Date: August 2014
Model Policy – Balancing
Work and Life
MAYFIELD SCHOOL
Adopted by Governors on 22nd June 2015
Contents
Contents ................................................................................................................................ 2
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3
1.1
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................3
1.2
Equality Statement ........................................................................................................................................3
2
3
School Commitments .................................................................................................... 3
Policies and Schemes to Support Employees ............................................................ 4
3.1
4
Duties of the Headteacher / Line Manager ...................................................................................................6
Policy Feedback ............................................................................................................. 6
4.1
History of Policy Changes .............................................................................................................................6
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Model Policy – Balancing Work and Life | Torbay Council
1 Introduction
The School recognises that most employees have needs outside of work - whether it’s to support
dependants, take time off to study, or undertake other pursuits - and is committed to helping employees
strike a happy work/life balance. It is also aware of its legal duties in relation to working time and the
right employees have to time off, rest periods and limitations on the length of the working week.
Our work/life balance strategy and policies shall help the School achieve its aim to become an ‘employer
of choice’, they also support and implement elements of the School’s Equality policies.
1.1 Scope
This policy will apply to all School employees and also includes Governors and agency/supply teaching
staff. [Include Visitors/Volunteers/Contractor staff – delete as appropriate].
1.2 Equality Statement
This policy applies equally to all School employees regardless of their age, disability, sex, race, religion
or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage or civil
partnership. Care will be taken to ensure that no traditionally excluded groups are adversely impacted in
implementing this policy. Monitoring will take place to ensure compliance and fairness.
2 School Commitments
In order to support its employees to balance work and Life, the School:
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Provides a platform of policies and benefits for employees which enable alternative and flexible
working arrangements, as well as time off work to deal with incidents in their personal lives or
undertake other pursuits
Promotes work/life balance initiatives and supports and embeds a positive approach to work/life
balance within the School through training and communication
Promotes the value of skills developed in the home and community as well as those developed in the
workplace
Will ensure that the Headteacher and Line Managers are pro active in taking responsibility for dealing
with personal and work/life balance issues of its staff – whether or not they can accommodate
particular needs.
Supports employees – both male and female – in making personal choices about their parenting,
caring and work roles
Enforces the Working Time Regulations 1998 where applicable through policies and processes
Discourages a ‘long-hours’ culture and takes into account work/life balance issues when establishing
meeting times, duty cover, changes to working patterns etc
Seeks to improve progression opportunities for those who need to work part time
Responds to employees’ needs by welcoming feedback on policy development and considering new
approaches to work / life balance.
Torbay Council | Model Policy – Balancing Work and Life
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Through a range of policies, benefits and schemes we will:
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Offer better than the ‘statutory minimum’ where possible
Ensure policies and practices eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and good
relations.
Cater for a wide variety of needs including and not limited to:dependants of all ages and relationships
religious pilgrimages and observance, cultural diversity
the need to spend time away from work to undertake learning and development opportunities
health and wellbeing, including the benefits to individuals of having time to undertake leisure
pursuits
family circumstances including fostering and adoption arrangements
retirement planning – providing a retirement scheme that enables as much choice, support and
flexibility as possible
commitments to community and voluntary service
‘rural Devon’ and dispersed home locations of employees
3 Policies and Schemes to Support Employees
The School has adopted a range of policies, schemes and benefits that support the working lives of its
employees:-
Compassionate Leave:
Providing paid time off to deal with the serious illness or death of a
relative.
Childcare Vouchers:
Employees can purchase childcare vouchers directly from their salary
where they may benefit from reduced Tax/NI payments.
Employee Counselling:
Providing one-to-one support for employees experiencing personal
problems that impact work. Details of the Counselling Service are
available from Human Resources.
Maternity, Paternity
and Adoption
Schemes:
Providing paid and unpaid time off for the birth of a baby or adoption,
as well as provision for attending ante-natal clinics and pre-placement
(adoption) meetings.
Request for Flexible
Working:
Under the Flexible Working Regulations 2014, employees with at least
26 weeks service have the legal right to request flexible working.
Flexible working includes working part time, annualised hours,
adjustments to hours of work or occasionally working from home.
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Model Policy – Balancing Work and Life | Torbay Council
Special Leave:
Providing paid time off to undertake public duties for School
Governors, members of the Territorial Army, serving as a member of
another Local Authority etc
Time off for Religious
Observance/Facilities
for Prayer
The School accommodates reasonable time off/away from the
workstation for employees to meet their religious commitments
Unpaid Leave:
Occasionally employees may need additional leave from work for a
longer period than annual leave may allow for. Unpaid leave may be
allowed to deal with particular needs, at the discretion of the
Governing Body.
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3.1 Duties of the Headteacher / Line Manager
It is the School’s policy that all employees should be treated fairly and provided with as much support as
reasonably possible in reaching a happy work/life balance. In doing so the Headteacher / Line Manager
shall:
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Recognise that most employees have needs outside of work.
Value skills developed in the home and community as well as those developed in the workplace
Implement the platform of work/life balance policies and benefits for all employees in a fair and
equitable way
Support employees – both male and female – in making personal choices about their parenting,
caring and work roles
Discourage a ‘long-hours’ culture and take into account work-life balance issues when
establishing meeting times, duty cover, changes to working patterns etc.
Consider part time working, when establishing recruitment/promotion opportunities
Cater for individual needs that arise during the working day, for example time away from the
workstation for prayer, ability to contact dependants
Not expect part time employees to attend learning and development, or other, activities in their
own time if this is not expected of full time staff but will work with these individuals to negotiate a
way to secure their participation or attendance.
To deal with work/life balance matters in a confidential manner
Employees and potential employees (in recruitment) must not be directly or indirectly discriminated
against on grounds of their caring responsibilities, family circumstances, religious commitments or
community commitments.
In order to provide relevant support, employees will be expected to discuss any work/life balance issues
with their manager.
4 Policy Feedback
Should you have any comments regarding this policy, please address them to the HR Policy mailbox –
HRpolicy@torbay.gov.uk
4.1 History of Policy Changes
Date
August 2014
Page
All
4
Details of Change
School specific and general
condensing.
Changes to Flexible Working
Regs 2014
Policy to be reviewed in June 2016
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Model Policy – Balancing Work and Life | Torbay Council
Agreed by: