Job Share

Job sharing can be introduced into a post in a number of ways:

• You can formally apply to job share in your current post through the Flexible Working Policy and procedure;
• You can make a joint application with an existing employee as a unit to share a post through the Flexible Working Policy and procedure
• internal/external applicants making a request for their application for a vacant post to be considered on a job-share basis through the recruitment and selection procedures;
• Two or more separate applications being made, whether internal or external, which can be matched together to form a job share unit.

You can make an application to your line manager for your current post to be considered for job sharing using the Flexible Working Policy and procedure.

If the proposal is agreed in principle the process of recruiting a job share partner will commence in line with our Recruitment and Selection Policy and procedure.

You will continue to work your full time hours in line with your existing contract of employment until a job share partner has been recruited and agreement reached with both partners on the division of the post.

If, after advertising twice for a job share partner, the remaining job share post remains unfilled then you will continue to work your full time hours and further discussions will be held about the viability of job sharing. Other flexible working options may need to be considered at this stage e.g. working 4 days per week instead of 5.

Alternatively, two existing employees may approach their manager(s) with a job share partnership proposal for one of the posts they currently occupy, to be considered in line with the Flexible Working Policy and procedure.

Where the post holders currently occupy posts on the same grade and each partner meets the essential requirements of the person specification for the post in which they are proposing to job share, the manager can consider accepting the job share proposal on a trial basis of up to 12 weeks prior to confirmation on permanent basis.

There may be circumstances where two existing post holders on different grades and skills sets approach their manager(s) with a job share proposal. In these circumstances it is inappropriate to match and trial the partners and normal recruitment and selection procedures should be followed to seek a suitable job share partner for the individuals concerned.

When a full time or job share portion of a post becomes vacant the following recruitment procedure will apply:

• All recruitment advertising for a full time/job share portion of a post, both external and internal, will include a general statement indicating that the post is available for job share (unless an exemption has been agreed).
• The Job Share Policy will be accessible for applicants to view on the ‘Job’s and Careers’ page of the Corporate Website

In drawing up a shortlist and making an appointment the provisions of the Recruitment and Selection Policy will be followed throughout.

Each candidate applying for a post on a job share basis (with or without a partner) will be interviewed and assessed individually and selected purely on merit and suitability for the post against the selection criteria.

Where a job share candidate is selected, the remaining part of the post should be offered, on a job share basis, to other applicants in strict descending order of suitability for the post irrespective of whether their original application was for job share or not.

If no suitable candidates accept the post on a job share basis, the post should be advertised again, on a job share basis.

While another job share partner is being sought the manager should consider what temporary arrangements can be made to cover the remaining hours, for example, acting up, temporary cover etc. Alternatively, the successful applicant may be requested to work additional hours up to full time basis on a temporary basis; however there will be no requirement for him/her to do so.

If, after a reasonable period of time (no less than three months, no more than six months) no suitable partner is found then the following procedure will apply:

• The successful applicant appointed on a job share basis will be offered the post on a full-time basis; or
• If the employee does not wish to accept the post on a full time basis s/he can propose an alternative flexible working arrangement for consideration by the manager, e.g. working 4 days per week instead of 5.

If neither of the above options is considered viable by the manager and/or employee and following discussion with a HR Advisor the following shall apply:

• Exploring redeployment to another vacant job share or part time post in line with the Redeployment policy and procedure; or
• Once the above options have been fully explored, the appointment of the remaining job sharer will be terminated with due notice.

Once suitable job-share partner(s) are identified by interview and it has been decided to offer the post(s), formal offers of appointment will be made subject to agreement on working arrangements, between the line manager and job-share partners.

If no formal agreement on the details of the individual job share can be reached then the appointment will not be confirmed and the post(s) shall be re-advertised.

If one job sharer leaves, the vacant portion of the job share post will be reviewed by the budget manager and subject to service delivery needs, budgetary position etc the remaining portion of the job may be offered to the other partner.

If the remaining partner does not wish to cover the full hours then the vacant job share post will be re-advertised as a job-share vacancy in accordance with the normal vacancy approval process and Recruitment and Selection Policy.

All terms and conditions of employment will be applied consistently in the same manner as a as a full-time employee, with payments, allowances and holidays being pro-rata to the number of hours worked. 

Specific features, where different, will be included in the  Statement of Particulars:

• Each job share partner will be issued with an individual statement of particulars.
• The contracted hours will be individually stated for each job sharer. The total hours worked shall equal and not exceed those of the full time post. The job description and person specification will be the same as the full time post.

All new employees will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a probation period in line with our Probationary policy and assessed in the same way as a full-time employee.

Salary will be calculated on a pro-rata basis in accordance with the grade and number of hours worked. Commencing salary will be determined on an individual basis in accordance with our Recruitment Salaries Guidance. Job-share partners may be on different pay points within the same grade based on objective criteria as outlined within this guidance.

Incremental progression will be in accordance with conditions which apply to full-time employees. Individuals who share jobs may be placed on different incremental points at commencement. Your HR team will provide advice in these circumstances.

Each job sharer would not usually be expected to work beyond their contracted hours.  However, if there is an authorised request to do so e.g. to cover sickness absence of their job share partner, then any additional hours will be paid at the normal hourly rate (no enhancements).

If a job sharer is required to work additional hours beyond the 37 hour working week or beyond the contracted working pattern that averages a 37 hour working week (e.g. rota/annualised hours) then the applicable overtime hourly rate is payable. 

If you request TOIL, then your Manager may agree this, based on the actual hours worked.

Where standby and call out is a requirement of the post, this should be shared between the job share partners on a rota basis. Payment will be made at the prevailing rate according to the agreed standby rota and individual call out. Job Share partners can agree to swap or amend their standby/callout rotas between them but must advise their manager/Careline of any such changes.

Leave entitlement will be pro-rata to the hours worked and calculated in line with our Annual Leave and Holiday Pay Policy.

Public/Bank holiday entitlement will be shared between the job share partners on a pro rata basis. If a bank holiday falls on a working day those hours will be debited from the bank holiday entitlement.

Where the job is shared on a split week basis it is likely that one job share partner will benefit from more bank holidays than their entitlement will cover. Any shortfall in public/bank holiday leave entitlement must be deducted from annual leave entitlement or additional hours worked to balance the hours.

Excess public/bank holiday leave entitlement may be booked at other times of the employee’s leave year, in the same way as annual leave.

If you job share you will be entitled to maternity leave and/or maternity pay in line with Statutory Maternity Pay Regulations and the Maternity Policy.

Job sharers will be entitled to join or remain in the Local Government Pension Scheme. However, job sharers should be aware that reduced hours affects pension benefits.

If you are full time and wish to job share you should seek advice from the Dyfed Pension Fund or Teachers Pension Scheme prior to entering a job share working arrangement so that the impact on your pension benefits can be clarified.

Applications for special leave as laid down in our Time off Policy will be considered in the same manner as those who work full-time and will be granted pro-rata to the hours worked.

Where one partner in a job share post is not at work due to sickness, maternity or other leave the remaining job sharer may be asked to work additional hours up to but not exceeding the full time hours of the post (subject to authorisation). Where one partner is on annual leave the remaining job sharer would not normally be asked to work additional hours unless it is essential for maintaining service delivery.

The job sharer is not under any obligation to undertake these additional hours.

Where it is necessary for job sharers to undertake business related travel to fulfil the responsibilities of the job, travel and subsistence will be reimbursed in line with our Travel and Subsistence Policy for authorised journeys undertaken by each job share partner.

Job share partners will have joint objectives in terms of the requirements of the role, but will have individual Helping People to Perform (HPP’s) performance appraisals. This will focus on personal contribution to the objectives in addition to exploring personal development needs and performance.

Job sharers will have access to training and study leave on the same basis as full-time employees pro rata.

Job sharing partners may apply for promotion on an individual or joint basis. Where it is a joint application they will be interviewed separately and for them both to be appointed, they both must each meet the requirements of the post.

Subject to the provisions laid down in our Employee Code of Conduct, job share employees are not precluded by their contracts of employment from accepting other employment outside their normal contractual hours.

However, under our Employee Code of Conduct there is a general requirement on all employees not to undertake additional work, which might conflict with our interests or have a detrimental effect on working with us.  You are advised therefore to pay particular attention to Sections 8 and 9 of the Code of Conduct in respect to this matter.  If in doubt seek advice from your line manager before undertaking other employment.

Working in a job share partnership does not preclude you from participating in the flexitime scheme. This should be considered as part of the application procedure and agreed by the Line Manager if it is feasible from an operational perspective.

It will be necessary to include in the contract of employment for the jobsharer a clause to the effect that, should the authority not be able to recruit a suitably qualified person to fill the part vacant job share post and if the existing jobsharer is unwilling or unable to work full-time, we reserve the right to terminate their employment under the Scheme by the giving of the appropriate period of notice, as specified in the Employment Rights Act 1996. Such action would only be taken after consultation with the existing job sharer and his/her Trade Union Representative, if s/he so wished, regarding the various options available at that time.