Regrading Policy and Procedure

Index:

Management, Professional, and Administrative (MPA), Technical and Related and Operational Job Families

1. Introduction

The Regrading Policy aims to:

(i) reflect the University's commitment to maintain and improve motivation, morale and job satisfaction, and to operate within a framework that is consistent, transparent and fair; and

(ii) reflect equality of opportunity with respect to pay, development and career progression for all staff.

The Policy is not intended to address issues related to rewarding outstanding performance, etc. The Recognition and Reward Policy appropriately makes provision for rewarding such performance and can be found at: (include web link to new R&R Policy once agreed).

1.1 Equal Opportunities

The University of Glasgow is committed to promoting equality of opportunity in all its activities and aims to provide a work, learning, research and teaching environment free from discrimination and unfair treatment. Procedures for advancement, promotion and progression are intended to be fair, transparent and consistent with the University's Equal Opportunities Policies.

Against this background, all members of staff will be treated fairly and equitably and decisions on advancement, promotion and career management will be based solely on individual ability, effective performance and the needs of the University, irrespective of employment or contractual status and personal circumstances i.e. part time, fixed term, career breaks, etc. Further, the University monitors ethnic origin and disability as well as gender in relation to the outcome of applications for promotion and reviews promotion and career development trends and statistics to ensure the criteria against which decisions are taken remain objectively justifiable and lawful in accordance with equal opportunities and discrimination legislation.

2. Purpose and scope

2.1 This procedure reflects the University's commitment to reward all members of staff fairly in relation to the roles to which they are appointed. This commitment is reflected in the University's recognition that roles do not always remain static and may change in relation to the range, complexity and level of duties, accountabilities and responsibilities. Such changes may require a review of the grade of the posts.

2.2 This procedure defines the principles and process to follow where the grading of a current post is deemed to be inappropriate as a result of a significant and permanent qualitative change to the level of duties and responsibilities of an individual post or group of posts. It should be noted that an increase in the volume of work (i.e. a quantitative change) undertaken by the postholder would not necessarily result in an increase in the job size sufficient to warrant regrading.

2.3 This policy applies to all staff in the Management, Professional and Administrative (MPA), Technical and Related and Operational Job Families.

2.4 A separate promotion policy is in place for staff in the Research & Teaching Family.

2.5 Recategorisation

A member of staff currently assigned to the Research & Teaching job family, who wishes to be considered for recategorisation and/or possible regrading to a different job family should apply under this policy, following the appropriate procedures outlined in this document.

2.6 Members of staff who wish to be considered for recategorisation and/or possible regrading to the Research and Teaching job family should apply under the Research and Teaching Family Career Pathway Promotion Policy and Procedures document.

3. Principles

3.1 The pay and grading structure has been developed, including a 'job families' approach, underpinned by job evaluation. Posts for regrading will be considered by an appropriate Job Matching Group and the process will follow the University's Job Matching methodology which can be found at: www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/policies/h-o/jobfamilies/. Posts will be graded by means of matching the job description first to the most appropriate Job Family and then to the most appropriate Level Profile.

3.2 Any regrading request must be based on significant and permanent qualitative change(s) to the level of duties and responsibilities of an individual post or group of posts and must relate to the majority of key elements within the appropriate generic Job Family Level Profiles (i.e. be at least a 80% best fit to the higher grade).

3.3 Focus will be on the duties and responsibilities in the job description and the requirements of the role, e.g. qualifications, skills, experience, etc.

3.4 A Job Matching Group will analyse each key element of the job description against the corresponding key element in the Job Family Profiles to determine a "best fit" overall.

3.5 An assumption will always be made that the full remit of the job is being carried out at a fully acceptable level of performance.

4. Timetable for applications for regrading

4.1 After twelve months in post, an application for regrading can be submitted to the Human Resources Service on an ad hoc basis, throughout the year, if significant and permanent qualitative changes have taken place, sufficient to justify consideration for regrading.

4.2 An application for regrading will normally be considered within four months of the date on which the application is submitted.

4.3 In the event that a member of staff is unsuccessful in his/her regrading application and any subsequent appeal, a further application for regrading will not be accepted until a twelve month period has elapsed.

5. Regrading procedure

5.1 A submission for regrading consideration is by "self-application" which is considered to permit equality of opportunity and to be both effective and efficient. It is recommended that members of staff seek an opportunity to discuss their intention to apply for regrading with their head of School/RI/Service or line manager, prior to formalising the documentation.

5.2 An application for regrading consideration can be submitted whenever a significant and permanent qualitative change to the level of duties and responsibilities of an individual post has taken place. A decision will be taken based on a job matching process in relation to the revised job description and role requirements, and the appropriate Job Family Profiles.

5.3 An application by a member of staff for the regrading of his/her post must:

(i) be submitted to the Human Resources Service on the appropriate form, and provide confirmation by the head of School/RI/Service that the resultant changes will be sustained and are not of a temporary nature;

(ii) be accompanied by a revised job description and accompanying statement (see (iii) below) in the appropriate format, signed by the job holder, line manager and head of School/RI/Service as an accurate reflection of the substantive elements of the revised role;

(iii) provide a statement detailing the elements of the job description and/or role requirements which have changed since the job was last graded, e.g. dimensions, planning and organising, working relationships, skills, experience, qualifications, etc. and supported by examples;

(iv) provide an Organisation Chart indicating the relevant hierarchy of posts and grades above and below the post under review. The grades of staff above and below the post holder must be noted on the chart.

Members of staff may wish to seek clarification from their territorial HR manager on any aspect of the application process.

5.4 The Human Resources Service will schedule a meeting of a Job Matching Group to determine the "best fit" of the revised job description and role requirements to the appropriate generic Job Family and Level Profile. The Group will seek to reach consensus decisions.

5.5 The Job Matching Group will normally consist of the following members, drawn from a substantial university-wide pool of appropriately experienced Hay Job Matching Panellists:

Convener
2 Management Representatives
2 Human Resources Managers
2 Trade Union Representatives

In addition to the above members, another person will attend the meeting to record the outcomes and to ensure the rationale for each decision is recorded.

6. Notification of outcome

The postholder will be notified in writing of the outcome of the re-grading application with a copy to the Head of School/RI/Service. Where there is a change to the grade level of the post, any change of salary will be effective from the beginning of the month following the date on which the decision to regrade is confirmed. Retrospective payments will not be made.

7. Data Protection

All background papers and reports on regrading applications will be kept centrally within Human Resources, following Data Protection guidelines.

8. Appeals

Where a regrading request has been unsuccessful as a result of the decision taken by the Job Matching Group, the member of staff has the right to appeal against this decision. Appeals should be submitted in writing to the Administration Section of the Human Resources Service no later than one calendar month after notification of the decision

Appeals procedure

1. Unsuccessful applicants for regrading may appeal against the decision reached through the Job Matching process. The notification letter will include details of the date by which an appeal must be submitted to Administration Section of the Human Resources Service.

2. The reasons for unsuccessful applications will be contained in the letter sent to members of staff.

3. Where an appeal is submitted, the postholder will be required to complete the Appeals form with the grounds for appeal.

4. The original job description, role requirements and original case will be evaluated with the appeals form by a Job Evaluation Panel, which will normally consist of the following members:

Convener
2 members of the Human Resources Service
2 Line Management Representatives
2 Trade Union Representatives

The above Panel Members will be drawn from a University-wide pool of experienced Hay evaluators, and who have not been involved in the original Job Matching Panel regrading decision.

No additional information will be allowed to be submitted for appeal.

5. The Panel will meet no later than two months from the date of the submission of the appeal.

6. Outcome of Appeal

The postholder will be notified in writing of the outcome of the appeal and the decision of the Job Evaluation Panel will be final. Should the outcome of an appeal result in a change to the grade level of the post, any change of salary will be effective from the beginning of the month following the date of the original regrading decision by the Job Matching Panel.

Approved by Court, December 2006

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