Issue - meetings

Purpose of Report

To seek approval on the proposed changes to the Councils Long Service Award Policy, following consideration by Employee Joint Consultative Committee (JCC).

Decision

That the proposed changes to the Long Service Award Policy be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

If the Council adopted the approach that continuous service dates were used for long service awards (for Transfer into the Council (TUPE’d) employees where they had transferred to City of Lincoln Council (CoLC) terms and conditions.), this could result in other employees feeling that they were being treated differently, as employees with continuous service from other organisations (who did not TUPE) would not be eligible for an award until they reached a milestone based upon their start date with the Council. However, the proposed changes were for employees who TUPE transferred (where they did not necessarily transfer to the Council voluntarily)

Reasons for the Decision

The HR team were required to continually review the Council’s policies and procedures as and when necessary to ensure they were clear, cohesive, fit for purpose, and legally compliant.

In 2015 the Council introduced a Long Service Award Policy. This policy aimed to recognise and reward long serving employees and showed appreciation for individuals with more than 20 years’ service with the Council.

The current policy only applied to continuous service at the City of Lincoln Council. Service built up from other Councils would not apply towards long service awards.

The change to the policy in relation to employees who TUPE Transferred into the Council (where they transferred onto COLC Terms and Conditions), allowed their continuous service date to be used for long service awards, as opposed to their service date with the Council. (This would take immediate affect and would be back dated for those employees to the start date of the original policy – April 2014).