As a Police Staff member you will enjoy the following benefits:
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
South Wales Police prides itself on being an equal opportunities employer, which provides equality of opportunity for all.
Were also pleased to be recognised as a double tick employer and have given a commitment to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job.
PAY AND ALLOWANCES
The pay of police staff is determined by the Police Staff Council. Pay is reviewed annually and pay awards are normally effective from 1st September.
Annual increments are effective on 1st April every year until the maximum of the grade is reached unless appointed between 1st October and 31st March then you will receive your 1st increment 6 months from the date of appointment. Subsequent increments will be on 1st April until maximum of the grade is reached.
You are paid monthly by credit transfer.
PENSION SCHEMES
You will be offered the opportunity to join a Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS), which is administered by Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council on behalf of the Police Authority.
HOURS OF WORK
Your normal hours of work are one of 37 hours per week. With an unpaid meal break which must be a minimum of 20 minutes.
PART TIME WORKING
Police Staff may be able to work part time although some request may be refused for operational reasons. As a general rule the, the same terms and conditions of service should apply to part time staff as apply to full time staff, where appropriate on a pro rata basis.
You can apply to join the police staff as part time and the annual salary is that of a full time police staff calculated on a pro rata basis.
JOBSHARE
Job-sharing is an arrangement whereby two employees share the work of one full-time position, dividing pay and benefits between them according to the time each works. Job-sharing can involve splitting days or weeks or, less frequently, working alternate weeks.
OVERTIME
Overtime is not payable for Senior Officers (SCP 29 and above) and above.
ACCOMODATION & POSTINGS
It is a condition of your employment that you may be required to work anywhere in the area of the South Wales Police, that would stand the test of reasonableness, as may be directed in accordance with the terms of the mobility clause. Excess travelling will be paid under this agreement at the lowest prevailing mileage rate per mile or public transport costs.
DISQUALIFICATION FOR APPOINTMENT
The police service expects of each member of staff conduct which is of the highest standard and which at all times will maintain public confidence in the conduct of police service employees and avoid behaviour likely to discredit the police service or interfere with the impartial discharge of their duties.
All posts within South Wales Police are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and are made to you subject to the following;
That you have made a true disclosure of all criminal offences. Should you not have a true disclosure of offences, then your employment may be terminated immediately.
REQUIREMENTS ON APPOINTMENT
Any organisation that promotes, as part of its constitution, discrimination against any person by virtue of their race, creed, colour or religion clearly contradicts with the general duty to promote race equality and it is unacceptable to the service for any member of police staff to be an active member of such an organisation.
Unacceptable organisations include: the British National Party, Combat 18 and the National Front. Active memberships could involve activities such as: the participation in leaflet drops, meetings, fund raising, and speaking on behalf of or writing articles for the said organisation. These activities remain unacceptable, regardless of whether or not an individual is a formal member of the stated organisations.
You shall not at any time during your employment (except insofar as you are required to do so as part of your duties) or at any time after your employment has terminated for any reason whatsoever disclose to any person confidential information as to the practice business service or affairs of South Wales Police.
Subject to the provisions of the Patents Act 1977 and the Registered Designs Act 1949 and the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or any modification for the time being in force if at any time during employment with South Wales Police (Authority) you alone or in participation with others, either employees, members, clients or partners of the force, produce, make, discover or manufacture any invention, intellectual property goods or thing capable of ownership all such rights shall vest in South Wales Police Authority and/or the Chief Constable and you shall pass all information in your possession to South Wales Police upon written request and in any event at the termination for whatever reason of your employment.
Even if the invention belongs to the employer, the employee may apply to the Comptroller of Patents (or Patents Court) for an award of compensation.
The copyright of any intellectual, training/IT programmes and written material produced by you in the course of your employment shall be vested in the Force.
PROBATION
The probation period will apply to all new appointments both temporary and permanent to South Wales Police Authority – except where an employee has continuous service in another police force.
Confirmation of your appointment will be subject to satisfactory completion of a period of probationary service of 6 months. If a satisfactory performance is not achieved during the 6 month probationary period, then it may be extended in exceptional circumstances, by a further 3 months.
During your probationary service you will be expected to establish your suitability for the post to which you have been appointed. During this period employment can be terminated by you or South Wales Police. In either case the appropriate termination notice must be given. You should note that the Disciplinary Procedure does not apply during the probationary period, or any subsequently agreed extension of the probationary period. However conditions required in the dispute regulations would apply.
Therefore in the event of your performance not being satisfactory South Wales Police reserves the right to terminate your employment or to extend the probationary period.
ANNUAL LEAVE
Annual leave entitlement is 24 working days, increased by 5 working days after 5 years continuous service and pro rata according to the number of full calendar months in your leave year.
If you are a part time employee, your annual leave will be pro-rata the full time equivalent. Your annual leave entitlement will be agreed with and authorised by your Line Manager, and where necessary, will be converted into hours and minutes by your Line Manager.
If you commence employment part way through your leave year, then you will be entitled to your annual leave pro rata according to the number of full calendar months remaining in your leave year.
Annual leave will be taken subject to the demands of the service, and may not always be allowed on the dates requested. Early applications will help minimise difficulties.
STATUTORY/EXTRA STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
You are entitled to eight statutory holidays, in addition to your annual leave, which are New Years Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday Monday, Summer Holiday Monday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.
You may be required to work on statutory or extra statutory public holidays where conditions for your particular group of employees exists for you to do so or if required by South Wales Police in order to meet the needs of the service.
If you are a part time employee, you are entitled to a pro-rata entitlement, calculated in hours and minutes and agreed with your Line Manager.
