Updated employment policies

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Please look out for the following employment policies, which are now available in the document library on EAST 24.

  • Collective Grievance Policy - Underwent annual review (no change to process)
  • Employment Break Policy - Underwent annual review (no change to process)
  • Lone Worker Policy - Underwent annual review (no change to process)
  • Relocation Policy- Underwent annual review (no change to process)
  • Vaccination Transport & Storage Policy -
    • Policy was 6 years out of date, now updated
    • No procedural changes.
    • Reviewed by Ops, HR & Unison
    • Equality Impact Assessment completed
  • Breastfeeding Policy – This is a new policy

The following policies underwent an external review alongside specified guidance outlined in the EHRC action plan:

  • Disciplinary Policy:
    • Equality statement amended, with the removal of who it is applicable to. Narrative on Modern Slavery removed
    • Any reference to management of performance has been removed
    • List of linked documents, removed from the body of the policy and now attached as an appendix
    • Roles and responsibilities are more defined
    • Support during and after the process, removed from the policy into a SOP, which is under development.
    • Reference to Suspension being a neutral act removed
    • Process focused narrative removed and moved to a SOP
    • Any ambiguity around the Appeal process removed or reworded.
    • The full Fast Track process removed, as we now have a SOP
    • Under section dealing with Special Situations, disciplinary process against an accredited Trade union representative has been removed.
    • Process around criminal charges outside of employment strengthened.
    • Process around vexatious and malicious complaints removed from the body of the policy and now attached as an appendix.
    • The appendix on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adult removed as there are separate policies covering this.
    • Separate appendices already within the P-Arm form appendix removed.
    • The appendix covering the formal disciplinary hearing checklist removed and moved to a SOP.
  •  Dignity at Work Policy:
    • Equality statement amended, but reference to who the policy is applicable to remains. Narrative on Modern Slavery removed.
    • Informal resolution for sexual harassment allegations removed.
    • Referral of a DaW complaint to a regulatory body removed, as fits better in a disciplinary policy.
    • Scope of policy now applies to apprentices and consultants. Visitors and patients at the point of service delivery now removed.
    • Section on confidentiality re-worded
    • Section on Definitions now includes the definitions and examples of the EHRC 3 types of harassment
  •  Grievance Policy:
    • Equality statement amended, but reference to who the policy is applicable to remains. Narrative on Modern Slavery removed.
    • The harassment statement in section 1 has been removed because it is already included Dignity at Work policy.
    • The Trust now retains the right to determine if a grievance can be managed as a collective grievance.
    • The section on Formal Grievance meeting amended to give some time to do what is necessary and at the right stages.
    • The section on Formal grievance appeal amended so the appeal hearing, doesn’t become a re-hearing.
    • Timescales have been reworded to give some flex i.e. where possible appeals will be heard within 28 calendar days.
    • As with employee relations matter, written grievances will be placed on the employee’s personnel file within People Services.
  •  Equality Diversity and Inclusion Policy:
    • Section on Human Rights Definitions now includes the definitions and examples of the EHRC 3 types of harassment
    • EHRC specifically requested for reference to zero tolerance.
    • Outdated information under the Public Sector Equality Duty removed and additional legal requirements added.
    • The Scope now includes consultants, volunteers and agency workers
    • Section on Roles and Responsibilities re-written.
    • Section on Reduce and Eliminate Inequalities in Health removed, as now out of date
    • The section which references only transgender people in the policy over the other protected characteristics, removed, because seemed out of place.
    • Human Rights Definitions moved to the beginning of the policy
    • Section on Key dates for the equality Duty removed, as now out of date
    • Link to Freedom to Speak Policy established
  • Social Media Policy
    • A complete re-write of the policy
    • Now includes summary of behaviours considered to amount to inappropriate use of social media. For example, where it is used to bully, harass or criticise colleagues or to spread malicious rumours.
    • Now includes summary of the actions the Trust will take when a worker is found to have engaged in inappropriate use of social media.

 

 

Published 6th October 2022