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House of Lords

Session 2007-08 Publications on the internet House of Lords Handbook publications

House of Lords Staff Handbook - Seventeenth Edition

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES CHAPTER 1: LEGISLATION APPLICABLE TO STAFF Employment protection etc. Industrial relations Diversity, equal opportunities and harassment Recruitment, selection and promotion Equal Opportunities and Diversity Officer Complaints of discrimination and harassment Disability CHAPTER 2: APPOINTMENT Induction courses Probation The purpose of probation Termination of probationer's employment Data Protection and Freedom of Information CHAPTER 3: PAY, ALLOWANCES AND EXPENSES Introduction Pay Senior staff Fast Stream and Library clerks Catering grades Grades A-D Pay negotiations Monthly pay Weekly pay Overpayments Compensation - repayment of pay following an accident Voluntary deductions from pay Advances of pay before Christmas Allowances Accountancy Allowances Deputising Allowance Recruitment and Retention Allowance Overtime and night duty payments Annual Night Allowance Authorised hours Overtime Saturday payments Overtime in the Refreshment Department Expenses Staff travel and subsistence Travel Emergencies Payments Compensation for disrupted, cancelled or delayed holidays Compensation for damage to personal property CHAPTER 4: PENSIONS House of Lords Staff Pension Arrangements Stakeholder pensions Partnership pension accounts CHAPTER 5: HOURS, HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL LEAVE Hours of attendance Working Time Regulations 1998 Homeworking Annual holiday Recesses Paid and unpaid special leave Leave to observe religious festivals Performance of Public duties Participation in elite sporting events Sick absence Sick leave Notification of sick absence Action by staff when the House is sitting Action by staff during annual holiday or when the House is not sitting Recording sick absences Action on return to work Return to work interviews Staff on probation Staff with a disability If attendance does not improve Rehabilitation after sick absence CHAPTER 6: MATERNITY, PATERNITY, ADOPTION AND CARING Maternity Provisions General Pregnancy Duties of managers in relation to expectant and new mothers A suitable place to rest Maternity leave Starting maternity leave Paid ordinary maternity leave Additional maternity leave Returning to work after maternity leave Annual leave entitlements during paid maternity leave Definition of birth Preservation of continuous employment Statutory maternity pay (SMP) Paternity and adoption leave Paid paternity leave Statutory paternity leave and pay Adoption leave and pay Parental and caring responsibilities Requests to work flexibly Unpaid parental leave Unpaid leave for the care of dependants Childcare Vouchers Help with extra childcare costs incurred during training CHAPTER 7: FACILITIES FOR STAFF Access to facilities Black Rod's Garden Chapel of St Mary Undercroft ("Crypt Chapel") Clock Tower Library Prayer Room St Margaret's Church Terrace Blood donation Car parking Cash dispensers Catering Civil Service Benevolent Fund Civil Service Club Civil Service Lifeboat Fund Civil Service Sports Council Civil Service societies and associations Financial assistance for purchase of season tickets and bicycles Further and higher education House of Lords Retired Staff Association Late-night car service Line of Route Lost property Post Office References Refreshment Department gift shop Sports and social club Staff magazine Staff Notice Boards Staff Rooms Travel Office Welfare fund Welfare Officer Westminster Gymnasium CHAPTER 8: HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK General policy Health and safety training Health and Safety Officer Health and Safety Committee Occupational health Risk assessments Accidents Accidents/Incidents outside work Medical facilities and first aid Eye tests for display screen equipment users Physiotherapy Service Health checks for staff over 55 Infectious disease HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis B Refreshment Department: food hygiene regulations Smoking policy Fire alarm system Emergency procedures for staff with disabilities Security Letter or parcel bombs Photo identity passes Guests Loss and return of passes and permits CHAPTER 9: CONSULTATION Trade union membership House of Lords (Parliament Office) Staff Association Whitley Committee Procedural agreement for negotiating pay and related conditions of service CHAPTER 10: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Staff Appraisals Annual staff appraisals and interviews: staff in Pay Spans A to E Disputed appraisals Training in staff appraisals Custody of appraisals Annual staff appraisals and interviews: Senior Staff Dealing with poor performance or attendance: inefficiency procedures General The procedure for restoring efficiency CHAPTER 11: CAREER DEVELOPMENT Posting Specialist and professional training Career breaks Job sharing etc. Family relatives and married or unmarried partners at work Secondments Promotion arrangements Method of promotion Publicity Appeal procedure Date of promotion Temporary promotion Progression CHAPTER 12: CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE General principles Acceptance of gifts Alcohol and drug misuse Arrest or conviction Bankruptcy and insolvency Behaviour Borrowing and lending money Dress Disclosure of official information, privilege and confidentiality Fraud Jury service Malpractice Next of kin, address and telephone numbers Official stationery and photocopying Personal property Political activities Private telephone calls Publications etc. on parliamentary subjects Policy on use of email and the Internet Data Storage Monitoring Email use Internet use Records Management Roles and responsibilities Where to go for help and advice Second jobs and other outside occupations CHAPTER 13: GRIEVANCE, AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES Grievance procedure Basic procedure Health and safety Discrimination Political or outside pressure Disciplinary procedure Aim General Minor offences: informal oral warnings Formal disciplinary procedures Penalties Criminal convictions Transfers Suspension from duty With pay Without pay Trade union representatives Records CHAPTER 14: TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT General Voluntary termination Resignation Normal notice by members of staff Exit interviews Retirement Right to request to remain in employment beyond normal retirement age Re-employment following retirement Early retirement - voluntary Compulsory termination Compulsory early retirement Retirement on grounds of limited efficiency Retirement on structural grounds Retirement on medical grounds Fixed Term Appointments Redundancy Notice in compulsory premature retirement cases Appeals against compulsory premature retirement Dismissal Procedures Dismissal on grounds of inefficiency Dismissal on disciplinary grounds Notice Normal notice by the employer Statement of reasons for dismissal Appeals against dismissal Last day of service APPENDIX A: FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION: ASSISTANCE TO STAFF UNDERTAKING APPROVED COURSES Reimbursement of cost of, and time off for, courses Qualifying courses Assistance provided Payments Time off and special leave APPENDIX B: MEDICAL AND FIRST AID FACILITIES: PROCEDURE IN AN EMERGENCY Medical Room Nurse First Aiders Doctors Ambulance Defibrillators First Aid facilities Stretchers and wheelchairs APPENDIX C: APPEALS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD APPENDIX D: SMOKING POLICY FOR HOUSE OF LORDS STAFF Basic principle APPENDIX E: HOUSE OF LORDS CAREER BREAK SCHEME Introduction Discretion Grounds and eligibility Length of career breaks and return to work Career breaks and maternity leave Extension of career breaks Temporary employment Effect on conditions of service APPENDIX F: TRAVEL AND SUBSISTENCE SCHEME UK Travel and Subsistence General arrangements Travel expenses Day subsistence Overnight subsistence Overseas Travel and Subsistence General Arrangements Travel expenses Overnight subsistence Day subsistence Insurance APPENDIX G: HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY Statement of Intent Policy Policy Review Organisation and responsibilities Corporate Officer (Clerk of the Parliaments) Heads of Office Managers/supervisors Employees Key staff with safety responsibilities Director of Human Resources Office Safety Co-ordinators Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Service (OHSWS) Fire Safety Manager Arrangements for implementation Strategic aims, objectives and five-year action plan Codes of practice Training Risk assessment Health and safety audits Health and Safety Committee APPENDIX H: FRAUD POLICY Purpose Definition Policy Responsibilities of management Responsibilities of staff Procedures Disciplinary action Learning from experience APPENDIX J: PARLIAMENTARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY POLICY APPENDIX K: HOUSE OF LORDS DATA PROTECTION POLICY STATEMENT Responsibilities Data Controller Data Protection Co-ordinators APPENDIX L: POLICY ON POLITICAL IMPARTIALITY AND SAFEGUARDING OFFICIAL INFORMATION Political Impartiality At national level: At local level: Safeguarding official information Information which must not be disclosed APPENDIX M: HOUSE OF LORDS HOMEWORKING POLICY FOR STAFF Occasional homeworking Regular or contractual homeworking Criteria Prior conditions and understandings Health and Safety Annual appraisal and development reviews for employees regularly working at home Disability and flexible working APPENDIX N: PARLIAMENTARY RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY Parliamentary Records Management Policy 1 Policy Statement 2 Purpose 3 Definitions 4 Organisational Scope 5 Policy Content 5.1 Decentralised Approach 5.2 Current Records Management 5.3 Disposal Arrangements 5.4 Monitoring 6 Procedures and Guidelines 7 Review 8 Related Policies/Documentation APPENDIX O: POLICY ON DISCLOSING MALPRACTICE When this policy applies How to raise your concern What happens after you raise a concern Where malpractice is found to have taken place Review Status of this policy

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