Benefits and rewards
Terms and Conditions
Working for Staffordshire County Council brings a total reward package: fair and equal pay; flexible working; generous annual leave; generous employer contribution to pension, along with leisure time benefits.
• Job Evaluation
We are currently undergoing job evaluation - an extensive project which aims to establish a fairer and more transparent system of pay, based on the idea of equal pay for work of equal value, which aims to be free of any discrimination.
• Hours of Work
Many of the jobs we offer are covered by our flexi-time scheme, which allows you to be flexible about the hours you start and finish work, as well as flexibility throughout the working day.
However, we are a 24-hour organisation and look after the welfare of some of the County's most vulnerable people. This means that in certain roles you may expect to work evenings, weekends and shifts in order to maintain our first-class services. The details of the hours of work for these challenging but rewarding roles will be included with the application information.
• Staff Benefits
We have recently introduced a new workplace benefit service youatwork. youatwork provides discounts on a host of products and services from some of the UK's top brands.
You will find great prices all year round at youatwork. Quick and easy to use from your PC at home or at the office, high street shopping has never been so good. For example, you can save:
• Up to 20% off Virgin Experience Days
• 5% off at Dixons and Currys
• Great savings on holidays, flights, hotels, city breaks and cruises.
For more information visit www.youatwork.co.uk
• Sports and Social Facilities
For less than 50p each month, which you can opt to have taken out of your salary, you can become a member of our Staffordshire Social Club and take part in organised sporting and social events. Members can use the sports facilities at Shugborough Hall at a reduced rate, and have access to the Social Club in Stafford which offers food and drink at discounted rates.
The Social Club also organise a wide variety or trips and events, which are open to all members of staff, at discount prices. Recent trips have included weekends in London to take in the shows, holidays in Northern Spain and a day out at Hampton Court - to name just a few!
As an employee of the County Council you can also access bargain priced tickets to popular tourist attractions, such as Alton Towers.
• Holiday
You will be entitled to a minimum of 23 days holiday pro rata, rising to 33 (depending on length of service and grade).
• Pension
We offer an excellent pension scheme. The Local Government Pension Scheme is a statutory, funded pension scheme and its benefits are defined and guaranteed in law. Membership is automatic for most employees (not casual employees), but is not compulsory.
Our Pension Scheme is a final salary contributory scheme providing the following benefits:
• A guaranteed, inflation proofed pension based on final pay and length of membership
• A tax-free lump sum of three times your annual pension.
• Early payment of benefits, possibly enhanced, if you have to retire early on grounds of ill-health.
• Death-in-service cover of a lump sum equal to twice annual pay.
• A pension for your husband or wife and children.
Different pension arrangements apply to some categories of staff such as those employed on Soulbury, Teaching or JNC terms and conditions of service. Details of this can be found in the application pack for these posts.
Staffordshire Web - Local Government Pension Scheme Page
• Child Care Vouchers
We launched tax free and NI free Child Care Vouchers in 2005 to help parents afford child care provision.
http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/jobs/workinghere/rewardsbenefits/
Wellbeing at Work
We care about your wellbeing, both at work and at home and offer a range of benefits and support to enable you to balance the demands of life and work. We have a range of wellbeing initiatives throughout the year and these include free flu jabs for staff who are in regular contact with vulnerable members of the public, health check-ups and themed events to support national events such as "no-smoking week".
Flexible working
Flexible working covers a range of people whose circumstances vary and can help you if you have caring responsibilities, making it possible for you to return to work and resume a career or allow you to combine paid work with an outside interest. Flexible working allows you to achieve a better balance between your work life and your other responsibilities.
Many of the jobs we offer are covered by our flexi-time scheme, which allows you to be flexible about the hours you start and finish work, as well as flexibility throughout the working day.
Supportive Leave
We recognise there are times when you may need extra time off work and we offer a range of supportive leave options. Sometimes these are dependant on length of service.
Working Parents
We know it can be a challenge to juggle the competing demands of work life and family life and we want to make sure that you get all the help and support you need.
• We offer Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave
• Adoption Leave: We recognise that adoptive parents have the same responsibilities and duties as biological parents and our policies reflect this.
• Breastfeeding: We actively support breastfeeding mum's returning to work, and we ensure that mum gets the time and facilities to continue feeding.
Compassionate Leave
We know that there may be people outside of work who depend on you, perhaps you have caring responsibilities, and that there are times when these commitments need to take priority. We offer limited paid leave in order to give you time to fulfil your short-term caring responsibilities.
Emergency Leave
Sometimes unexpected emergencies arise, which mean that you need some time off work. You might find that you have to deal with an emergency as a carer for which you need to be absent from work and we will allow you to take a reasonable amount of unpaid leave to deal with these emergencies.
Workbreak
You may need to have a longer break from work - perhaps because of caring obligations or because you have another interest you want to dedicate some time to. We recognise the benefits of retaining an experienced workforce and have introduced the workbreak scheme to encourage our staff to stay with us. The scheme allows for a complete break from work for up to twelve months without needing to resign unless you subsequently decide not to return at the end of that period. At the end of the workbreak you will be able to return to a job which is both suitable and appropriate which may, where circumstances permit, include your former post.
Job Sharing
You'd like a job, but perhaps aren't looking for full-time employment. As well as many part-time vacancies, we also offer the option of job sharing. In principle, almost any job can be shared successfully. By Job Sharing two people can share one full-time job and work permanently part-time. Job sharing allows you to enjoy the benefits of a full-time post including salary and annual leave (pro rata), sick pay, maternity leave and pension rights and to balance the your career with other responsibilities and activities. If you would like to job share, please tell us when you apply.
Counselling Service
We know there may be times when you need some extra help and support. We operate a counselling service, which is available for all of our employees, and can offer help with overcoming difficulties faced either at work or in your personal life.
Supportive Groups
Employee networks have been encouraged to develop throughout the organisation, which provide forums for mutual support, and make valuable contributions to the development of our working practices and policies.
These groups include the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Group, the Black and Minority Ethnic Workers Support and Development Group and the Workers with a Disability Support Group.
Healthcare Schemes
We currently have two healthcare schemes in place, which cover a variety of services and provide cash-for-health plans. This enables you to benefit from a shorter qualifying period for healthcare services.
http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/jobs/workinghere/WellbeingatWork/