Local agreement on home-based working - issued September
2001
1. Introduction
(a) This agreement is made between KCC and the Kent Branch of
UNISON
(b) The agreement is about home-based working, and is made with
the intention of creating a framework that is satisfactory to both
employees and the employer
(c) The agreement is subject to annual review.
2. Definitions
(a) A home-based worker is an employee whose contractual place
of work is their home, and who has no KCC workspace dedicated for
their specific use. KCC recognises two categories of home-based
workers, the impact of which is on the way travel allowances are
paid. Details of these categories are shown in the table at the
bottom of the page.
(b) Home-based working (fixed): the employee provides a
work-space in their home. Whilst their primary work base is their
home (i.e. others would expect to contact them there), they will
also have access to shared facilities at a team base.
(c) Home-based working (mobile): the employee provides a
work-space in their home. There will be no recognised team base
available for the employee, who will be deemed to work in a
geographical area (usually West, Mid or East Kent).
3. Voluntary arrangements
(a) Home-based working is an arrangement requiring the agreement
of both the employee and their line manager.
(b) In coming to such agreements, line managers must follow
their directorate's policies and procedures for home-based
working.
(c) Home-based working arrangements can be ended by either
party, and alternative working arrangements agreed.
4. Communication
(a) Home-based workers will, at times and for purposes agreed
with their line manager, attend a KCC office, e.g. for team
meetings, supervision, to consult resources held in the office.
(b) Managers will make sure that home-based workers receive
appropriate information and communication. Home-based workers will
check they are receiving the information they need.
(c) Shared office facilities will be available for the
home-based worker at KCC offices and at telecentres.
5. Hours of work
Unless otherwise agreed, contractual hours and times of work
will remain the same when employees become home-based workers. The
pattern of work hours will be agreed between the employing
directorate and the employee. This will reflect the requirements of
the directorate, County Council policy and practice, and the
"Working Time Regulations 1998".
6. Health and safety
(a) Both the employee and the employer maintain their
obligations under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act (1974), as set out in KCC's Framework for Health and
Safety.
(b) The line manager will arrange a risk assessment at the
employee's home. Risk assessment is a four-stage process, for which
the line manager is responsible:
- identifying any hazards
- assessing the risk presented by those hazards
- taking measures to control those risks
- checking whether those measures work.
(c) The employee is expected to co-operate with their line
manager in ensuring a safe and healthy working space at home.
(d) The employee has the right to invite a UNISON accredited
safety representative to carry out a health and safety inspection
of their home.
7. Equipment
(a) The employee's directorate will provide and maintain
equipment necessary to the employee's duties.
(b) An inventory of this equipment will be drawn up and signed
by the employee and their manager. The inventory will form part of
the documentation recording the change to the employee's
contract.
(c) All equipment provided by KCC remains the property of KCC.
The employee will return any KCC property, whether equipment or
files, when it is no longer necessary for their duties, when they
are no longer based at home, or when their contract of employment
ends.
(d) KCC will make good any damage done to the employee's home
during the installation or removal of equipment.
8. Access to an employee's home
(a) KCC may seek access to an employee's home: reasonable notice
will be given, unless urgent access is sought. Requests for access
will be kept to a minimum, and will avoid unnecessary intrusion
into the employee's home.
(b) KCC might seek urgent access to an employee's home for:
- maintenance of faulty equipment
- where there is a serious health and safety issue or major
operational issue (e.g. the employee is unable to work)
- occupational health and safety purposes; urgent security and
audit purposes.
(c) KCC might seek non-urgent access to an employee's home
for:
- routine maintenance of equipment
- assessing and monitoring security arrangements for equipment
and documents
- routine occupational health and safety assessments
- training.
9. Security of information
(a) Home-based workers must keep any KCC information (whether in
paper or electronic documents) confidential and secure, and follow
any relevant KCC guidelines and procedures.
(b) Line managers must check that the right levels of security
and confidentiality are maintained by home-based workers.
(c) Computerised systems which contain personal data must be
registered and used in accordance with data protection
legislation.
10. Travel allowance and subsistence
(a) For employees in the category home-based working (fixed),
travel expenses will be calculated in the same way as home-based
staff (mobile) see (b) below.
(b) For employees in the category home-based working (mobile),
and who live within their work area, all work travel from their
home will be reimbursed. For those living outside their work area,
journeys from their home to the boundary of their work area will be
regarded as a commute, and will not be reimbursed. All work travel
inside their work area will be reimbursed.
(c) When working away from their administrative base, employees
will be reimbursed for subsistence costs in accordance with the
Kent Scheme of Conditions of Service and any relevant directorate
policies.
11. Telephone
(a) KCC will install an additional phone line at the employee's
home for work purposes, and pay for the line rental and
work-related call charges.
(b) Home-based workers will need an answerphone or answering
service to help keep the boundary between work and personal life,
and to help colleagues keep in touch with them.
12. Working at home allowance
(a) KCC will pay home-based workers an annual allowance to be
reviewed annually and based on advice from the Inland Revenue. This
is to compensate them for providing a work space at home.
(b) The allowance has been set at a level that the Inland
Revenue regards as reasonable reimbursement, and therefore in most
cases is not taxable.
(c) Part-time home-based workers will be paid the allowance
pro-rata.
13. Equality of opportunity
Home-based workers will have the same opportunities for career
development and training as office-based employees. All KCC's terms
and conditions, employment policies and procedures will continue to
apply to home-based workers.
14. Union membership
For member-recruitment purposes UNISON will continue to be
informed of all new starters by the employing directorates.
15. Contractual changes
The normal consultation procedures will apply to proposed
changes to terms and conditions.
16. Termination of the agreement
In the event of either side wishing to terminate this agreement
three months prior notice in writing will be given.
Office-based staff
The employee has a work-space provided in a KCC office. Their
base is the office, i.e. others would expect to contact them there.
They may sometimes work at home on a voluntary basis; when doing so
they will be contactable by phone.
Home-based working agreement and allowance: Not applicable
Home-based (fixed)
The employee provides a work-space in their home, KCC will
provide IT equipment (including the facility to access email
(remotely) and office furniture, as agreed between the individual
and their manager. KCC will pay for the installation and running
costs of a separate work phone line and a health and safety risk
assessment of the employee's home work space is carried out. Whilst
the employee's primary work base is their home (i.e. others would
expect to contact them there), they will also have access to shared
facilities at a team base.
Travel expenses are claimed as outlined for home based mobile
workers
Home-based working agreement and allowance: Applies, allowance
of £159 per annum.
Home-based (mobile)
In addition to the conditions outlined for home-based fixed
workers; as there is no recognised team base available for
home-based mobile workers the employee will be deemed to work in a
geographical area (usually West, Mid or East Kent).
All travel from their home will be reimbursed. However for those
living outside their work area, journeys from their home to the
boundary of their work area will be regard as a commute, and will
not be reimbursed. All work travel inside their work area will be
reimbursed.
Home-based working agreement and allowance: Applies, allowance
of £159 per annum. |