Managing additional hours or overtime
Managers plan and manage all workloads to keep the need for additional hours or overtime to a minimum. They must consider the health and safety issues outlined in this policy and the working time regulations.
We use flexi-time where appropriate in advance of paid additional hours or overtime to promote a good work-life balance for staff.
We pay additional hours at plain time. We pay overtime in line with the terms and conditions of employment.
Employees in posts up to and including Grade 8 may receive payment for additional hours. Payments can only be approved by:
- a manager of Grade 12
- or, a budget holder determined by the head of service in conjunction with the line manager
Employees in posts on or above Grade 9 are not eligible for overtime payments. We recognise that there may be rare occasions when we require staff on G9 or above to work overtime. If we cannot manage this through the flexi-time scheme employees should make claims at plain time. Claims are reviewed case by case and will require head of service approval.
For employees on TUPE terms and conditions (for example, NHS contracts) the rates payable for enhancements align with the TUPE terms.
We may pay employees in the place directorate a site allowance instead of overtime who are required to:
- be temporarily based on-site
- work exceptional hours, and
- endure all-weather conditions in construction or engineering works
For further details, read the local scheme of conditions of service.
Examples of additional hours or overtime:
- one-off events for an activity at short notice (for example, external inspections)
- short-term peaks in workload
- unplanned projects which we cannot reschedule or have someone else carry out
- responding to emergencies. We recognise that it is not always possible to authorise additional hours or overtime in advance. Employees that have had to work overtime in an emergency must inform their line manager as soon as possible. We can then agree to any payments due
- where there is a need to cover a frontline service to ensure the service continues
All claims should normally be submitted and authorised monthly.
Managers should regularly monitor the usage and cost of additional hours or overtime. They should ensure there is no need to claim regular or excessive additional hours or overtime.
Senior leaders contracts state: "The salary for this post reflects its seniority and the expectation that you will work the hours needed given the requirements of the post."
We do not expect that we will pay overtime or additional hours to staff in these roles.