Staff employed on zero hour contracts - Find a freedom of information request

1. Please advise the current number of staff you have employed on "zero hours contract".

Please classify according to the official definition:

a) They are on call to work when you need them.

b) You do not have to give them work

c)They do not have to do work when asked

 

1. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) has 554 relief staff.

Relief staff are mainly employed in Social Care roles to support the Council’s requirement for flexibility so that we are able to respond quickly if additional hours are needed.

Each relief worker is provided with a relief contract of employment. A summary of the main clauses of the contract are outlined below:

Enrolment to the Panel does not carry any undertaking on the part of the Council that you will be found relief work nor does it commit or oblige you to accept any relief work offered.  Enrolment to the Panel simply ensures that should you be offered relief work and you are able and willing to take up the relief work assignment offered then you will be able to do so at relatively short notice

As a relief worker there is no guarantee of work, of working hours or working days. However, as and when suitable relief work comes available, a manager will make contact to check your availability and agree your working hours and days

You will be paid at the rate recommended by either the National Joint Council for Local Government Employees or a locally determined rate of pay as adopted by the County Council. The actual hourly rate of pay will be determined by the salary grade for the work undertaken.

You have a statutory entitlement to 28 days’ annual leave (pro rata to hours worked) per annum. As a relief worker your hourly rate of pay is enhanced by 12.10% in full recognition and recompense of this statutory entitlement.

As a relief worker there is no entitlement to occupational sick pay. However, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay if you have sufficient qualifying pay in the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) qualifying period (namely the 8 weeks prior to the start of the current sickness absence period).

If you wish to join the pension scheme, you can do so after 3 months from the commencement of your first work assignment.

If you are aggrieved arising from your assignment you should raise it with your manager with a view to positive and active engagement to resolve the matter.  Grievances are best resolved closest to where they arise and regular communication between management, employees and workers lessens the need to use the Grievance Procedure.   It is intended that relief workers should discuss all matters with their manager as they occur, openly and without fear of sanctions.  If the complaint is about the relief worker's immediate manager then they may take the grievance to the next higher level of management.  Issues of harassment, disability, race or sex discrimination will also be dealt with under the Grievance Procedure which can be found in the Employment Policies Handbook.

All County Council employees and workers need to be aware of the possible abuse of children and vulnerable adults and if you are concerned you need to follow Lincolnshire County Council's Safeguarding Policy. In addition, employees and workers working with children and vulnerable adults have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults during the course of their work.

Lincolnshire County Council’s Statement of Safety Policy is included in the Local Scheme of Conditions of Service document.  The Director area in which you undertake an assignment may have adopted its own Safety Policy and this should also be referred to.  Whilst working for the Council you should make yourself aware of your health and safety responsibilities as you have a legal responsibility to do so.