worker handbook - staffline.co.uk
TRANSCRIPT
WORKER HANDBOOK
Version 10 – July 2021
WELCOME TO STAFFLINE
We’re the UK’s largest recruiter and workforce provider, proudly partnering with some of the country’s best-loved brands for over 30 years.
Vwervw
Version 10 – July 2021
Contents
Welcome to Staffline 4
Your Pay and Hours 5
Holiday and Absence 10
Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour 13
Data Protection and Privacy Notice 19
Family Matters 20
Transport to Work 24
Your Pension 25
Health and Safety 27
Important Information 31
4
Welcome to Staffline
04
We’re the UK’s largest recruiter and workforce provider, proudly
partnering with some of the country’s best-loved brands for over 30
years. With branches nationwide and over 1,000 clients using our
services, we’re committed to making work simple and always
putting people first – which means helping you find the right
opportunity, right away.
Our Commitment to You
Our aim is to find temporary assignments for you. During your
employment with us, you may have a number of different
assignments.
We are dedicated to making sure you receive first-class service from
us, which is why we’ve put this handy booklet together. It explains
our commitment to you and your rights and responsibilities as a
member of the Staffline team.
We’re sure you’ll find it useful, and it should answer any initial
questions you have. However, if you do have any other questions
that aren’t covered in this booklet, contact your Staffline
representative who will be more than happy to help you.
Let’s get started.
5
Your Pay and Hours
05
Hours of Work
Working days, start and finish times and break times may change
from one assignment to the next. Your Staffline representative will
let you know your hours and the pay for each assignment before you
start the new position. These details will also be on your assignment
details form.
Occasionally, hours can be changed at short notice, so you’ll need to
be flexible. But, make sure you reach out to your Staffline
representative if you’re unsure of your shift times.
Overtime
Any overtime offered is completely voluntary. If the client asks you
to work any additional hours, contact your Staffline representative
to make sure you’re paid correctly.
Keep in mind, any additional hours you work are not necessarily paid
at a higher rate.
What do you do if you feel forced into working additional hours?
If you feel you’re being pressured into working additional hours, or
you are not receiving your rest breaks, please contact your on-site
Staffline representative for support.
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Your Pay and Hours
05
Timekeeping
It’s important you’re on time for work. If you think you might be late
for a shift for any reason, contact your Staffline representative as
soon as possible.
How do you record hours you’ve worked?
You’ll be told how you are expected to sign or clock in during your
induction or on your first day. You’ll also be told how to record your
break.
Following site procedures for recording hours is important as it will
ensure that you are paid correctly for the hours you work. If you’re
unsure of any procedures, make sure you ask.
Payment of Wages
You’ll be paid directly into your bank account on a weekly basis (on
the Friday after the week you worked); it is therefore very important
that you provide your bank details with your application.
All payments are made into the bank account you provided during
your registration. Your wages cannot be paid into someone else’s
bank account other than your spouse, partner or family member,
and as long as they are also currently working for Staffline.
7
Your Pay and Hours
05
If you didn’t provide your bank details during the application
process, contact your Staffline representative to avoid a delay in
processing your payments. Unless otherwise agreed, non-working
days, travel time and breaks will not be paid.
How will you receive your payslip?
You will be asked to provide a personal email address during the
application process; your payslip will be emailed to this address. This
will arrive before you get paid each Friday. It is therefore important
that the email address you provide can only be accessed by you.
Queries relating to your pay
If you have any queries relating to your pay or the hours that you
have worked then please:
• Firstly contact your Staffline site representative either in person
or via the contact details posted in the Staffline office or on the
Staffline noticeboard on site.
• In the event this doesn’t resolve your query, please email
[email protected] and remember to include your
name, worker number, site and details of your query.
• For all other Staffline enquiries, please call 0115 950 0885.
8
Your Pay and Hours
05
Leaving Staffline
If you no longer wish to be considered for assignments, please let
your Staffline representative know in writing. Alternatively, if you are
on a Contract for Services agreement, you can let us know via
Universe by selecting the “Make Me a Leaver” option on the
“Personal Information” screen.
Your P45 will be emailed to your registered address after the final
payment has been made to you. If you have not worked for us for 12
months, you will be deemed to have left Staffline.
The date on your P45 will be the last date that you worked for
Staffline and all outstanding holiday pay will be paid in your final
payment.
Personal details
It’s important that your personal details are up to date, so we can
contact you about available shifts and make sure you’re paid
correctly.
