Agenda item

Review of the Council's Employment Policies

Minutes:

The Assistant Director of HR and Organisational Development submitted a report, presenting the Committee with thirteen Employment Policies which had been reviewed jointly and agreed with the Joint Trade Unions.  The review of the Council’s employment policy framework aimed to ensure that all employment policies were clear, easy to understand, up to date and reviewed regularly.  The following appendices were attached to the report:

Appendix A

Annual Leave Policy

Appendix B

Code of Conduct

Appendix C

Disruption to Normal Working Arrangements Policy

Appendix D

Recruitment and Selection Policy

Appendix E

Guidance on Recruitment and Retention of People with a Disability

Appendix F

Whistle Blowing Policy

Appendix G

Transgender Policy

Appendix H

Alcohol and Substance Misuse Policy

Appendix I

Long Service Awards

Appendix J

Family Leave Policy

Appendix K

Overpayment Recovery Policy

Appendix L

Gifts and Hospitality Policy

Appendix M

Volunteering Policy

Appendix N

Equality Impact Assessment

The report explained that all employment policies would be reviewed by the HR and Organisational Development Team before the end of March 2021 and submitted to the Committee, following negotiations with the Joint Trade Unions.  The policies had been prioritised because they did not reflect current best practice or were out of date and hence put the Council at risk.  A Transgender Policy, Alcohol and Substance Misuse Policy, Overpayment and Recovery Policy and Volunteering Policy were missing from the current policy framework; this had been addressed and new policies covering these areas were now included. 

The report included a table that set out in summary terms for each of the revised policies the issues which had been addressed together with additional key changes that had been agreed with the Joint Trade Unions.  Once the policy review was complete, hyperlinks would be added to the policies where they cross-referenced with other policies.  The report also included a summary of the new policies and a table that set out the process that had been followed for agreeing the policies with the Joint Trade Unions.  A communications plan was also in place to communicate the revised policies to managers and employees. 

The Committee discussed the report and the Employment Policies and specifically the Volunteering Policy and the requirement for the voluntary work to take place in the Borough when many people might not live in Reading or just over its borders.  It was agreed that this part of the Policy should be reviewed in 12 months’ time.

Resolved:    

(1)     That the following revised/new HR policies, as set out in in Appendices A to M attached to the report, be approved:

·         Annual Leave Policy;

·         Code of Conduct;

·         Disruption to Normal Working Arrangements Policy;

·         Recruitment and Selection Policy;

·         Guidance on Recruitment and Retention of People with a Disability;

·         Whistle Blowing Policy;

·         Transgender Policy;

·         Alcohol and Substance Misuse Policy;

·         Long Service Awards;

·         Family Leave Policy;

·         Overpayment Recovery Policy;

·         Gifts and Hospitality Policy;

·         Volunteering Policy;

(2)     That the requirement in the Volunteering Policy that the voluntary work take place in the Borough be reviewed in 12 months’ time.

Supporting documents: