Overview
Background
The government is launching a new right to take shared parental leave. The draft legislation was published on the 1st December 2014 and the right comes into force from the 5th April 2015. The University needs to develop a policy and processes to support the implementation of this right and needs to consider whether there are any system developments required.
Scope
Agree stand-alone shared parental leave policy.
Agree processes to support the delivery of SPL and pay.
Communicate processes to all relevant staff.
Identify any future system requirements.
Objectives
Initial Priority (up to 12th Feb.15)
To produce operational process flows and documentation for local HR Teams, local admin and Payroll department as required and in readiness for the launch of the policy by 2nd February 2015
To publish a process for applying for SPL by 9th February 2015 (8 weeks prior to effective date of 5th April 15).
To communicate / train relevant staff in the new SPL processes and raise awareness of the new right to employees and managers to be completed by 9th February 2015.
Decision from People Committee on length of service eligibility and SPL pay (committee scheduled for Mar.15).
To produce relevant employee/manager guidance to support applications, by 9th February 2015.
To identify any requirements for system developments by 31st January 2015 (this project would not in itself deliver the system changes).
Next Phase (From Mar/Apr.15 – following decision from University Committees)
To work in consultation with the business, Trade Unions and HR colleagues to agree a principle based policy for Shared Parental Leave which outlines the University position on length of service eligibility and SPL pay enhancement and is ratified by appropriate committees, as required i.e. People Committee, Policy and Resources Committee, CJCNC, etc.
Deliverables
HR Exec members agree/notes project outline, work/task breakdown, risk assessment and project estimations.
Identify stakeholders from the business and local HR operational representatives and invite to stakeholder meetings in Jan. 2015
Stakeholder group identify processes which will be impacted by SPL and agree new processes as required.
Develop and agree communications plan with stakeholder group and deliver, as required.
To produce data for People Committee paper for decisions relating to enhancement of pay and length of service criteria
Identify any system developments which may be required, confirm with stakeholder group. (The scoping of any system enhancements is not within the scope of this project and will be taken forward as a distinct piece of work, unless fundamentally required to deliver SPL)
SPL policy consulted and agreed with stakeholders – ratified at CJCNC and other committees as required.
Benefits
Ability to deliver information to employees and set out the University position and processes for the implementation of SPL at the point in time when requests may come in i.e. 8 weeks prior to 5th April 2015.
Provide clarity on the new processes for those administering the new scheme.
Joined up process development to ensure it is as efficient as possible.
Clear communications to ensure employees and managers are aware of the new right to SPL and that relevant employees receive training on any new processes.
System developments can be identified as part of the project and put forward to IS for future development, as required.
Success Criteria
Policy delivered to timescale agreed by HR Exec.
Processes support implementation of SPL, providing clarity for employees and managers on what they need to do and when.
Training/communications delivered at a suitable time to support the launch of the policy.
Any system developments identified and available to inform IS of future system development work.