MATERNITY LEAVE
Women Police Staff are entitled to maternity leave. Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) of 26 weeks’ duration and all employees are also entitled to 26 weeks Additional Maternity Leave (AML), which will start at the end of the ordinary maternity leave; i.e. a total of 52 weeks’ maternity leave entitlement. Maternity leave shall commence no earlier than 11 weeks before the EWC or from the time of childbirth if that is earlier.
Women police staff are entitled to are entitled to 39 weeks Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) if they have more than 26 consecutive weeks at the 15th week before EWC) and average earnings above the Lower Earnings Limit for NI contributions. Payments for employees who have completed 1 year’s continuous service at the 11th week before the EWC shall be entitled to Occupational Maternity Leave and Pay as follows:
For the first 6 weeks of absence an employee shall be entitled to nine-tenths of a week’s pay offset against payments made by way of SMP (or Maternity Allowance for employees not eligible for SMP).
Women police staff who declare in writing that she intends to return to work will for the subsequent 12 weeks receive half a week’s pay in addition to SMP except where the combined pay and SMP (or Maternity and any dependant’s allowance if not entitled to SMP) exceeds full pay.
The remaining 21 weeks will be at SMP rate. Please note that the maternity payment period extends into the first 13 weeks of the Additional Maternity Leave Period where taken.
All women police staff have the right to return to the job, in which they were employed before becoming pregnant, under her original contract of employment and on terms and conditions no less favourable than those which would have been applicable had she not been absent.
MATERNITY SUPPORT LEAVE
An individual who is the child’s father, the partner/Civil Partner or nominated carer of an expectant mother is entitled to maternity support leave, at or around the time of birth. A nominated carer is the person nominated by the mother to assist in the care of the child and to provide support to the mother at or around the time of birth. An individual with 26 weeks continuous service at the 15th week before the EWC is entitled to maternity support leave of 2 weeks. The leave is made up of 1 week full pay (including Statutory Paternity Pay) and 1 week SPP only. The individual will be entitled to SPP as long as their NI earnings in the relevant period are above the Lower Earnings Level.
ADOPTION LEAVE
Adoption leave allows the principal carer of an adoptive child to take a period of leave to help the child settle into the family and adjust to new circumstances.
Leave may be required prior to adoption to make arrangements with the agencies concerned. Part of the leave entitlement, therefore, may be taken prior to the adoption date by local arrangements with managers. The remainder of the adoption leave must be taken within the first 12 months of the date of adoption.
All police staff are entitled to adoption leave of 4 weeks with full pay (including Statutory Adoption Pay).
Staff with more than 26 weeks’ continuous service at the end of the week they are notified of having been matched with a child, are entitled to:
- A further 22 weeks’ ordinary adoption leave at Statutory Adoption Pay rate
- 26 weeks’ additional adoption leave
- Statutory Adoption Pay will be payable for 39 weeks, and therefore extends into the first 13 weeks of additional adoption leave where applicable.
A member of staff who intends to return to work after adoption leave has the right to return under the original contract and on no less favourable terms and conditions.
ADOPTION SUPPORT LEAVE
All police staff are entitled to 2 weeks’ adoption support leave. The first week will be on full pay (including SPP). Staff who have 26 weeks’ continuous service at the 14th week before the notification week will be entitled to be paid for the second week at Statutory Paternity Pay rate as long as their earnings in the relevant period are above the Lower Earnings level for N.I. purposes
CAREER BREAKS
Each request for career break will be considered on its’ own merits. An employee must have completed a minimum of 2 years’ continuous service with South Wales Police and have a satisfactory level of performance before a career break application be considered for up to a maximum of five years for:
- Child care of their natural, adopted or step-children
- Care of a person in a close relationship, e.g. spouse, father, mother, partner, sibling or relative who has a parent-like relationship to the employee
- VSO or community related issues or personal work related reasons
- Personal development reasons, e.g. a course in full time education
- Other personal reasons, e.g. to travel.
SICK LEAVE
Your entitlement to sickness allowance is as follows;
- During the first year of service:
1 month’s full pay and (after completing 4 months’ service) 2 months’ half pay
- During the second year of service:
2 months’ full pay and 2 months’ half pay
- During the third year of service:
4 months’ full pay and 4 months’ half pay
- During the fourth and fifth year of service:
5 months full pay and 5 months half pay
- After five years service:
6 months’ full pay and 6 months’ half pay
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
The Occupational Health Unit provides access to specialist occupational health physicians, nurses and counselling and trauma advisors who are available to provide appropriate support to staff and advice on health related matters
MEMBERSHIP OF TRADE UNIONS
The South Wales Police supports the system of collective bargaining and believes in the principle of endeavouring to resolve problems by discussion and agreement. For practical purposes this is conducted by representatives of the employers and the employees. If collective bargaining of this kind is to continue and improve, it is essential that the employees are fully represented. South Wales Police Authority is associated with other police authorities and represented on the national and provincial councils dealing with police authorities’ services. You are, therefore, encouraged to be a member of a trade union representing you on the appropriate negotiating body.
Current Unions that are recognised by South Wales Police are:
Unison
GMB
SUPPORT NETWORKS
The following support groups have been set up within South Wales Police:
Black Police Association Tel: 01656 65555 Extension 20123
Female Police Association Tel: 01656 305828
Gay Staff Network Tel: 01656 305828
Ability Support Network Tel: 01656 305828
Christian Police Association Tel: 029 20 222111
DEVELOPMENT
South Wales Police believes that providing staff with increased skills, knowledge, qualifications and competence will ultimately lead to our customers receiving a better service and our workforce feeling motivated and engaged. As a result we can offer a wide range of developmental opportunities.
Electronic Personal Development Review (EPDR). The post holder will be subject to annual appraisal which will incorporate a review of the above duties and performance of the post holder.