If you change any of your personal details, such as phone number,
home address, bank details, email address or emergency contact
details, contact your Staffline representative as soon as possible and
they will update your record.
9
Your Pay and Hours
05
Tax and National Insurance
We are required by law to deduct Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax and
National Insurance (NI) from your gross wage. The rate of tax that
you pay is set by the HMRC as a tax code. If for any reason you feel
that the tax code is incorrect then you can write to the HMRC at:
HMRC, Howard House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AB
quoting your National Insurance number, or alternatively you can
call them on 0300 200 3300. Please note that they are there to
provide advise on your tax and NI queries, for all other pay and hours
queries, please see the section above “Queries relating to your pay”
and speak to your Staffline Site Representative.
10
Holiday and Absence
06
You’re entitled to up to 5.6 weeks’ annual leave per year. This
includes bank holidays. However, many of our clients class bank
holidays as a normal working day, so you will not automatically be
paid for them. Instead, you will need to request them as holiday to
be paid.
How to request holiday
If you want to take a holiday, please contact your Staffline
representative. You may be asked to submit a holiday form. You will
need to give at least twice as much notice as the holiday period
requested.
We want to support any holiday requests, but due to our client
requirements this may not always be possible. Therefore, we advise
that you not book travel arrangements before having the holiday
approved.
How is holiday accrued and paid?
Holiday is accrued on all normal working hours. If you regularly work
overtime then you will accrue holiday pay on overtime hours.
Holiday will be paid at the average of your last 52 weeks’ normal
remuneration. If you regularly work overtime, your holiday pay will
include your overtime rate.
Payment for holiday will be made a week in arrears – the same as
normal wages. Your holiday year commences from your start date.
11
Holiday and Absence
06
You cannot be paid instead of actually taking holidays, except on the
termination of your Contract with us.
Can you carry over holiday to the next year?
Holidays cannot be carried over into the next year.
Absence
If you’re booked to work and are unable to attend for any reason,
inform your Staffline representative at least two hours before the
start of the shift.
What to do if you’re off sick
If you’re unable to attend work because of sickness or injury you
should follow this procedure:
• Call your Staffline representative at least two hours before
your assignment starts. You should give the reason for your
absence and when you’re expected to return.
• If you’re off sick less than seven days, you should complete a
self-certification form, which you can get from your GP’s
surgery, from the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
website or from your Staffline representative.
12
Holiday and Absence
06
• If you’re off sick more than seven days, you will need to get
a note from your doctor. This should be sent to your Staffline
representative as soon as possible. Doctor’s certificates
should be provided for the entire time you’re absent, and it’s
your responsibility to keep us informed of your progress and
expected return date.
How are you paid for time off sick?
You may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if:
• You have followed the correct notification procedure for
your time off sick and have scheduled shifts with the Client
• Your earnings are high enough
• You’re incapable of working for more than three consecutive
days and have a doctor’s note for periods of sickness over
seven days.
SSP is paid in accordance with current legislation and at a set rate.
SSP is only due when you are scheduled to be on assignment.
What to do if you aren’t entitled to SSP
If you’re not eligible for SSP, or your SSP has ended, you’ll be sent an
SSP1 form in the post. On the form it will say why SSP has not been
paid or why it’s ending and the last date of payment.
If you’re still off work because of illness, you can contact Job Centre
Plus on 0800 055 66 88 to make a claim for a replacement benefit.
13
Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour
07
General complaints
If you’re experiencing any problems at work or have a complaint,
reach out to your Staffline representative who’ll be able to support
you to get your concerns resolved.
We always do our best to resolve any complaints fairly and promptly,
providing you with a full response after our investigation.
How to make us aware of your concerns
1. Most issues can be resolved by speaking to your Staffline
representative.
2. If you feel you can’t talk to your manager or if your Staffline
representative is not able to resolve your concerns, please
request to speak to the Staffline site manager.
3. If after speaking with your Staffline representative and the
site manager, you feel the complaint still isn’t resolved,
please put your complaint in writing and send through to
[email protected] – our Shared Services team will
review your complaint and arrange for it to be investigated.
If you do not feel able to raise your concerns with your site contact,
please follow step 3 and email [email protected]. If you
wish to raise your complaint anonymously or it is a sensitive issue,
you might wish to raise it through Safecall (see page 15).
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Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour
07
Complaints about pay
We aim to pay you accurately and on time, but if you have any
queries or complaints, please follow these steps:
1. Discuss the matter with your Staffline representative on site.
2. If your on-site Staffline representative is not able to resolve
your query, please ask them to contact the Payroll team on
your behalf.
