Communications - Framework Agreement

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

JOB EVALUATION APPEALS PROCEDURE

The following Appeals Procedure has been agreed in partnership with AUT, AMICUS, UNISON and the TGWU for the purpose of providing a robust and transparent process for dealing with an appeal by a member of staff against their grading following the job evaluation exercise as part of the implementation of the Framework Agreement and thereafter.

Introduction:

Implementation of the Framework Agreement - Once the first stage of the job evaluation process is completed all staff, with the exception of clinical academic staff and any other groups not presently covered by the Framework Agreement will be advised of their new grade. Information relating to other roles that have been similarly graded will also be provided for sake of comparison.

It is within the context of the agreements reached with the recognised campus trade unions that the following appeals procedure has been developed. Staff who have any questions about their grading may wish to raise these with the Human Resources Officer for their area, their trade union representative or the Framework Agreement Team via the e-mail address framework@abdn.ac.uk in the first instance as some queries may be unrelated to the appeals procedure.

The proposed Appeals Procedure has 3 stages as follows:

Stage 1: Informal Stage

The purpose of the informal stage is to enable staff to give factual information about the evaluation of their role, to explain their concerns and to seek an early resolution of their issues, if this can be achieved, in accordance with the procedures used to evaluate all other roles. It is the intention wherever possible to resolve matters informally without the requirement to proceed to Stage 2.

Where a staff member wishes to appeal the grading decision relating to the evaluation of their role they should advise the Deputy Director of Human Resources, as the project manager for the implementation of the Framework Agreement, in writing, of the nature of their appeal. Appeals should normally be lodged within 15 working days of the notification of the grading outcomes. In exceptional circumstances an extension to the timescale may be permitted.

The Deputy Director of Human Resources will then arrange for the Appeal to be considered by trained Role Analysts as quickly as possible, normally within 10 working days, after receipt of the written notification. Consideration of the appeal may involve one or more of the trained Role Analysts contacting the individual to discuss their concerns in more detail. This process would allow staff to advise the Role Analyst(s) of any factual inaccuracies or omissions in the original job description that was submitted and used to evaluate the role. This may have become necessary because of changed circumstances or a situation where the original documentation submitted was perceived to be incomplete or inaccurate in some way. The Role Analyst(s) will review all the information provided and may re-score or re-evaluate the role based on any of the additional information that is deemed to be significant as part of the job evaluation process. Where the role is to be re-scored or re-evaluated the process will normally be conducted by 1 of the original role analysts and 1 who has had no previous involvement in the case.

All individuals will be advised in writing of the outcome of their appeal. If the staff member’s concerns about the evaluation of their role have not been resolved following the completion of this Stage, they will be advised of their right to proceed to Stage 2. The intimation of the intention to lodge an appeal should be made in writing to the Director of Human Resources within 5 working days of receipt of the outcome of Stage 1, the Informal Stage. The formal written appeal, including evidence in support of the appeal, should be lodged with the Director of Human Resources no later than 10 working days after the original intimation of the intention to appeal.

Stage 2: Role Analysts Review Panel

In submitting an Appeal under this Stage of the process the staff member should set out the detailed grounds of the appeal. Appeals can be considered on the following grounds:

The original information provided to the Role Analysts was incomplete or inaccurate in some way.
The original information provided to the Role Analysts has changed as a result of restructuring or appointment to a new role.
The evaluation was flawed for some other substantial reason that must be fully specified in the submission of the appeal.

The individual cannot appeal purely on the basis that they are unhappy with the outcome of the process. Detailed reasons for any appeal must be submitted.

On receipt of an appeal it will be acknowledged and a panel of 3 including 2 Role Analysts will be established to consider the appeal. Members of the panel will have had no previous involvement in the case. The Panel will normally be chaired by a member of the Framework Agreement Steering Group and will usually meet within 10 working days of the formal written appeal being received. The Role Analysts will normally include one Role Analyst who is also a representative from one of the recognised campus trade unions.

The Panel will consider the documentation submitted and may request the appellant to attend the meeting to explain the basis of their appeal. As with all appeal hearings where the individual is in attendance they will have the right to be accompanied to the hearing by a colleague or their trade union representative. The Panel may also receive and consider information from any other member of staff that would assist them in reaching their decision.

The Panel will consider the evidence and will review the scoring and evaluation of the role, as appropriate. Role Analysts who were not involved in the original scoring of the role will undertake any re-scoring that may be necessary. In the event that the re-scoring of the role produces a materially different score that would result in the job being re-graded the staff member will be advised of the re-grading and their new salary placing.

The decision of the Role Analysts Review Panel will be communicated to the staff member in writing, normally within 3 working days of the hearing. The individual will be advised that, if the appeal has not been satisfactorily resolved under Stage 2 of the Appeals Procedure then they may request a review of their appeal by an Independent Arbiter under the Stage 3, the final stage, of the Procedure.

Intimation that an appeal will be lodged should be made with the Director of Human Resources, in writing, within 5 working days of receipt of the outcome of Stage 2, the Role Analysts Appeal Panel. The formal written appeal, including evidence in support of the appeal, should be lodged with the Director of Human Resources no later than 10 working days after the original intimation of the intention to appeal to the Arbiter. A representative from Human Resources will arrange for the Independent Arbiter to consider the case as soon as possible.

Stage 3: Independent Arbiter

The grounds on which a staff member may appeal against their job grading, by proceed to Stage 3 of the process, is that there has been a material flaw in the operation and/or application of the job evaluation procedure to that staff member. At the time the appeal is lodged the individual should clearly specify the detailed reasons for wishing to proceed to Stage 3.

The University will appoint an Independent Arbiter who has detailed knowledge of the HERA job evaluation process. The Arbiter will consider the evidence submitted and will be able to request further information from any individuals who could provide information that would allow the Arbiter to reach an informed decision on the case.

The decision of the Independent Arbiter will be final and there will be no further right of appeal.

Appeal Outcomes

Framework Agreement Implementation

Where an appeal is lodged as part of the implementation of the Framework Agreement and following consideration of that appeal the outcome is a regrading of the role, any revised grade and salary placing will be effective from the agreed implementation for the Framework Agreement i.e. 1 August 2006.

Post Framework Agreement Implementation

In the future, where an appeal is lodged against a grading decision any change in grading resulting from the consideration of the appeal will be effective from the 1st of the month of the date the grading was due to take effect.