Intake Team Operations Manual

9 Managing Resource/Absence

9.1 The Working Day

The working day, for flexi-time purposes, is between 7.30am and 7.30pm.

The specific Intake business need is to ensure cover for a core set of telephone opening hours from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

Advisors and ITLs are expected to cover those core hours of 10am to 4pm.

Outside of the core hours, staff have the autonomy to decide their own start and finish times. But staff must be mindful of the definitions of a 7-hour normal working day / 35 hour week / 140 hour month. 

Staff should not accrue large credits or debits of hours outside of the parameters of the flexi-time policy in any four week period.

Advisors and ITLs can choose to attend the office or work their hours from home in a suitable environment.  To ensure the daily completion of essential tasks such as post and printing, there is a weekly office attendance rota.

9.2 Records

Staff are responsible for the accurate recording of their working hours using the flexi-time spreadsheet. 

The ITLS are responsible for signing off records of hours worked, hours owed for each staff member, and satisfying themselves in respect of their accuracy. 

9.3 Flexi-time Policy 

Flexi-time allows for 1 additional flexi-leave day to be taken in any given accounting period. The leave may be taken as one full day or two half days.

Arrangements for booking flexi-time leave are made in accordance with the procedures for booking annual leave. 

Other parameters, including credits and debits are outlined in the flexi-policy.

Staff have the option not to participate in the scheme and to simply work their standard monthly hours as per their contract of employment.

9.4.1 Appointments

Staff should try to book medical appointments outside of core Intake hours and give as much notice as possible to their line manager. Time lost due to appointments should be managed in line with the flexi policy.

Any medical appointments that mean the majority / full day out of the office will need to be recorded as self-certificated sickness absence, flexi leave or annual leave as appropriate.

Managers may request to see appointment cards or letters.

9.4 Leave Guidance

All requests for leave are completed using Cascade and are subject to the organisation’s normal guidelines.

Intake staff will use the following notice periods when booking leave:

  • 2 weeks’ notice for absences over 5 days
  • 3 days’ notice for shorter absences

9.4.1 Leave requests outside of notice period

Although it should be avoided, it is recognised that staff may need to request leave at short notice. Leave may be granted at short notice but before doing so line managers need to ensure there is adequate cover and minimal threat to the performance of the team.

If there is concern that authorisation of leave will be detrimental to the team’s performance, then there is an expectation that the line manager will discuss the request with the staff member. The discussion will alert the line manager as to the reasoning for the short notice and help them to make an informed decision.

If the same day is required staff are expected to hold a discussion with a line manager and it is unacceptable to leave a text or voice mail on the day that leave is required. 

Leave may be refused if it’s outside of the notice periods.

9.4.2 Leave allocation

Advisors may request that the ITL make an exception when leave allocation has already been reached. The ITLs will make a joint decision by considering the level of remaining cover and any risks involved in maintaining the service.

The list of possible exceptions is not exhaustive, but leave will not be granted if there is deemed no substantial reason. ITLs will keep a note of the reasons for granting exceptions to ensure consistency when dealing with future requests.

Any advisor who is refused leave will be placed on the first refusal list on the calendar should a position become available.

ITLs are also expected to take separate periods of leave in order to ensure management availability. 

9.4.2 Part time staff and public holidays

Part time workers may have to accrue hours in order to ensure that they meet with public holiday / concessionary day entitlements.

Staff are required to accumulate this time owed by working the extra hours. This must not conflict with annual leave entitlements. Therefore, advisors cannot, for example, book annual leave and attend work on those days to accrue the hours owed.

The arrangements must be discussed and agreed with line managers in advance. A spreadsheet will be monitored by the ITLs to ensure they balance correctly. 

See also: Leave and flexible working

9.5 Sickness Absence

Intake will adhere to the principles set out in the organisation’s Attendance policy.

9.5.1 Reporting

Advisors and ITLs must call the absence line as soon as possible and leave a message to inform that they will be absent from work.

Text messaging, calls to ITLs on their personal mobiles or the use of social media is not acceptable. Third party messaging through work colleagues is also unacceptable.

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