Equal opportunities, discrimination and harassment
At Staffline, we’re committed to treating everyone in the same way,
regardless of the following ‘protected characteristics’: age, disability,
gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation,
marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity. We also fully
respects the rights of our workers to register and participate in trade
union activities.
Staffline does not accept any unlawful harassment or discrimination
on these or any other grounds and we place an obligation on all staff
to respect and act In accordance with our policies.
Anyone who suffers from or witnesses discrimination or harassment
has the right to raise a complaint. Staffline takes such matters very
seriously and no one who makes a statement or complaint in good
faith will suffer any adverse consequences.
15
Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour
07
Whistleblowing
We encourage a free and open culture and if you need to a raise
sensitive issue, please contact the Staffline confidential helpline,
Safecall (an independent company). They operate a 24/7 and
confidential service.
For example:
• A criminal offence, eg, fraud
• Someone’s health or safety is in danger
• Risk or damage to the environment
• A miscarriage of justice
• The company is breaking the law, eg, doesn’t have the right
insurance
• You believe someone is covering up wrongdoing
You can contact Safecall:
• On the phone: 0800 915 1571
• Via email: [email protected]
• Online: www.safecall.co.uk/report
16
Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour
07
Your conduct and behaviour
When on an assignment, you’re representing Staffline, and the offer
of any future assignments may depend on your good conduct.
We expect you:
• To take reasonable steps to safeguard your own and others’
health and safety
• To comply with the client’s rules and reasonable instructions.
These will be detailed in your site induction
• To provide a good standard of care and skill in your job
• To treat the client’s staff, fellow workers, Staffline workers
and visitors with courtesy and respect
• To work with the best interest of Staffline and the client in
mind
What will happen if you fail to follow our code of conduct?
If we reasonably determine that you’ve not been working in line with
our code of conduct, you may face disciplinary action and/or have
your assignment terminated.
To access our full disciplinary procedure, please contact your
Staffline representative. Staffline reserves the right to amend it’s
non-contractual disciplinary procedure.
17
Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour
07
Modern slavery and worker welfare
At Staffline, we work with other organisations to help eliminate
modern slavery in the UK. We take the issue of labour exploitation
seriously and are totally committed to looking after and protecting
all our workers from this terrible crime.
We work discreetly and professionally to identify signs of
exploitation, and we work with the authorities to help potential
victims of trafficking and provide the evidence for cases.
We encourage all our workers to report any signs of mistreatment
through the various confidential channels. And feel free to talk to us
in your native language; we have translators at hand.
Helpline
The Modern Slavery Helpline number is: 08000 121 700
We are a business partner in the Stronger Together initiative, to help
reduce Modern Slavery in the UK. To find out more, please visit:
http://stronger2gether.org/
18
Complaints, Conduct and Behaviour
07
Ethical Policy
Staffline is committed to ensuring the protection of the rights of all
those that work for us, and wherever possible we operate above the
minimum standards required by law to ensure that our workers are
treated fairly and are safe whilst working for us.
All of our workers have access to remedy if they choose to raise any
issues of concern at any time. We take the health, safety and welfare
of our workers extremely seriously and will endeavour to support
our workers with any queries raised with our Staffline teams.
No discrimination, harassment threats or abuse will be practised or
tolerated by our Senior Management team and we will ensure that
our workers personnel data is protected and treated as confidential.
What should you do if you are asked to pay for work?
We assure you that no fees are payable by you for work-finding
services. At no time should you offer or be asked for gifts or money
in connection with any assignment with Staffline. If you’re in doubt
about any of this then please contact the Compliance department
on 0115 950 0885 or email [email protected] so that we
can address and pass on the information as part of an intelligence
picture to the authorities, as this practice is illegal in the UK.
`
19
Data Protection
08
Privacy Policy
Staffline will process your personal information to administer the
employment and/or contractual relationship with you. We may
collect, use, and transfer your personal information through
automated and/or paper-based data processing systems. Staffline
has established routine processing functions (such as processing for
regular payroll and benefits administration) and will also process
personal information on an occasional or ad hoc basis (such as when
an employee is being considered for a particular new position or in
the context of changes to marital status for example).
To view our Privacy Policy in full, please visit our website, or email
[email protected] if you would like a PDF version emailed to you.
`
20
Family Matters
09
What to do if your circumstances change?
As soon as you’re aware of any changes, such as you or your partner
becoming pregnant or deciding to adopt, contact your Staffline
representative who will be able to discuss next steps.
