Service Centre Service Level Agreement

Service Standards

 

Area of HR

Service Centre

Responsible for Service

Rachel Tribe

Date

6 February 2009

 

1. Introduction

 

The transactional HR resource is the Service Centre.  This is split into faculty facing teams.   There is one team for;

 

  • Professional Services
  • The Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences
  • The Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
  • The Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics

 

The Service Centre works alongside the Advice Centre to provide a full HR service on employment issues including recruitment and generalist HR issues.  Following advice on employment and recruitment issues the Service Centre are responsible for the timely delivery and processing of HR requests relating to general HR and recruitment matters (once the necessary approval progress has been agreed).

 

Contained within the Service Centre although separate operating units are the University’s Temporary Bank of Staff and HR Reception.  Please note the Service Standards for the Temporary Bank of Workers is contained in a separate document.  This can be accessed on the HR website.

 

2. Stakeholders

  • All members of staff
  • Potential employees (through recruitment processes)
  • University management
  • Heads of Schools/Services and School Managers/Administrators
  • The Payroll Department
  • Legal Services
  • Other divisions within HR
  • Visitors

 

3.  Links Within HR

  • The Advice Centre
  • The Systems Team
  • Reward
  • Training and Development
  • Policy Development
  • Diversity

 

4. The Team

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences

Please use the generic email account for any HR queries relating to this team at hrmhls@soton.ac.uk.

 

Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics

Please use the generic email account for any HR queries relating to this team at hrfesm@soton.ac.uk.

 

Professional Services Group

Please use the generic email account for any HR queries relating to this team at hrpsg@soton.ac.uk.

 

 

 

Please note that the generic email accounts will be actioned by all members of a relevant Faculty/Professional Services Group.  Where possible an individual team member will follow an issue through from start to completion.  Within the team each person can see who can deal with specific issues so please continue to use the generic email account for further correspondence.  In the title box of the email if reference could be made to the name of the issue i.e. the name of the employee and the change or the post title that is being advertised this will be actioned accordingly within the Service Centre.

 

 

5. The Service Centre – What We Will Provide

 

The Service Centre works alongside the Advice Centre to provide for the fast and efficient processing of transactions and provides advice on routine transactional HR processes.

Specifically the Service Centre will

On Recruitment/New Employee Issues;

 

  • Handle queries from applicants once advertisements have been placed on the University’s recruitment system, HMS.  A response to applicant queries will take place with 1 working day
  • Issue letters relating to the recruitment process i.e. interview and reference letters and rejection emails/letters.  Such letters will be issued within 3 working days of receipt of fully completed lists
  • Issue contracts for new members of staff for both advertised and non-advertised posts.  They will be issued within 5 working days subject to receipt of required authorisation and all necessary employment checks including Occupational Health clearance and proof of the right to work in the UK
  • Check that all employment checks are made and meet the required standards.  The relevant checks are
  • The right to work in the UK.  To be checked within 2 working days of receipt of paperwork
  • Criminal Records Bureau. To be completed and documents checked by the HR Advice Centre 
  • Occupational Health clearance.  To be checked or sent to the Univesity’s Occupational Health Unit (as appropriate) within 2 working days of receipt).  Forms to be sent to HR by Schools/Services with HR2
  • Satisfactory References are requested within 3 working days of shortlisting for academic posts and 3 working days of interview decision by School or Service.
  • Qualifications are checked by employing Schools and Services at the time of interview and the copies then forwarded to HR.   HR Advice Centre to check that these meet the required standard.  To liaise with HR Service Centre to advise that details have been supplied prior to any offer of employment bing made
  • Issue information to new starters where appropriate.  To be issued within 3 working days from return of contract
  • Notify a School or Service when one of their posts has closed and to advise them to access the applicant details on line or to print them if they require.  Advise on how to access the job listing and whether any disabled applicants have applied.  Notification will be provided within 1 day of the post closing date.  Please note the Human Resources Department will no longer print out paper copies of applications for a post unless a special case is made for this.  A case would need to provide detailed reasons on why the post should be considered to warrant such an exception and will be subject to review and authorisation by the HR Advice Centre in consultation with the HR Service Centre..
  • Provide standard information on the University’s relocation policy if applicable.
  • Send out shortlisting packs to Schools and Services 3 working days prior to the interview date, subject to the timeframes set out in this document being adhered to
  • Send out applications which have not been made via HMS 2 working days after the date in which the post closed.

 

On Generalist issues/Actions Relating to Current Staff

 

  • Process HR forms once they have been authorised by Finance and other relevant signatories.  Fully approved and completed forms will be processed within 5 working days of receipt.  This will include changes to cost codes.
  • Issue any variation to contract letters i.e. change in hours, transfers between posts, secondments.  To be issued within 5 working days subject to authorisation
  • Monitor and issue routine letters relating to sickness pay.  To be issued within 3 working days
  • Liaise with Advice Centre on sickness cases to ensure cases correctly handled.  Ongoing
  • Issue Fixed Term Contract letters in accordance with the University Ordinance (at 6 months, 3 months and 4 weeks).  Letters to be run weekly in accordance with fixed term report generated weekly
  • Issue extension/confirmation of probation letters.  To be issued within 5 working days of receipt of request subject to supporting documentation as appropriate
  • Provide advice on routine transactional issues.  Ongoing and as requested.
  • Monitor an employee’s right to work in the UK by use of reporting in liaison with the employing School or Service (please see below for School/Service obligation and employee responsibility).  Monthly.  Contact to be made with the School/Service within 5 working days of the report being generated
  • Work with the Advice Centre to seek redeployment placements for staff at risk of redundancy.  Ongoing requirement.  Initial contact to be made within 3 working days of request from Advice Centre to progress
  • Issue letters relating to promotion/regrading/additional/HRZ increments or lump sum payments.  To be issued within 4 working days of receipt
  • In consultation with the Advice Centre issue letters to the Home Office where someone is not complying with the terms of their right to work in the UK i.e. they have a period of unauthorised absence of 10 working days
  • Make changes to an employee’s personal details if requested and approved (if required) and if access is not available on the University’s self-service portal.  To be actioned within 3 working days

 

PLEASE NOTE:  The Service Centre will not be responsible for chasing up HR forms which are awaiting authorisation.

 

Joint Recruitment and Generalist HR Issues

 

  • Submit Certificate of Sponsorship applications and extensions to the UK Borders Agency within 4 working days of receipt subject to provision of all the necessary information by employing School or Service.  Information should be provided to HR together with the HR2 or extension form via the use of new questions on the HR2 form and a new form Extension to COS which are available on the HR website.  Please note if HR are required to seek further information this will hold up the process and the timescale set above will only apply where full information has been provided intially
  • Provide advice on routine transactional issues.  Ongoing and as requested
  • Liaise with Occupational Health.  Information will be forwarded to an employing School or Service if necessary.  Information will be supplied to a School or Service within 2 working days of receipt

 

Specially Human Resources Reception staff will

 

  • Send out details on advertised posts to applicants within 2 working days (subject to provision of the necessary paperwork.
  • Respond to queries by visitors to the Department in a timely and courteous manner and, where applicable, see if there is someone available who may be able to provide further advice.  If not they will feed this back and provide the visitor with details on who to contact
  • Be responsible for closing down posts on HMS where the end date for submission of applications has occurred and all the actioning has taken place.  Three weeks from receipt of the file from the member of the Service Centre who has had responsibility for handling the vacancy
  • Record redeployees’ details on HMS
  • Add onto HMS basic contact details for applicants who have applied off-line

 

Overall Service Centre commitments are to

 

  • Deal with routine queries from employees/workers in the University.  As required
  • Deal with routine queries from external bodies i.e. mortgage providers.  As required.  Responses to written requests to be made within 2 working days.
  • Act in a courteous and efficient manner at all times 
  • Respond to email and telephone enquiries as soon as practical.  A response to a phone call or email enquiry will be made within 1 working day for routine issues and for more complicated enquiries within 2 working days.  Office hours within the Service Centre are;
    1. HR Reception – 9 – 5
    2. Main Service Centre – 9 – 5

           Every attempt will be made to deal with routine HR queries as soon as a request   is made via the telephone or email

 

 

6. Departmental/School Responsibilities

 

To allow the Service Centre to meet its objectives Schools and Services will need to

 

On Recruitment/New Employee Issues;

 

  • Complete the recruitment system, HMS with a full job description, person specification, advertisement and any other requirements that the School or Department wish to use for the post.  All vacancies must be entered onto HMS unless they are
    1. To be filled by a named individual on a research grant (and therefore do not need to be advertised.  Proof of the grant is required)
    2. a visitor post
    3. a short term post for under three months (any extension is subject to advertisement)
    4. a part time hourly paid lecturer (if this meets the criteria for this group of staff)
    5. a Marie Curie Fellowship (proof is required)

 

Once this information is entered onto the system it is subject to on-line approval process.  Once agreed a post will be placed, as appropriate, on the relevant website/media by the Advice Centre within 2 working days.  Members of the Service Centre will provide applicants with confirmation on whether their details have been received or act as a first port of call for queries on a post.  Confirmation will be provided within 1 working day.

  • Arrange interview dates, including the panel and venue and ensure that provision is made for any disabled candidates needs.
  • Provide the Service Centre with shortlisting paperwork/details at least two weeks prior to the proposed interview date.  For posts where international candidates have been selected for interview a minimum of three weeks must be provided.
  • Ensure that interviews are conducted in a manner compliant with the University’s policies and procedures.  Special consideration should be given to diversity issues.
  • Provide the Service Centre with fully completed interview summary sheets and an HR2 and completed Asylum and Immigration and completed medical declarations within 3 working days of completion of the interview.
  • Provide feedback to interviewed candidates as requested within 2 working days of the request.

 

On Generalist issues/Actions Relating to Current Staff

 

  • Undertake consultation meetings with fixed term staff.  Consultation must take place prior to the issuing of letters by HR at 3 months and 4 weeks.  HR Service Centre will be responsible for issuing letters at 6 months, 3 months and 4 weeks prior to the end of the fixed term contract.  This is a legal requirement and failure to do so could result in a claim against the School or Service by the employee.
  • Provide justification for the use of a fixed term contract where applicable
  • Monitor probationary staff and to inform the Service Centre of confirmation requests and the Advice Centre of issues which may lead to extension or non-confirmation of a probationary period.  Probationary staff should be provided with feedback at regular intervals throughout their probationary period and any action relating to the end of the period must take place prior to the end date.  Requests for extension of a probationary period should be directed to the Advice Centre as early in the probationary period as possible.
  • Immediately enter unauthorised absences into the University’s self-service portal, MyView if a member of staff has any unauthorised absence.
  • Be aware of members of staff who are subject to permission to work in the UK and who are coming to the end of their period of permission.  Follow this up with the employee, check the necessary documentation and provide a copy to the Service Centre prior to the end date of the previous permission.  In cases where there may be a problem contact the Advice Centre immediately. A report can be run by Schools or Services to access this information.  The Service Centre will provide reminders that permission is coming to an end in the same manner as currently.

 

In Relation to General Requirements

 

  • Provide the Service Centre with information in a timely manner to allow for its processing in advance of the date of the proposed change
  • Provide the Service Centre with HR forms containing all the information requested and with the necessary approvals so that they can be actioned.  Please note the Service Centre cannot be responsible for liasing with other Services to ensure that signature is gained.
  • Manage its own staff as required under University’s Ordinances and policies e.g. sickness issues and other management concerns.   The Advice Centre are  available to work with managers to provide support and guidance on specific cases and more complicated matters whilst the Service Centre can advise on routine transactional issues.

 

 

7. The Expectations of an Employee

 

An employee should

 

  • Provide the Service Centre with sufficient notice if a change is required to be made to their record.  In most instances and where applicable an employee or worker will be expected to use the University’s self-service portal, MyView, to make changes to their record.  A change will be made within 3 working days of notification.
  • Provide written confirmation of their request that they are happy for the University to disclose their details to an external body.  This should be provided prior to the request being made by the external body.  If not done so and this is requested by the Service Centre confirmation should be given within 1 working day.
  • Provide and maintain the right to work in the UK at all times.  The University will have these details but if for any reason an employee or worker is aware that their circumstances have changed or that there has been an error in processing they must bring this to the attention of their School or Service and HR.  Any request for such proof by the University must be provided immediately or the University may have no option but to consider terminating their employment.
  • Complete Occupational Health details in a timely manner when requested to do so.  Within 2 working days
  • Inform their Line Manager of any absence prior to the absence or where the absence is unplanned and due to exceptional circumstances contact their manager immediately to inform them of the situation and to discuss the way that the situation will be handled/dealt with. 

 

8. Feedback

 

If it is evident that at any stage of the processes listed above that any of the stakeholders will be unable to meet the time periods set out in this document and more time is required they must contact the School/ Service or the HR Service Centre as applicable.  Any such delay will result in later stages of the process taking longer to complete.  Please note the time periods set out in this document are the minimum required to complete the actions listed.

 

Feedback on how the Service Centre (or the Human Resources Department generally) is operating would be welcomed.  Please contact the Service Centre Manager, Rachel Tribe directly to make any comments that you would like to be considered.  Rachel can be contacted via ret@soton.ac.uk.

 

Regular meetings within the Service Centre will discuss any concerns or issues which may impact upon the delivery of these targets.