Purpose
This policy outlines the Organisation’s approach on employing part-time employees. The Organisation is committed to the equal treatment of all employees and therefore providing terms and conditions of employment to part-time employees, on a pro rata basis, comparable with those offered to full-time employees.
Scope
The Organisation defines a part-time employee as an employee whose normal hours of work are less than the number of hours worked by a comparable full-time employee. At present, the Organisation’s full-time employees work [insert number] hours per week. Each individual statement of terms of employment will define whether an employee’s normal hours of work classify them as a part-time employee.
Comparable full-time employee
The Organisation defines a comparable employee as a full-time employee where the following conditions are met:
- both employees perform broadly similar work, having regard to whether they have the same level of qualification, skill and experience
- both employees are employed at the same establishment
- where there is no full-time employee at the same establishment, a full-time employee at a different establishment.
Exception to the policy
The Organisation may offer terms and conditions to a part-time employee which are less favourable than those of a comparable full-time employee where the difference may be justified due to legitimate reasons relating to the business.
Terms and conditions of employment
The following terms and conditions of employment will apply:
- a part-time employee will have their agreed contractual hours outlined in their contract of employment
- remuneration and superannuation, if appropriate requirements have been met, will be prorated to those of an equivalent full-time employee, based on the number of contracted hours of a part-time employee
- salary increases will be administered on the same basis as for full-time employees
- part-time employees will have their annual leave entitlement calculated under the Organisation’s holiday policy which is in line with the Working Time Regulations 1998. Each individual statement of terms of employment will outline annual leave entitlements. In some cases it will be appropriate to express annual leave entitlement in hours rather than days
- public holiday entitlements for part-time employees will be given on a pro rata basis
- part-time employees will be entitled to the Organisation’s life insurance, medical health insurance and long-term illness scheme on a pro rata basis, based on their normal weekly working hours
- sick pay benefit will be paid to part-time employees on a pro rata basis. Sick pay will only be paid based on their normal weekly working hours
- part-time employees will also be eligible, under the Organisation’s training and development programme, to access any relevant training or vocational training facilities.
Examples of annual leave entitlement for part-time employees
The following examples show the calculation of annual leave entitlement inclusive of Public Holidays for part-time employees, with five days or 37.5 hours being the full-time equivalent. Any time off on a Public Holiday on which the part-time employee is scheduled to work must be taken from the overall allowance.
Example one
A part-time employee who works four days a week will be entitled to 23 days, calculated as follows:
(4 x 4 weeks) + (4 x 1.6 weeks) = 22.4 which would be rounded up to 23 days.
Example two
A part-time employee working 2.5 days a week (2 x 8 hours plus 4 hours, totalling 20 hours per week) would be entitled to 112 hours, calculated as follows:
(20 x 4 weeks) + (20 x 1.6 weeks) = 112 hours.
Requests for part-time working
Requests for part-time working will be considered by the Organisation, and facilitated where feasible in line with business requirements. The Organisation will provide information on the availability of full-time and part-time positions which may enable employees to transfer from full-time to part-time work and vice versa. Employees may apply for these positions in the normal manner.
Requests to work part-time made under flexible working legislation will be considered in line with the flexible working policy. The Organisation will, where possible, grant a flexible working request in line with the employee’s preferences and will take into consideration whether the duties required by the role will lend themselves to part-time working and how the remainder of the full-time hours will be covered amongst the team/department. The Organisation reserves the right to refuse a request where it is not considered feasible according to current business needs.
Granted requests will be confirmed in writing to the employee and an updated statement of terms and conditions will be issued to be signed by the employee. Changes will normally be implemented on a permanent basis unless otherwise agreed.
Return to full-time status
Requests to return to full-time work will be accommodated where possible. However, there is no automatic right to return to full time employment. If a part-time employee wishes to return to full-time employment, they must do so by applying for any other full-time positions advertised internally by the usual process, or otherwise by request.
Complaints
Part-time employees who feel they have been treated less favourably than a full-time employee may request a statement from the Organisation setting out the reasons for their treatment. A response to any such request will be provided within 21 days, except in exceptional circumstances.
In addition, the Organisation’s grievance procedure may be used by part-time employees who wish to raise a formal concern regarding their treatment.