Maternity pay
You may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) if:
• You’ve worked for Staffline for at least 26 weeks up to and
including the 15th week before your baby is due
• Your earnings are high enough
• You are still pregnant on the 11th week before your
expected week of child birth
• You have given us at least 28 days’ notice of when you intend
SMP to start
• You have provided evidence of the date your baby is due
(this can be obtained by your doctor on a MATB1 form)
You must have stopped working wholly or partly because of
pregnancy. You cannot receive wages and SMP at the same time.
The amount of SMP you receive will be based on 90% of your
average earnings for the first six weeks and is then paid at a statutory
set rate or 90% of your earning for the rest of the time (whichever is
lower). SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks.
`
21
Family Matters
09
SMP will be paid into your bank account and will be subject to
deductions for tax and National Insurance. If you do not qualify for
SMP you may be entitled to claim Maternity Allowance.
How much leave are you entitled to?
The minimum amount of time off you must take after having a baby
is two weeks, or four weeks for factory work. Dependent on your
contract type and the length of leave, once you’ve decided to return
to work, there’s no right to return to the same assignment.
You’re entitled to reasonable paid time off to attend antenatal
appointments if you have 12 weeks’ qualifying service.
Paternity pay
Dependent on your contract type, you may be entitled to Statutory
Paternity Pay (SPP) if:
• You’ve worked for Staffline for at least 26 weeks up to and
including the 15th week before the baby is due
• Your earnings are high enough
• You are the biological father of the child or the mother’s
husband or partner
• You have or expect to have responsibility for the child’s
upbringing
`
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Family Matters
09
SPP is paid for one or two weeks at a statutory weekly rate or 90%
of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower). You are also
entitled to paid time off to accompany a partner to up to two
antenatal appointments if you have 12 weeks’ qualifying service.
Shared parental leave
Dependent on your contract type, you may be entitled to Shared
Parental Pay (SPP) if the mother chooses to end her statutory
maternity pay early and if:
• You’ve worked for Staffline for at least 26 weeks up to and
including the 15th week before your baby is due
• Your earnings are high enough
• You share responsibility for the child
• Your partner is eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay
Shared Parental Pay is paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings
or at a set statutory rate, depending on which is lower.
`
23
Family Matters
09
Adoption pay
Dependent on your contract type, if you’re going to adopt a child,
you may be entitled to Statutory Adoption Pay.
You will be entitled if:
• You’ve worked for Staffline for at least 26 weeks prior to
being placed with the child
• Your earnings are high enough
• You’ve given notice to Staffline
• You’ve provided proof or adoption
Statutory Adoption Pay is paid at a set rate or 90% of your earnings,
whichever is lower.
24
Transport to Work
10
At some client sites, we offer an optional transport to work service.
If you want to use the service, there’s a daily charge to cover the
cost.
As the charge will be deducted by a direct debit, you’ll need to
complete an authorisation form.
You can cancel or withdraw from this service at any time without
penalty. However, it’s your responsibility to cancel the direct debit.
25
Your Pension
11
Welcome to our workplace pension scheme
You may be aware that the government is keen to encourage people
to save more for their retirement and so have introduced legislation
requiring employers to enrol all eligible workers into a workplace
pension scheme.
We use Nest as our workplace pension scheme. If you’re eligible,
we’ll enrol you or you can opt into the scheme to start putting
money aside for your future.
The UK’s largest workplace pension scheme
We chose Nest because we believe they’ll protect and grow your
money, helping you save for a better retirement. You’ll benefit from:
• their straightforward, award-winning pension scheme
• an easy-to-manage online account
• extra money from us and the government through tax relief
if you’re eligible
• an investment approach that respects people and the planet
we live on.
You can find out everything you need to know about having a Nest
pension at nestpensions.org.uk.
26
Your Pension
11
Who is eligible for automatic enrolment?
To be eligible for automatic enrolment, you must:
• Be at least 22 years old, but under State Pension Age
• Earn more than £10,000 a year
• Work in the UK
• Not already be part of a qualifying workplace pension
scheme.
What do you need to do next?
After 12 weeks service you’ll automatically be enrolled into the
pension plan if your earnings are high enough, so you don’t need to
do anything.
What goes into my pot?
Paying into your workplace pension is a particularly effective way of
saving for your future. If you’re contributing, you’ll get:
• any contributions that you make, usually 4% of your salary
• regular contributions from Staffline, usually 3% of your salary
• an extra 20% of your contributions through tax relief if you're
eligible. If you're a higher rate taxpayer, you can claim even
more tax relief by submitting an HMRC self-assessment.
