Thursday 2 April 2020
The worldwide coronavirus (COVID-19) position continues to change on a daily basis, with many countries now significantly impacted.
The UK Government and Scottish Government continue to review the position with their health advisers and the Council is committed to following Public Health Scotland’s latest guidance to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our employees and to ensure that our operations reflect national guidance relating to social distancing and measures to reduce the spread of the pandemic.
As such, we have had to consider the principles and governance arrangements for Annual Leave which will be in place during this period, which are detailed below. They will also be published on the Hub (the Council’s intranet).
Employees should also continue to follow all other guidance in the regular Employee News updates being issued and the contacts outlined for any queries.
Further Information
A dedicated Covid-19 page has been established on the Hub for all employee information and guidance:
There is also a dedicated coronavirus (COVID-19) section of the Council website with the latest service updates and information for residents:
eastdunbarton.gov.uk/residents/council-democracy/coronavirus-covid-19
Once again, I would like to thank you all for your continued understanding, co-operation and support in relation to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and hope you find these Principles helpful.
Thank you
Ann Davie
Depute Chief Executive, Education, People & Business
2 April 2020
COVID-19 Annual Leave Principles and Guidelines -EFFECTIVE FROM APRIL 2020
1. SCOPE (EMPLOYEES)
1.1. These guidelines and its full content applies to all employees of East Dunbartonshire governed by Chief Officers, Local Government Workers and Teaching Employees.
2. SCOPE
2.1. COVID-19 has been determined by the World Health Organisation as a pandemic and in responding to it, the Council’s approach to service delivery is based on Scottish and UK Government guidance and Public Health Scotland Guidance.
2.2. The principles of Annual Leave including working over the Easter Break are included within the scope of these arrangements.
3. REQUESTING ANNUAL LEAVE
3.1. Employees can continue to request Annual Leave throughout the current arrangements, subject to emergency (life or limb) and essential service delivery needs, which may vary service to service, depending on the nature of the activities performed and the emergency or essential services required.
3.2. Wherever possible, we should continue to comply with the requirements of the Working Time Directive to ensure that employees have sufficient rest and break periods, including holidays.
3.3. If you work in a non-emergency/essential service, you should continue to request annual leave in the normal manner.
3.4. Employees in emergency frontline services or those services which have been deemed as essential, should discuss any request with their line manager in advance of making requests. Where possible, subject to available resources to deliver the emergency or essential service, leave requests will be granted
4. PRE BOOKED ANNUAL LEAVE
4.1. Where employees have pre booked annual leave, particularly during the Easter holiday period, they should continue to take the annual leave, subject to the service delivery needs of emergency and essential services.
4.2. If you work in a non-emergency/essential service, and you have pre-booked annual leave, particularly over the Easter break, you should continue to take it. It will not be possible for all pre-booked annual leave to be cancelled.
4.3. Employees delivering emergency or essential services should discuss any pre-booked annual leave with their line manager. Depending on available resources and service needs, your line manager may ask that you postpone your pre-booked holidays to support the delivery of the service. Any request like this would be subject to your agreement.
5. TERM TIME EMPLOYEES COVERING PERIODS OF LEAVE
5.1. Employees who are employed on a term time contract and who are delivering or supporting the delivery of emergency/essential services, may be asked by their line manager if they would be willing to work during the Easter break. Any request like this would be subject to your agreement.
5.2. Term time employees who agree to work during the Easter holiday period to deliver or support emergency/essential services, will be paid in accordance with existing terms and conditions.
5.3. Managers should ensure that all hours worked by their term time employees during the term time break periods (including the Easter holiday period) are recorded and processed in accordance with current pay and recording guidelines (issued week ending 27 March 2020), to ensure timely payment.
5.4. Term time employees in non-emergency/essential services will continue to take their term time break.
6. EASTER PUBLIC HOLIDAY WORKING
6.1. Where employees are working on either or both of the 2 Easter public holidays (Good Friday, 10 April and/or Easter Monday, 13 April 2020), their normal terms and conditions will apply and payment and/or leave arrangements will be made in accordance with their contract.
6.2. Employees who are not normally required to work on these public holidays, but who agree to do so, will receive the appropriate enhancement, in accordance with existing terms and conditions.
6.3. Managers should ensure that all hours worked by employees who are not contracted to work public holidays, are recorded and processed in accordance with current pay and recording guidelines (issued week ending 27 March 2020), to ensure timely payment.
7. RECORDING
7.1. Recording of annual leave on iTrent should continue in accordance with normal arrangements and approval processes.
8. CHANGES TO THE ANNUAL LEAVE YEAR
As it is unknown at this time how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last and therefore how long Council will continue with its current service delivery restrictions and working arrangements, consideration will be given over the comings months whether any changes need to be made to the annual leave year.
Further information relating to any necessary changes to the annual leave year will be released when the position, informed by Government and Public Health Scotland advice, is clearer.
In the meantime, the principles and governance for annual leave arrangements defined in this document should be applied until further notice.