37-hour working week – Briefing 4

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37-hour working week – Briefing No 4 25 September 2024

IMPORTANT UPDATE

AGENDA FOR CHANGE: REDUCTION IN THE WORKING WEEK BRIEFING NO.4 25/9/24

CALCULATION OF HOURS FOR PART-TIME STAFF ONLY

PCS(AFC)2024/2 Reduction in the working week for Agenda for Change Staff circular was updated on 24 September 2024 following agreement of the 2024-25 pay settlement.  It has been agreed that from 1 October 2024 (30 September 2024 for weekly paid staff), when the uplift will appear in salaries, NHS Scotland systems (i.e. Payroll, SSTS and eESS) will be updated so that part-time staff’s weekly working time will reflect the correct reduction in minutes staff are entitled to, and that working time and pay will once again be aligned in all relevant systems. Where a staff member’s part time hours have changed since 1 April 2024, there will be no automatic adjustment to their part time hours. National system guidance will be issued to provide the operation detail for the bulk update of part time hours. For the avoidance of doubt then, local managers should stop applying the interim approach to pay and hours worked, described at the beginning of Annex E, from 1 October 2024 (30 September 2024 for weekly paid staff).  Full details can be found here www.publications.scot.nhs.uk  In summary:

  • From 1 October 2024 (30 September for weekly paid staff) managers should no longer give TOIL.  Staff shall work and be paid the pro-rata hours as per revised STAC spreadsheet https://www.stac.scot.nhs.uk/reduced-working-week-for-part-time-staff
  • For part-time staff affected by the interim RWW as per Annex E, a national bulk system upload will be undertaken to align working hours and hours paid (Payroll, SSTS, eESS).  Managers are not required to amend any systems.
  • Staff that altered their hours out with the RWW agreement from 1 April onwards, no action is required

The Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC) Secretariat agreed in partnership a collective implementation date for the first 30 minutes for 2024-25.

The following dates for implementing the first 30 minute reduction have been agreed, and all NHS Boards should ensure they have plans in place to meet these:

• All Boards implement the first 30 minute reduction for non-rostered staff by 31 August 2024.

• All Boards implement the first 30 minute reduction for rostered staff by 30 November 2024.