JOBSHARE

The Authority has agreed a Jobshare policy, in consultation with the Teachers' Unions, which all non-LMS schools and services are required to follow, and which has been strongly recommended to schools which have fully devolved budgets. School reps may, therefore, need to press for governors to develop and publish a jobshare scheme for their school based on LEA guidelines, which all Heads will have received. Copies are available to Reps from the Union office if required.

An Outline of the Authority Guidelines is as follows:

Jobsharing exists when two permanent teachers share the responsibilities of one permanent full-time job. They share the pay and benefits applicable to that job depending upon the hours they work (eg 50:50, 60:40)

DEFINITION OF JOBSHARING

Jobsharers are not part-time workers - there are fundamental contractual differences between the two, which largely result in increased benefits for job sharers, particularly as regards security of employment and job prospects i.e:

1. A Jobshare scheme should cover all permanent posts within a school and therefore, a jobshare post should be able to attract allowances in the same way as any other post. Individual posts within the school can be excluded from jobshare by Governors (often Governors would, for example, wish to exclude the posts of Headteachers and Deputy but a tribunal has ruled this unreasonable in the case of one Headteacher wishing to reduce her hours because of family commitments) They should decide upon such exclusions at the time the scheme is set up, not on an ad. hoc. basis.
2. If one partner leaves, the remaining partner can, if s/he wishes, resume full time work by taking over the remainder of the post. If s/he decides not to do this, then the vacant part of the post should be advertised and filled in the normal way. Part of the job does not disappear when one partner leaves.
3. The job description for a job share post should be the same as that for the established post - it is the duties which are divided, not the post itself.

HOURS OF WORK/DIVISION OF DUTIES

This is the area which can cause most problems for a school rep when a new jobshare is set up. Obviously variations are possible when a permanent post needs to be fairly and efficiently split. The actual hours of work and timetabling of duties are decided by the Head in consultation with the jobsharers and negotiation may be necessary. Some points to bear in mind are:

• The combined total of hours worked should not exceed 1265 in a year.
• Jobsharers may be asked to work additional paid hours to cover a partner's absence. This is entirely voluntary and if it is declined, the normal cover arrangements for the school apply.
• Division of duties should be equal in weight and difficulty (particularly important when the post includes additional duties for an allowance) and both partners attend INSET, parents meetings and some staff meetings.
• Handover, liaison or overlap time may be necessary, preferably at least once a week. This would be classed as non-contact time and must be agreed with the Head.

POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN MOVING TO JOBSHARE

The hours worked on jobshare may have an effect upon an individual's employment and pension rights. The LEA will give advice on this, as will the Union. Any full-time employee considering moving to jobshare would be well advised to find out beforehand how they would be affected.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE ONCE JOBSHARING EXISTS

The Conditions of Service applicable to the full-time post which is shared will apply to both jobsharers on a pro-rata basis.

PAY: Jobsharers should individually be appointed to the appropriate incremental point, depending upon the service record of each. Both partners will share any allowance applicable to the job .

LEAVE ENTITLEMENT: Jobsharers (dependent upon qualifying service) have the same entitlement to sick pay, maternity pay etc. as full timers. Payments should be on a pro-rata basis.

INSET: Jobsharers have the same access to INSET as full timers.

HOLIDAYS: Partners should ensure that holiday benefits are shared equally (e.g. MayDay)

REDEPLOYMENT: Should be in accordance with national conditions of service and local agreements covering full-time staff.

SUPERANNUATION: As pointed out above, a move to jobshare could affect a teacher's pension. Contact the Union/LEA on this for individual advice.

GRIEVANCES: Jobsharers have the right under the Grievance Procedure to raise a concern about how a jobshare scheme is being interpreted or applied at their school.

RECRUITMENT AND JOB SHARE

Once a scheme is set up, all posts, which are not specifically excluded, should be advertised as open to jobsharers (either to jobsharers only or to both jobsharers and fulltimers).

Each person sharing a post should have the necessary experience and qualifications to perform the full range of duties of the post. Applicants who apply in pairs should be interviewed individually in the first instance, though they may be seen together at a later date.

DO YOU REALLY HAVE A JOBSHARE?

This section describes true jobshare. We are aware that there may be members who believe themselves to be jobsharing but who, in fact, are employed on a part-time basis. They need to check with the Head/Authority the basis of their contract. Members who remain in "pseudo jobshare" posts are missing out on valuable benefits.