as physical or social wellbeing

•       Specific Health Needs - such as women's health

•       Health and Wellbeing Challenges - such as grief, alcohol, loneliness or financial concerns

•       Healthy Working Environment - such as health and safety or work-life balance.

The handbook is located on our dedicated staff webpage at workforce wellbeing by clicking here - meaning you can access it from work or a personal device with an internet connection at home.

Printed copies of the handbook will be made available in communal areas.

Immediate Wellbeing Help and Support

If you need help right now - there is immediate support available:

•       Speak to your GP if you, or someone you know is struggling

•       Call NHS 24 on 111 if your GP practice is closed - they are available 24/7

•       If you need urgent help- phone the emergency services on 999

•       Phone Workplace Optionsto chat in complete confidence to an independent professional Employee Advisor on 0800 247 1100

•       Or you can also call to chat to someone at the Samaritansfree on 116 123 or Breathing Spacefree on 0800 83 85 87

Health and Wellbeing Resource Guide

This guide brings together free health and wellbeing resourcesthat can be downloaded, printed or ordered in hard copy on various key health and wellbeing themes.  For example:

•       posters from the Samaritans and Drinkaware

•       self-help booklets from the NHS such as feeling anxious

•       leaflets on managing cancer and let's talk menopause

•       important pocket cards with emergency information and tips to deal with stress.

The guide is available on our staff web page at workforce wellbeing by clicking here

Managers will print and share these wellbeing resources locally as required.