Job Evaluation Appeals

Job Evaluation Appeals - FAQs

Q1	I am not happy with the outcome of my pay and grading as a result of the job evaluation exercise, what can I do?
Q2	When can I lodge an appeal?
Q3	My job was evaluated/assessed when it was a vacancy - can I appeal?
Q4	Will the outcomes from the pay and grading review be backdated?
Q5	How has my new spinal column point been assimilated?
Q6	Can I appeal against the fact that I have been assimilated to a specific grade point that, compared against other colleagues in the same job role, does not acknowledge all the experience I have with the Council?
Q7	Can an appeal be submitted on behalf of more than one person?
Q8	If the code attached to my job is the same code attached to a group of employees and I choose not to appeal but other members of the group appeal, will I still be affected by the outcome?
Q9	What do I do if the job specification for my job does not reflect my current responsibilities?
Q10	What if I don't agree with the job role I have been matched against under the JE Scheme?
Q11	Can I obtain the results of my job evaluation points for each factor?
Q12	Can I request a Job Specification and overview for any other job within the Council?
Q13	Can I pick an evaluation code from the published list which I feel is more appropriate to my post?
Q14	If I lodge an appeal will I stay on my current grade?
Q15	The section that I work in is currently going through a restructuring exercise. How will this affect my outcome from the Job Evaluation exercise?
Q16	Why is evidence of what other employers pay not considered by the appeals panel and were salaries for jobs compared with other organisations when undertaking job evaluation?
Q17	Is there any evidence that would not be taken into account when my appeal is considered?
Q18	If I win the appeal and the grade changes, from what date would the change be effective from?
Q19	The assimilation of my new grade has not taken into account the fact that I receive acting up allowance. Will I still receive this allowance?
Q20	Can I appeal against the fact that my terms and conditions have now changed with effect from 1 April 2010?
Q21	I'm new to the Authority. Can I appeal against the grade for my job?
Q22	I am not happy with the outcome as I have lost out on an incremental progression, can I appeal against this?
Q23	Do management have the discretion at any stage to amend the grade outcome following the Job Evaluation process?
Q24	What can I do if I have completed Step One of the process, submitted Part `A' of the Appeals Form, but I am still not happy with the outcome?
Q25	When will my appeal be heard?
Q26	When will I be notified of the outcome from the Formal Appeal?
Q27	Can I appeal against the outcome of Step 2 - Formal Appeals Panel?
Q28	Why has the new job evaluation exercise only evaluated jobs up to point 49?
Q29	When will employees who are on Point 50 and above be evaluated?
Q30	I currently work on a casual basis, am I entitled to protection?

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Q	I am not happy with the outcome of my pay and grading as a result of the job evaluation exercise, what can I do?
A	Every employee has the right to appeal against the outcome of the job evaluation exercise if they believe that their job overview does not accurately reflect their role. A copy of the Appeals Form can be obtained from: http://webintranet2/Resources/HumanResources/Advisory/Pay/JobEvaluation/Appeals+PolicyandGuidanceDocuments.htm
Q	When can I lodge an appeal?
A	You must lodge an appeal by 30 April 2010. The process details, forms and guidance can be found on the appeals section at: http://webintranet2/Resources/HumanResources/Advisory/Pay/JobEvaluation/Appeals+PolicyandGuidanceDocuments.htm
Q	My job was evaluated/assessed when it was a vacancy - can I appeal?
A	Yes you can appeal on the basis that you believe the evaluation does not fully reflect the requirements of the job
Q	Will the outcomes from the pay and grading review be backdated?
A	There will be no backdating of the outcomes. The effective date is 1st April 2010.
Q	How has my new spinal column point been assimilated?
A	Once the new grade has been determined following job evaluation, the following rules are used to assimilate you onto the new pay structure: If your current spinal column point is included in the new grade you will transfer across to the new pay structure on the same point If the lowest spinal column point of your new grade is higher than your current spinal column point you will transfer across to the new pay structure on the lowest point If the highest spinal column point of your new grade is lower than your current spinal column point you will transfer across to the new pay structure on the highest point. Your pay may be protected in accordance with the pay protection policy If your pay is not currently based on a recognised spinal column point you will be considered to be on the nearest spinal column point above your current salary and then transferred across to the new pay structure as described above
Q	Can I appeal against the fact that I have been assimilated to a specific grade point that, compared against other colleagues in the same job role, does not acknowledge all the experience I have with the Council?
A	No, as it is not in conflict of the grade outcome.
Q	Can an appeal be submitted on behalf of more than one person?
A	Yes, group appeals can be submitted providing everybody does the same job. You cannot put in both an individual appeal and a group appeal for the same job.
Q	If the code attached to my job is the same code attached to a group of employees and I choose not to appeal but other members of the group appeal, will I still be affected by the outcome?
A	Yes - all employees who have been allocated the same generic code in the job evaluation exercise will have the same opportunity to appeal against the outcome. Any changes made to an evaluation as a result of an appeal will affect all employees who have been allocated the same generic code.
Q	What do I do if the job specification for my job does not reflect my current responsibilities?
A	If you have clear evidence which supports your claim including dates when any additional responsibilities were taken on, then you should arrange to meet with your Line Manager to discuss this under Step One of the Appeals Process. An outcome from this meeting could be that an amended job specification with supporting evidence is attached to Part `A' of the Appeals Form. Agreement needs to be reached by both the Line Manager and employee(s), where a revised job specification is submitted. Both the employee and the Line Manager should sign Part `A' of the Appeal Form and this should then be passed to the Service Manager who will forward the form to the Pay and Reward Team for evaluation/ moderation. You and your Line Manager will be advised of the outcome.
Q	What if I don't agree with the job role I have been matched against under the JE Scheme?
A	If you consider that you have been slotted/matched against the wrong job you have the right to appeal the decision under Step One - Part `A' of the Appeals Process. Agreement needs to be reached by both the Line Manager and employee(s) where a revised evaluation code is submitted. Both the employee and the Line Manager should sign Part `A' of the Appeal Form and this should then be passed to the Service Manager who will forward the form to the Pay and Reward Team. In any event, you will need to discuss this with your Line Manager, as soon as possible.
Q	Can I obtain the results of my job evaluation points for each factor?
A	The results of all job evaluations can be accessed at: http://webintranet2/Resources/HumanResources/Advisory/Pay/JobEvaluation/HowtoRetrieveJEPoints.htm
Q	Can I request a Job Specification and overview for any other job within the Council?
A	No - you can only request a Job Specification and overview for your own job.
Q	Can I pick an evaluation code from the published list which I feel is more appropriate to my post?
A	No - all jobs within the Council have been evaluated against the specific Job Specification which relates to the role and responsibilities of that particular job.
Q	If I lodge an appeal will I stay on my current grade?
A	The new grade applied to your post, as a result of the job evaluation exercise, will be effective and applied from 1 April 2010 and the agreed two year protection will apply. Any adjustment subsequently agreed which results in either an increase in grade or a decrease in grade would be backdated to 1 April 2010.
Q	The section that I work in is currently going through a restructuring exercise. How will this affect my outcome from the Job Evaluation exercise?
A	Your job evaluation outcome is based on the job you were in whilst this exercise was undertaken. If following this exercise, your job is included within a restructuring exercise, then your Line Manager/Headteacher will advise you of this in accordance with the organisational change procedures which can be accessed at: http://webintranet2/Resources/HumanResources/Advisory/Consultants/WorkforceMgmt/Default.htm
Q	Why is evidence of what other employers pay not considered by the appeals panel and were salaries for jobs compared with other organisations when undertaking job evaluation?
A	To ensure fairness and equality we can only compare against other jobs within our own organisation. There are too many factors to consider when looking at salaries of external organisations. Some examples are: Different job responsibilities Other pay elements Different evaluation schemes Different conventions and method of applying the scheme Converting the outcomes to a pay structure
Q	Is there any evidence that would not be taken into account when my appeal is considered?
A	The following will not be taken into consideration at your appeal:  Comparability with other jobs outside of the Council  Seeking to restore previous salary  Dissatisfaction with the pay level as a result of job evaluation (as a sole reason, evidence would be required)  Any grounds not related to the job, for example personal performance
Q	If I win the appeal and the grade changes, from what date would the change be effective from?
A	The changes would be effective from the 1 April 2010.
Q	The assimilation of my new grade has not taken into account the fact that I receive acting up allowance. Will I still receive this allowance?
A	All existing payments for acting up and honoraria payments will cease on 31 March 2010. Managers have been requested to re-submit details if they wish the arrangements to continue. If you do continue to receive an acting up or honoraria payment, the amount is likely to be different to what you currently receive, as the basis upon which the amount is calculated (your pay and the pay of the higher graded job) may have changed.
Q	Can I appeal against the fact that my terms and conditions have now changed with effect from 1 April 2010?
A	No - The Pay and Grading Appeals process only relates to your new grade as a result of the new job evaluation outcome.
Q	I'm new to the Authority. Can I appeal against the grade for my job?
A	If you were appointed to a post prior to 1 April 2010, then you can still appeal if you believe that the evaluation does not fully reflect the requirements of the job. Employees appointed as from 1 April 2010 will be appointed on the new grading structure.
Q	I am not happy with the outcome as I have lost out on an incremental progression, can I appeal against this?
A	You cannot appeal against the implementation decisions taken. You can only appeal against the grade of your job.
Q	Do management have the discretion at any stage to amend the grade outcome following the Job Evaluation process?
A	No, there is no longer any discretion to increase or decrease the grade. If management do not feel that the evaluation outcome is reflective of the role and responsibilities, then they should contact the Pay and Reward Team who can provide feedback on the evaluation and advise on the content of the job specification
Q	What can I do if I have completed Step One of the process, submitted Part `A' of the Appeals Form, but I am still not happy with the outcome?
A	If you have been through Step One of the Appeals process and you are still unhappy with the outcome, then you can progress to Step Two by completing Part `B' of the Appeals Form and sending this to the Pay and Reward Team, Room 75, County Hall Wakefield. You will then be asked to attend a Formal Appeal Hearing to present your case. Your Line Manager/Headteacher will also be asked to attend the hearing.
Q	When will my appeal be heard?
A	Appeal Panels will sit from April, 2010. Whilst it is difficult to predict timescales without knowing the number of appeals, it is intended that appeals will be processed as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Q	When will I be notified of the outcome from the Formal Appeal?
A	The decision of the appeal panel will be communicated to the employee(s) in writing within 20 working days of the Appeal Hearing.
Q	Can I appeal against the outcome of Step 2 - Formal Appeals Panel?
A	The decision of the Formal Appeal Panel will complete the Council's Pay and Grading Appeals Procedure.
Q	Why has the new job evaluation exercise only evaluated jobs up to point 49?
A	The National pay spine applicable from 1 April 1997, for the NJC for Local Government Services, only goes up to spinal column point 49. The Pay and Reward Steering Group, in common with many other Councils, determined that the scope for this phase of the pay and grading exercise would be up to spinal column point 49. There is also the view that the job evaluation scheme is not suitable for the higher levels of management
Q	When will employees who are on Point 50 and above be evaluated?
A	The organisation will determine when posts above Point 50 will be evaluated.
Q	I currently work on a casual basis, am I entitled to protection?
A	No - no protection is applicable.