Version 2. Updated 21 August 2013

Pay Review – Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs will be updated as further questions are raised.

Please note that almost all of the answers provided relate to Milton Keynes Council’s latest proposals, all of which remain subject to alteration as a result of the ongoing negotiations with the trade unions.

Questions about the project plan

  • This has been going on a long time, when will it take effect?
  • What is the timetable and what else needs to happen?
  • When and how will I find out what this will mean to me?
  • Are Corporate and Assistant Directors included as part of this exercise?

Questions about the job evaluation process

  • There are two new job evaluation schemes being used, how do I know which scheme has been applied to my role?

Questions about the new pay structure

  • Are there more or less grades in the new structure?
  • The new grades are shorter with only 3 or 4 incremental points, why is this?
  • There’s a new proposal about increments, what does this mean?

Questions about changes to basic pay

  • When will I know what my new salary is? Why can’t you tell me now?
  • I’m worried my pay may go down and will need to plan for this. How much notice will I get?
  • I’d read that pay protection is for two years, why is this different?
  • I work for MKSP/MKDP but because of a past or future TUPE transfer, my pay and terms and conditions are likely to be my former MKC terms at the 1st April 2014. How will the proposals affect me?
  • How many people will have to deal with a drop in their pay?
  • What about other groups of staff who are not on single status grades, what will all this mean to them?
  • Looking at the proposed pay structure, I can see my current pay point on the new scale. Does this mean that I will transfer to that grade?
  • I’ve been here a long time and am at the top of my grade, will I go to the top of my new grade?

Questions about the proposals for changes to terms and conditions

  • I’ve heard that I will lose my essential car user allowance but I use my car regularly every day and need a car to do my job.
  • Now that the reduction of sickness levels is a target for all managers, if I have genuine sickness within my team and cannot meet the target set, will I have my increment withheld?

This has been going on a long time, when will it take effect?

At the moment this is a proposal which has been jointly put forward by the JNC (Joint Negotiating Committee comprised of Councillors and Trade Unions) after a long and complicated process. The process included evaluating the jobs of about 4400 Council single status employees, some of whom work within schools and the development of an overarching pay package. There are a number of actions required yet before full agreement can be reached.

If the proposals are agreed within the anticipated timeframe then this will be implemented from the 1st April 2014.

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What is this timetable and what else needs to happen:

July 2013 / Joint proposal agreedlocally for consultation andoverview shared with staff
End of July 2013 / Unions toseek approval at national level
September/October
Early October 2013 / Management and staff briefings to take place.
Response expected from unions
November 2013 / On receipt of a positive response, all staff impacted will receive written notification of personal implications for them of revised package
December 2013 / Unions to ballot membership on package
January 2014 / JNC to consider outcome of ballot. Resolve any remaining issues and agree package and its implementation date of overall package.

When and how will I find out what this will mean to me?

Provided the earlier milestones have been achieved as reflected in the timetable, then if you are an employee in a single status role you should expect to receive a letter in November setting out the new grade and pay point for your from the expected implementation date of the 1st Aril 2014.

You will also receive a breakdown of the evaluation for your post and other information on the proposed new terms and conditions.

It is not possible to inform you of how the proposals will impact on you personally before this date due to the need for the unions to give their approval to the package prior to producing individual letters for the 4,500 or so staff affected. The decision was taken to publicise the proposed package at the stage it was put to the unions in order to be as open as possible about the proposals to all staff.

Your letter will be sent to your home address so it is important that you make sure that your correct address is showing on ESS/MSS.

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I’m worried my pay may go down and will need to plan for this. How much notice will I get?

The majority of staff will find that their pay remains at the same level, however, some staff will receive an increase in pay and some will have a reduction in pay. You will receive at least 4 months notice of what the changes will mean for you if the timetable in Q2 goes according to plan.

If the new grade for your post is at a lower level than it is currently then the proposal is that there will also be pay protection of your current basic pay for a period of 6 months from implementation.

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I’d read that pay protection is for two years, why is this different?

Pay protection for up to two years applies when someone is in a redundancy situation and they are redeployed into a post one grade lower. Based on the current proposals, the pay protection arrangements for the introduction of the new job evaluation schemes and pay structure will be for the first six months post-implementation. This protection will apply to base pay only for contractual hours.

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I work for MKSP/MKDP but because of a past or future TUPE transfer, my pay and terms and conditions are likely to be my former MKC terms at the 1st April 2014. How will the proposals affect me?

Simply put, they won’t. The proposed pay package will only relate to staff directly employed by the Council when the proposals are implemented and will not apply to MKSP staff who may be paid on MKC termsdue to a TUPE transfer.

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How many people will have to deal with a drop in their pay?

We’ve developed a pie chart showing the relative numbers of green, white and red circles. Simply put, at implementation and after being assimilated to the new scale for your role, your base pay may increase, remain the same or drop.

