Hours

As you will appreciate, the way the Parliament operates makes it necessary for different groups of staff to work varying hours and patterns.  You may therefore have to work longer hours when Parliament is sitting and reduced hours during recess periods.  For this reason we have very progressive flexible working hours (FWH) arrangements, within which you will be required to work.

Notwithstanding your individual working pattern, if you are employed on a full time basis, you will be contracted to work 1,631 hours per year, which is the equivalent to a 37 hour week, excluding breaks, annual leave and public and privilege holidays.  If you work on a part-time basis, you will be required to work the number of hours specified in your appointment letter.

Bandwidths are the hours within which staff may work and accrue time under the FWH arrangements. The bandwidth is from 7:00am to 8:00pm for all work areas and from 7:00am to 10:00pm for Sub Editors, the Deputy Editor and the Editor in the Official Report.

Annual Leave

Your annual leave allowance will be 30 days.

Our annual leave year runs from 1 September to 31 August. If you take up your appointment during the course of the leave year, your annual leave allowance will be proportional.

In addition, all staff receive 10½ days public and privilege holidays which are normally taken at fixed times of the year. If you are required to work on a public or privilege holiday special arrangements will be made.

If you work on a part-time basis, your annual leave and public and privilege holiday entitlement will be pro-rated.

As with working hours, there may be restrictions on annual leave when Parliament is sitting.  In any event you may not take annual leave unless it has been agreed, normally in advance, with your line manager.

Pension

Unless you choose otherwise we offer the opportunity to join the Civil Service pension arrangements, which include a valuable range of benefits. We will make substantial employer contributions towards your Civil Service pension.  More information can be found on the Civil Service Pensions website at www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk

Age

The retirement practice age for all SPCB staff is 65 years.  This means that, although you can still retire at aged 60 with full pension entitlement, you will not be retired until the age of 65.

Travelling and Other Expenses

We pay travelling and other expenses if you incur them whilst on official duty. However, we will not reimburse the cost of normal daily travel between home and office. Neither will we meet expenses incurred in attending for tests or interviews associated with this recruitment exercise, nor if you have to relocate to take up appointment.

Probation

You will be on probation for nine months and confirmation of your appointment is dependent on the satisfactory completion of this probation period, taking into account your job performance, conduct and attendance.

Outside and Political Activities

As an employee of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, you may not take part in any activity that would in any way conflict with the interests of the Parliament or be inconsistent with your duties and responsibilities.

You may not take part in national political activities, although you may seek permission to take part in local political activities. If permission is granted, it will be subject to the observance of general rules relating to possible conflicts between your official responsibilities and your political activities.

Health and Safety

The SPCB is committed to promoting health and safety as a priority issue. Its aim is to take appropriate and reasonable steps to ensure that it conducts its business in such a way that employees and other people who may be affected by its work are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

Data Protection

Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, information provided by applicants will be processed and stored to provide management information for recruitment and equal opportunities monitoring purposes. This information will also form the basis of the successful candidate’s personnel record. Otherwise this information will not be retained longer than it is needed and paper records are normally disposed of after 6 months. Applicants will have the right of access to any information held about them.

Equal Opportunities

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and treatment and to eliminating unfair discrimination in its employment practices. It will seek to ensure that all job applicants and staff are treated fairly, with respect and without bias. No job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment than others because of her or his: gender; gender identity; sexual orientation, marital or family status; racial group (includes colour, race, nationality, national or ethnic origin), religion, religious belief, or a similar philosophical belief (or lack of any of these); disability (unless such treatment is objectively justified); age; part-time or fixed-term contract status (unless such treatment is objectively justified); and trade union membership status/activities