27
Your Pension
11
What if I don’t want to save into a pension?
If you were automatically enrolled or opted in and have the right to
opt out, you have up to 30 days after your enrolment date to opt out
and get a refund of anything you’ve contributed. The quickest way you
can do this is by logging into your online Nest account once you've
received your welcome pack.
It’s important to remember that you need to wait for your welcome
pack to arrive through the post as it contains your NEST ID which you
will need to complete the opt out process. The welcome pack
includes full instructions on how to opt out, please don’t ask your
site representative to opt out for you, they are unable to do this on
your behalf.
What if I’m not eligible?
If you don’t fall into the eligibility requirements for auto enrolment,
you can still join the Nest pension scheme depending on how old you
are and how much you earn. You just need to send an email to
[email protected] to let us know you would like to opt
in and start making contributions.
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Your Pension
11
Getting your pension on track
Retirement probably feels a long way off when you’re just starting a
new job, but it’s worth thinking about how much you need to save for
the lifestyle you want after you stop working, and then calculating
how much you need to put away each week to achieve that.
You’d be surprised to see how a little extra today could make a big
difference tomorrow.
Get on track at nestpensions.org.uk.
29
Health and Safety
12
You’ll be working under the supervision and direction of our client,
but you’ll still need to make sure you’re familiar with, and comply
with, the rules and procedures at each site. Any health and safety
rules or procedures will be explained to you at your site induction.
What are your responsibilities?
• Make sure you’re wearing the correct protective clothing
and using the necessary safety equipment. If you see anyone
else wearing protective clothing or using safety equipment
that you’re not, ask, and if it’s not available, do not work.
Instead, speak to your Staffline representative.
• Assess risks to your own safety. Stop working immediately if
you feel unsafe and report it to the client and your Staffline
representative.
• Work towards any client safety instructions and regulations.
• Report accidents and unsafe incidents to the client
• You should inform Staffline of any health conditions or if you
are pregnant, as soon as possible (but no later than the 15th
week prior to your estimated week of confinement – your
“due date”). This will ensure that we can take appropriate
actions to safeguard your wellbeing.
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Health and Safety
12
How to report an accident
If you have an accident at work, you must report your injuries to your
Staffline representative and to the client so that it can be logged. If
appropriate, the client will then conduct an accident investigation –
or we will.
Before starting any assignment, you should make sure you’re aware
of who the first aiders on-site are.
Use of equipment
You shouldn’t operate any machinery, equipment or vehicles
without the appropriate qualifications and training. If you haven’t
been given training, speak to your Staffline representative before
starting work.
Fire safety
Help to avoid fires by keeping fire doors shut and by not blocking
escape routes or fire exits. You should also make yourself familiar
with the emergency evacuation routes, fire call points, fire exits and
the fire assembly point on site.
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Health and Safety
12
Safe lifting
To reduce the likelihood of injury, always follow these simple steps
to correctly lift an item.
1. First, get a firm footing
I. Keep your feet apart for a stable base
II. Point your toes outwards
2. Bend your knees
I. Do not bend at the waist when lifting or putting
down a load. It adds the weight of your body to the
load.
3. Tighten your stomach muscles
I. Abdominal muscles support your spine when you lift,
offsetting the force of the load
4. Use your leg muscles
I. As you begin to lift, let your leg muscles do the hard
work – not your weaker back muscles
5. Keep the load close to your body
I. Keeping the load you’re lifting close to your spine
puts less pressure on your back
6. Keep your back upright
I. When lifting or lowering a load, do not bend at the
waist. And avoid twisting
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Health and Safety
12
Health and safety signs
You may see signs around the site you’re working at that are
unfamiliar to you. If you’re in doubt, ask what the sign means.
Here are the most common signs that you could see on your
assignments and what they mean.
Prohibited, ie, don’t
Warning, ie, beware
Health and safety points
Mandatory instructions
33
Important Information
Staffline helpline
If you’re experiencing any issues with your employment and haven’t been
able to resolve them from talking to your Staffline representative and
escalating to the senior manager on site, please contact us:
Write to: 19-20 The Triangle, NG2 Business Park Nottingham NG2 1AE
Email: [email protected]
Call: 0115 950 0885
Pensions
Should you have any questions regards to your pension, please contact
NEST on 0300 02 00090
HMRC
Should you have any queries with regards to your tax deductions you can
contact the HMRC on 0300 200 3300
Alternatively, you can write to them at
HMRC, Howard House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AB.