Information Commissioner’s Office summary of basic terms and conditions of employment - Level C

Salary

Salary upon appointment is at present £23,946 per annum (pro-rata for part-time). It is expected that all new entrants will start on the entry rate for the salary band in all but the most exceptional of circumstances.

The maximum point on the pay scale for level C is currently £30,217 per annum. Pay scales are reviewed annually. Annual pay increases are not automatic or guaranteed and are subject to the ICO receiving approval to make pay awards from the Treasury or sponsoring government department.

Salary progression through the pay scale is dependent on an individual demonstrating competence, contribution and impact as described in the ICO’s Career Progression Framework.

Salary is payable on or around 25th of the month into a bank or building society of your choice.

Hours of work

A flexible working-hours system operates within the Office. The contracted hours of employment are 148 during a four week accounting period, which translates into 37 hours per week Monday to Friday (pro-rata for part-time).

The working day is divided into two parts:

a) core-time within which everyone must be at work unless absence has been authorised in advance, and

b) flexible periods at the beginning of the morning, at lunch-time and at the end of the afternoon, when employees may select their own times for arrival at and departure from work, subject to prior agreement with their manager:

It is a requirement that the office must be staffed from 9.00am to 5.00pm. Flexibility of start, finish and break times is subject to the fulfilment of business needs and you may therefore be required by your manager to start or finish work at these times. There may be occasions where for business reasons you are required to start work before 9.00am or finish after 5.00pm.

Overtime

Hours worked or spent travelling on business at the request of management at weekends or Bank/Public holidays are treated as overtime or travelling time. Job levels A to F can claim for business travel time or overtime hours worked on Monday to Fridays before 07.00 or after 19.00. Staff in levels A to D can also claim for time travelled or overtime worked between 07.00 to 07.55 and 17.55 to 19.00 rather than flexi credit if they choose.

There is no compensation for staff at level H.

The rates of compensation for levels A to G are outlined below: 

Other rules

• Where time off in lieu (TOIL) is claimed, no more than the equivalent of one standard working day (i.e. 7 hours 24 minutes) may be accumulated in any single day on which overtime and/or travelling time is claimed. Any balance of hours must be claimed as payment.
• A maximum of 14 hours 48 minutes TOIL may be carried over into the next financial year.
• Time spent travelling to and from the office for overtime on non normal working days will not be compensated.
• Overtime planned and agreed specifically for the purpose of clearing work backlogs would normally be compensated only by payment and not through the provision of TOIL.
• The maximum time allowed to be worked without a break is 6 hours. You will not be able to claim for more than 6 hours overtime without accounting for a minimum 30 minute break.

Paid holidays

You will be entitled to a total of 25 days paid holidays per year. Your personal holiday year runs from the first day of the month in which your birthday falls.

Your entitlement to annual leave increases with your length of service. After three years service you will become entitled to 28 days annual leave, and after five years your entitlement will be 30 days annual leave.

Holiday entitlement is pro rated for part time staff.

Public and privilege holidays

There are 8 public holidays each year. In addition to these days there are 3 privilege holidays each year, which are taken between the Christmas and New Year Period. There may be regional variations to public and privilege holidays.

The entitlement to public and privilege days is pro rated for part time staff. This is done by giving you a flexi time credit or debit, which depends on your working pattern.
Human Resources will explain in more detail if this affects you.

Flexi leave

Under the flexible workings hours arrangements staff accrue entitlement to flexi leave at a rate of 2 days per four week accounting period. Over 13 accounting periods in a year they can take up to 26 days flexi leave.

Providing that they have accrued enough additional hours, above the standard contracted hours, staff may take up to three days flexi leave in a four week accounting period.

Pension

Your appointment is pensionable from the outset. Although ICO staff are not Civil Servants, they are entitled to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Unless you have been a member of the Civil Service Pension Scheme before, you will be able to choose between two Civil Service pension arrangements:

• alpha. This is an occupational defined benefit pension scheme. It provides a way of saving for your retirement. Over the years you and the ICO both make contributions to the scheme.

The amount you contribute will depend on your salary. From 01 April 2021 the contribution rates are:

Employee contribution rates are assessed periodically and may be subject to change.

As your employer the ICO also makes contributions, the rate of which is reviewed periodically.

• partnership pension account. This is a stakeholder pension with a contribution from the ICO. How much we pay is based on your age. We pay this regardless of whether you choose to contribute anything.

You do not have to contribute but, if you do, we will also match your contributions up to 3% of your pensionable earnings. The contributions are in addition to the age-related contribution mentioned above.

You may also choose not to enter either of the pension schemes.

N.B If you have been a member of the Civil Service Pension scheme in the past you may be able to re-join one of the older scheme arrangements. You should speak with Human Resources if you have any queries.

Retirement

There is no normal or maximum retirement age. You may continue to work as long as you wish and decide when you want to retire. You must, however, continue to meet the normal standards of health, efficiency, conduct, performance and attendance.

You can retire and draw your pension in line with the Pension Age applicable to your civil service pension scheme arrangements. Pension Age is usually 60 for members of Classic, Classic Plus or Premium, 65 for members of NUVOS, and is matched to the state pension age for members of alpha. It is possible to retire and draw a pension earlier than these ages, though your pension will be reduced.

Please note that the age at which you may retire and draw an unreduced pension may change as a result of the April 2015 changes to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

If you are planning to retire you should inform HR and your line manager of your proposed retirement date at your earliest opportunity, giving at least four months’ notice.

Evidence of health

Offers of appointment are made subject to a satisfactory declaration of health.

Before appointment is confirmed you will be asked to complete an on-line Medical Questionnaire from our Occupational Health provider. Occupational Health will either confirm your fitness to work or may require a further assessment by an Occupational Health physician.

Security checks

The Information Commissioner is under a duty to protect the information and material he/she holds. This obligation extends to his employees and agents, therefore, prior to confirmation of any provisional offer of employment you will be asked to complete a criminal declaration form.

Your criminal record declaration may be subject to verification. If you are discovered to have lied or withheld information regarding unspent criminal convictions you may be debarred from the recruitment process, have your offer of employment withdrawn or you may be dismissed. The action taken will depend on the stage at which the verification process is completed.

In addition to this all new staff are required to provide proof of identity and nationality on or before their first day of employment. If acceptable evidence is not provided then you will not be allowed access to the premises and so the appointment cannot commence.

Some positions within ICO may involve access to protectively marked information up to the classification of ‘Top Secret’. Depending on the level of access to protectively marked material, and the classification of such material, some positions may require the post holder to obtain a Counter-Terrorist Check, Security Check or Developed Vetting.

Such checks will be carried out by the Ministry of Justice in accordance with HM Government’s Vetting Policy and could include a check against the National Collection of Criminal Records, credit reference checks and/or an interview with the person being vetted.

Evidence of qualifications

Offers of appointment are made on the basis of information provided in your written application and at interview. If offered an appointment you will be asked to provide evidence of all relevant qualifications and grades attained as indicated in your application.

If you are unable to provide satisfactory evidence (either original certificates or written confirmation from The Assessments and Qualifications Alliance) the offer of appointment will be withdrawn. Please note that if you do not have all your certificates listed on your application form you will be unable to start with the office until you are able to produce them. The Assessments & Qualifications Alliance (AQA) can be contacted on 0161 953 1180 or alternatively their website is www.aqa.org.uk Please note that AQA charge for duplicating certificates, this will need to be met by the individual and not the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Evidence of identity

All newly appointed staff are required to provide proof of their identity before they can start work with the ICO. Documents for successful candidates will be checked and copies taken before employment begins, these documents will be kept on your employment file.

Evidence of right to work in the UK

The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 requires every employer to check that an employee has the right to work in the UK before their employment begins.
Offers of employment will be made subject to you providing satisfactory evidence of this. Employment will not be confirmed until this has been provided. Documents for successful candidates will be checked and copies taken before employment begins, these documents will be kept on your employment file.

References

All appointments are subject to the receipt of satisfactory references. Successful candidates who are offered an appointment will be required to provide employment or academic reference(s) covering a minimum of three years. The ICO will not contact personal referees and reserves the right to request additional references.

Probationary period

You will have a six month probationary period, in which you will receive reviews at six weeks, 12 weeks and six months. Your continued employment at the ICO is subject to the satisfactory completion of your probationary period, which may be extended if your performance has not been satisfactory, or if the key competencies required for the job have not been fully assessed in the initial six month period.