Green circles are those employees who will gain in basic pay.

White circles are those employees who will receive the same basic pay.

Red circles are those employees who will have a drop in their basic pay.

The pie chart above includes all Council single status employees – both those employed in Council offices and support staff in community and voluntary controlled schools. The key shows for each category, the percentage affected preceded by the actual number of staff.

Overall approximately 82% of people will either stay as they are of receive an increase in pay; approximately 18% of people will be in a position where their pay for the new grade is lower than current pay grade.

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Are there more or less grades in the new structure?

There are currently 13 grades in use for all single status posts below Corporate and Assistant Director pay levels. These grades are also applied to school support roles. Under the new proposals there will still be 13 grades. To help eliminate confusion between the current and proposed grades the new grades are ranked alphabetically from Grade A – Grade M.

Link:

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The new grades are shorter with only 3 or 4 incremental points, why is this?

The current grades (with the exception of MK1) are comprised of 7 incremental points with an overlap of 2 incremental points at the top and bottom of the grade. Changes to legislation and case law mean that such long and overlapping grades can no longer be considered acceptable. For this reason the new grades are limited to 3 or 4 incremental points. This will mean that provided incremental progression is appropriate, an employee should/will not have to wait 7 years to reach the top of their new grade.

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Are Corporate and Assistant Directors included as part of this exercise?

No, they are not, for two reasons, firstly they are on Chief Officer terms, not single status. Secondly, their roles were last evaluated using Hay two years ago and new terms implemented which removed incremental scales and additional payments. This resulted in single pay points with no incremental progression, alongside a reduction in pay for most officers at this level.

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What about other groups of staff who are not on single status grades, what will all this mean to them?

Employees who are on Chief Officer, Teachers, Soulbury and Youth Worker terms will not see any change to their pay and grading as part of this agreement. However there may be other aspects of their terms which may be affected by the changes, for example the proposal to remove essential car user lump sum payments from the 1st April 2014. For this reason all staff who could be affected by the proposals are being consulted about the proposed changes.

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Looking at the proposed pay structure, I can see my current pay point on the new scale. Does this mean that I will transfer to that grade?

No it doesn’t; the current pay point does not determine the proposed grade or pay point under these proposals. Where each employee will be placed on the proposed pay structure is dependent on the job evaluation outcome and the new grade for the job.

The JE points attributed to your role will determine the grade for your role. The proposed JE points to bands are shown on the proposed pay structure sheet, so for example if the JE points for your role are between 258 and 305 the role will be grade B.

Note: The current and proposed pay structures have not yet been adjusted to take account of the recently agreed (2013) pay award of 1%.

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There are two new job evaluation schemes being used, how do I know which scheme has been applied to my role?

When you receive your letter you will see the breakdown of the evaluation and will know which of the schemes has been applied to your role. Broadly speaking all roles were first evaluated using the NJC scheme. Where NJC points exceeded 637, the HAY scheme has been applied. Your notification letter will inform you which scheme was used to evaluate your role.

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I’ve heard that I will lose my essential car user allowance but I use my car regularly every day and need a car to do my job.

The proposals are to remove the essential car user allowance and pay the HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) rates instead. (45p per mile for first 10k miles, then 25p per mile.)

The contractual obligation for you to fulfil your duties as described within the individual role profile and terms and conditions of employment will remain.

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There’s a new proposal about increments, what does this mean?

The proposal is that the incremental date will move from 1 April to 1 October, with the first opportunity for progression under the new arrangements from the 1st October 2015. Incremental progression will not be automatic – certain criteria will need to be met as follows:

The performance appraisal for the preceding year has been completed and key objectives met to an acceptable level

At least an ‘expected behaviour’ level met within the Milton Keynes Council Competency Framework

There are no current performance issues being addressed through formal performance review meetings.

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Now that the reduction of sickness levels is a target for all managers, if I have genuine sickness within my team and cannot meet the target set, will I have my increment withheld?

Managers are expected to manage sickness absence in terms of supporting employees back to the workplace, recording absence promptly and accurately, maintaining contact with employees when they are off sick, seeking Occupational Health support as appropriate, conducting ‘return to work’ interviews etc. Where managers have taken all action required by the council’s Managing Attendance policy and toolkit, incremental progression will not be with-held.

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I’ve been here a long time and am at the top of my grade, will I go to the top of my new grade?

Not necessarily; your new salary will depend on both your current salary and the new grade for your role. If the new grade overlaps with some of the pay points of your current grade, then you will go over to the point with the same value, or if this does not exist, the nearest point above on the new grade. However, if your current pay point is lower than the bottom point of the new grade then you will be placed on the bottom point of the new grade, irrespective of your length of service. If the pay points for your role are lower than your current pay then you will be put on the highest point of the new grade and your basic pay will be protected for a period of six months.

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