Staff benefits

We provide a wide range of benefits to Ealing Homes employees. The following examples are based on full time employment. Part time employees will have pro rata entitlement.

Salaries
Salaries are negotiated annually on a national level with a view to keeping pace with inflation. We implement a job evaluation scheme to ensure jobs are fairly remunerated.

Flexible working hours
Depending on the type of work you do, you can vary your starting and finishing times according to the needs of the service. Your working hours are 35 hours per week and extra hours worked can be taken as flexi leave. For the majority of jobs, reduced working hours or working during term-time only can be negotiated with your manager. For some positions with fixed working hours the scheme does not apply.

Leave
Annual leave is largely determined by length of service:

Less than five years continuous service	More than five years continuous service but less than 10 years	More than 10 years continuous service
25 days per annum	28 days per annum	31 days per annum

You also get eight public holidays, plus two extra days’ leave and one additional Ealing Homes day granted during the Christmas and New Year period. If you have to work during this time, additional leave days will be credited to your usual holiday entitlement. You may also carry over five days’ leave from one leave year to the next.
Extended leave
We have an extended leave scheme available to all employees allowing you to take up to one year’s absence from work as a mix of paid and unpaid leave. Alternatively, you can accumulate up to 10 days’ leave each year (up to a maximum of 30 days) to be taken at a later date providing you have agreed this with your manager.

Parental leave
Employees with 30 weeks’ service with Ealing Homes are entitled to 13 weeks’ unpaid statutory parental leave to be taken within the first 5 years following the birth of a child for who they have parental responsibility. In the case of a child born with a disability this is extended to the first 18 years.

Paternity leave – maternity support leave
Employees who are a partner or ‘nominated carer’ of an expectant mother who have less than 30 weeks’ service with Ealing Homes are entitled to 5 days paid maternity support leave. Employees who have more than 30 weeks’ service with Ealing Homes are entitled to 10 days paid maternity support leave.

Public service leave
Employees appointed to serve as members of local authorities or other statutory or public bodies are entitled to paid leave of up to 26 days during any 12-month period for carrying out duties that require absence from work.

Career break scheme
We have a career break scheme which allows you to take an unpaid career break of between six months and three years with guaranteed employment on return. This is open to all employees who have been with us for more than 12 months, subject to approval.

Pension scheme
You can take advantage of our Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGPS), which is a final salary pension scheme, or continue to maintain your own personal pension. Ealing Homes will not make any contribution to personal pension schemes.

Ealing Homes’ contribution rate for 2009/10 is 23.7%. Your contribution rate depends on how much you’re paid. The rates are between 5.5 and 7.5% of your whole time equivalent pensionable pay. The rate you pay depends on which pay band you fall into as shown in the table below:

Band	If your whole time equivalent pay rate is	Your contribution rate will be
1	Up to £12,600	5.5%
2	£12,601 to £14,700	5.8%
3	£14,701 to £18,900	5.9%
4	£18,901 to £31,500	6.5%
5	£31,501 to £42,000	6.8%
6	£42,001 to £78,700	7.2%
7	More than £78,700	7.5%

Please note: The pay bands will be adjusted each April in line with the cost of living.

Sick pay
Ealing Homes pays a combination of full and half pay for up to 12 months’ sickness absence. The amount paid is subject to your length of service. Basic entitlements are set out below:

During first year of service	One month at full pay and (after completing four months’ service) two months at half pay
During second year of service	Two months at full pay and two months at half pay
During third year of service	Four months at full pay and four months at half pay
During fourth year of service	Five months at full pay and five months at half pay
After five years of service	Six months at full pay and six months at half pay

Learning and development
We value your development and recognise that it is important to equip you with the skills to do your job well and to help you progress in your career. A minimum of 20 hours training and/or development is available each year.

We also provide financial support for vocational training and short courses as well as career development loans, with up to five days’ study leave available for approved courses.

Library – Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre has resources for employees to use which include a range of books, CD-ROMs and e-Learning covering the following topic areas:

Assertiveness
Time management
Report writing
Presentation skills
Management skills
Interviewing
Customer service
IT
Equality and diversity.

Childcare vouchers
We operate a childcare voucher scheme which can be used to pay for the care of children up to the age of 15, or 16 if they are registered disabled. They can be used for a wide range of childcare including:

Home based care such as childminders, nannies and au pairs
Pre-school care such as nursery schools, play schools and crèches
Care for older children such as out of school clubs (breakfast clubs, after school clubs) and holiday clubs.

Holiday playschemes run by Ealing Play Service
We provide this service through the London Borough of Ealing’s playscheme and after school club.

Holiday playschemes offer fun and stimulating childcare for children aged 4–12, which help develop all aspects of learning by combining care and education with a friendly, sociable but secure environment.

For further details contact the Play Service Office on 020 8825 9766.

Active Health Partners (AHP) – advice line
Free confidential health advice can be obtained from a fully qualified nurse, available 24 hours a days 7 days a week though AHP.

Coaching and mentoring
Coaching sessions can be arranged to identify work related issues, solutions and actions in a confidential environment.

Mentoring is a one-to-one process where experienced colleagues can pass on advice and guidance in a confidential environment.

Working from home
Any Ealing Homes employee can apply to their manager for consideration to work from home. Certain types of work are more suitable than others and will therefore need to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Long service awards
Employees with 25 years’ continuous service will be entitled to a long service memento in recognition of their contribution.

Loans
Interest-free loans are available for season tickets. There is also a car purchase scheme for permanent staff who are authorised to regularly use their car for work.

Eye care vouchers
An eye care voucher scheme is available that allows employees to have an eyesight test and pay with a voucher. If the optician advises the employee needs spectacles for VDU use, another voucher will be issued to contribute towards the purchase of frames and lenses. This voucher does not cover contact lenses.

Employee helpline
A confidential helpline service is available to all Ealing Homes employees and their immediate family. It is provided by Care First, an independent and professional external counselling service, that is there to help with any personal difficulties you may have.

Gym
Employees based at Westgate House have access to a local gymnasium, a range of classes and a therapy room for which a small charge is made.