Glossary
About the Job
A form summarising the tasks and responsibilities for a specific job and the knowledge, skills and experience required, under a number of standard headings; used to describe the job to potential applicants and for grading jobs in the University of Sheffield Grading Scheme.
Agreement for service(s)
An agreement used for appointing a self-employed individual such as a contractor or a consultant (of a profession or business run by that individual) to carry out services for another party where the relationship between the parties is not that of employer and employee. Generally the individual is an independent consultant, who can seek to subcontract the work with University of Sheffield approval.
Atypical worker
An atypical (or hourly paid or casual worker) is someone who undertakes paid work on behalf of the University, without a formal UoS contract of employment issued by the HR department for the work, typically on an ad-hoc basis.
BACS
Electronic transfer of payment into a bank or building society account.
Bank worker
An individual who is not an employee, but who undertakes work for the University of Sheffield on an irregular basis, covering ad-hoc periods, e.g. where there is a high volume of work or to cover staff absence. They can be called on as needed but are under no obligation to accept the work. See also: Registration Agreement for University Bank.
Casual worker
See Atypical worker.
Continuity of Employment (CoE), or Continuity of Service (CoS)
The duration an employee has worked at the University of Sheffield (without any breaks in service), recorded by the date the employee first commenced employment.
Contract of employment/(contract of service)
An agreement of work between an employee and the University of Sheffield, whether expressly agreed (verbally or in writing) or implied by the nature of the relationship.
Whether or not an individual is working under a contract of employment will determine whether they are entitled to certain statutory rights. For a contract of employment to exist there must usually be at least: an obligation to personally perform the work, mutuality of obligation between the employer and employee to provide/accept work, and a sufficient element of control over the employee´s work (e.g. how/when/where etc it is undertaken).
Consultant
A company or firm which provides services to a client. Alternatively, an individual who works under an Agreement for Service (i.e. is self employed).
Contractor
Or Independent Contractor; see also: Self-employed, Consultant and Agreement for service(s).
Control
The extent to which an individual is controlled or supervised. This includes considering whether an individual is told when / where / how to undertake the work, whether materials / equipment / venue etc are provided for them, whether they are required to follow set procedures / protocols / policies etc.
Criminal Records Checks
Checks carried out to determine if a new or existing member of staff has a criminal record, carried out in line with the University of Sheffield´s policy on the Recruitment and Employment of Ex-offenders.
Customary S/HR Adviser
Designated HR Adviser in the Business Support Team of Human Resources who deals with human resource issues for a specific department.
Employee
As defined by the ERA 1996, an individual who has entered into, works or worked under the terms of a contract of employment. An individual who is not an employee may be self-employed or a worker.
Employer
An organisation with one or more employees (in this case, the University of Sheffield).
Employment Agency
An agency that provides information about job vacancies to workers who are looking for work. Any contract is between the individual and the hirer, and not with the agency.
Employment Business
Commonly known as a Temp Agency, a business that provides workers to work but the contractual relationship is with the Employment Business and not with the individual. It is the employment business that is provide with payment by the University.
Employment Status
The category which will determine what rights an individual is entitled to at work. This assessment is based on the principle that if three criteria are present (personal service, control and mutuality of obligation) then the individual is likely to be working as an employee.
Fixed-term contract (FTC)
A contract of employment, which will come to an end either on a set date or after a set period. For example, after 6 months, or on a specific date, or a specific event (e.g. the return to work by a woman on maternity leave for whom the individual was providing cover, a contract funded for a limited period or a contract which ends when a piece of research has been completed).
Freelance worker
A worker whose work involves moving from assignment to assignment, often, but not always, with different organisations.
FTE
Full-time equivalent.
Grade Profiles
Written descriptions of the responsibilities and requirements of jobs in each of the grades in the University of Sheffield Grading Scheme.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA)
The primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the UK.
Honorary posts
Honorary Academic Titles are normally used by the University of Sheffield to confirm regular on-going collaborations (not occasional visits) between the University and individuals employed by other institutions or organisations. Such individuals will be making or will have made significant professional and/or academic contributions to the University.
Hourly paid teacher
An individual undertaking teaching activity for the University, paid with an hourly rate. See also Atypical worker.
Hourly paid worker
An individual undertaking work for the University, paid with an hourly rate. See Atypical worker.
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006
Legislation that imposes the onus on employers to ensure that all employees are not in breach of immigration rules, making it an offence to employ a person who is not permitted to work in the UK.
Job holder
A member of staff who is undertaking a particular job.
Job grading
A joint exercise between departments and the Department of Human Resources, in which the job of a member of staff is matched to a grade in the University of Sheffield Grading Scheme (USGS) on the basis of information provided by the individual member of staff and their manager, and the grade profiles.
Joint Union Campus Committee (JUCC)
A committee with representatives from each of the trade unions, with members who work at the University of Sheffield and staff from the Department of Human Resources.
Multiplier
A factor applied to the number of teaching hours to ensure the number of contracted hours includes time for all of the work activity expected to be undertaken.
Mutuality of Obligation
This is the obligation to provide and accept work, and once accepted the obligation to complete the assignment / engagement. Within a `University Bank Registration Agreement´ there is typically no mutuality of obligation to provide/accept work but once accepted, an individual is obliged to complete the assignment personally, providing them with statutory employment rights.
myPurchase
The web based purchasing system for employees at the University of Sheffield to buy/or contract for what they need to carry out their work.
National Minimum Wage (NMW)
The minimum legal hourly rates of pay for adults working legally in the UK, who are not genuinely self-employed. There are three levels of minimum wage, and the current rates (effective from 1 October 2009) are:
- £5.80 per hour for workers aged 22 years and over;
- a development rate of £4.83 per hour for workers aged 18-21, inclusive;
- £3.57 per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age.
NIC
National Insurance Contributions.
Part time worker/employee
An individual who works fewer hours than those working on a full time basis (at the University of Sheffield full time employment is defined as: 37 hours per week for 52 weeks at Grades 1 and 2 and 35 hours per week for 52 weeks at Grades 3-9).
Pay spine
A series of ascending pay points, that within the University of Sheffield consist of grades 1-9.
Personal Service
The criteria that determines whether an individual need undertake the work themselves or whether they can delegate the work to someone else if they are unwilling or unable to do it themselves, e.g. a subcontractor.
Pre-Employment Health Assessment: Designated Activities Checklist
A checklist used when appointing staff to assess the role in order to identify any possible risks to the health of the individual.
Registration Agreement for University Bank
An agreement that details the terms of the engagement between a University Bank Worker and the University of Sheffield.
Self-employed
An individual who has their own business or works on their own account.
Staff Review and Development Scheme (SRDS)
An annual review for all University of Sheffield employees, providing the opportunity for self review, feedback, objective setting and development/support planning. The review is carried out through completing an SRDS form and a meeting between the individual and their line manager.
Staff
Employees engaged under a contract of employment. See also: Contract of employment /(contract of service).
Subcontractor
A person who or business that contracts to provide some service or material necessary for the performance of another's contract.
Substitution
When an individual can serve in place of another to provide the work.
TUPE
Transfer of Undertakings (protection of Employment). To transfer (an employee or group of employees) to another employer under TUPE regulations.
UCard
University of Sheffield card to show proof of identity for University of Sheffield staff, students and associated staff. Depending on card type, can be also used to: access buildings with swipe card locks; use library services; join USport S10 health, etc. UCards with limited benefits can also be issued to some University visitors, including workers and contractors.
University of Sheffield Grading Scheme (USGS)
The University of Sheffield's grading structure, with nine grades in a single structure; applies to all staff, who are not currently on clinical pay scales, up to and including senior lecturer equivalent.
http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/reward/usgs/index.html
University Business Administration Systems Environment (uBase)
The core IT system that stores all the financial and HR information across the University of Sheffield.
Workers
Individuals who undertake work but are not full employees of the University of Sheffield.
Work Session
A period of hours or days in which an individual is engaged to undertake work.
The length of a `work session´ is defined by the department in advance of an engagement commencing.
For example, a single shift, seminar or lecture could be defined as a `work session´, if it is offered to an individual as a stand-alone activity, with no commitment or expectation that further sessions will be offered. Another example would be a `work session´ of 1 week to complete a particular task / series of tasks.
However, it is expected that a single `work session´ would not typically last longer than a matter of weeks for each engagement, as a `worker´ arrangement should not be used for longer-term work.
Working Time Regulations
Legislation that imposes limits on working hours, provision of rest breaks and minimum annual leave entitlements. See http://www.shef.ac.uk/hr/az/wtramend.html