LOCAL GOVERNMENT NJC JOB EVALUATION SCHEME

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT NJC JOB EVALUATION SCHEME
Local Government NJC Job Evaluation Scheme
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The Context

• Single Status Agreement 1997
• 2002 national local government strike
• Local Government Pay Commission 2003
• 2004 NJC pay settlement

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Local Government NJC Job Evaluation Scheme

• Designed to cover all local government jobs up to
  chief officerlevel (but excluding teachers)
• Developed specifically to comply with equal value
  equality principles
• Developed by a joint Technical Working Group
  intended to be jointly implemented
• Recommended by an independent Local Government
  Pay Commission

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Local Government NJC Job Evaluation
SchemePrinciples

• Single Status specifically for measures
  fairly all NJC jobs
• Equality equality proofed in the local
  government context deals with all 3 types of
  equal pay claim
• Jointness operated by employers unions
  locally on fully joint basis
• Openness all details of scheme published
  employees have right to see how scheme operates
  evaluates posts

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NJC JES Factors (1)
13 Factors in NJC scheme as follows 4 Knowledge
Skills Factors Knowledge Mental
Skills Interpersonal/ Communication
Skills Physical Skills Initiative
Independence 1 Factor
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NJC JES Factors (2)

• 4 Responsibility Factors
• People
• Supervision, Management, Co-ordination
• Financial Resources
• Physical Resources

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NJC JES Factors (3)

• 3 Effort Factors
• Physical Demands
• Mental Demand
• Emotional Demands
• Working Conditions 1 Factor

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NJC JES Scoring of Factor Levels

• Factor Levels Vary
• Knowledge and Initiative Independence each
  have 8 levels
• Responsibility Factors 6 levels each
• Effort Factors, Working Conditions 5 levels each

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NJC JES Weighting

• Factor Levels Vary
• Follows Implicit Pattern more levels means more
  weight
• Knowledge Skills, Responsibilities have greater
  weightthan Effort
• Knowledge has greatest weight 16.3

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Practical Aspects of Job Evaluation

• Steering Committee
• Evaluation Committee
• Job Analysts
• Benchmark Jobs
• Job Descriptions a Crucial Tool
• Computerised JE

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The NJC JE Scheme the process

• Green Book Part 4 guidance and users manual
• Framework for local employers and union
  representatives
• Standard Job Description Questionnaire
• Evaluations by paper (manual) or computer (Gauge)

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Pilat Gauge Computerised NJC JES

• Jobholders answer questions directly onto
  computer
• Question pathways mean only relevant questions
  come up
• Requires trained analysts/facilitators
• No evaluation panel but sorethumbing/verification
  panel recommended
• Paper-based benchmark exercise local
  conventions/help screens

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Is the NJC JE Scheme time consuming, given itis
jointly operated?

• Proper evaluation of all council jobs, to achieve
  equality proofed pay structures, takes time
  effort
• No evidence NJC scheme is more time consuming in
  practice
• Fast track methods are risky, leading to possible
  equal pay claims from particular occupational
  groups
• Union Partnership is crucial for workforce trust
  and confidence

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Support for Councils and Unions implementing the
NJC JE Scheme

• Green Book Part 4 Guidance User Manual
• Job Evaluation TWG continuing technical advice
• NJC joint training pack for users / PILAT
  training
• NJC Associate Consultants for practical
  technical advice
• Regional training support
• NJC guidance on PGR, EqPA and EqIA

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Relating Job Evaluation Scores to Grading and Pay

• Draw up Rank order of jobs using JE points JE
  exercise complete
• Translate JE points into new pay structure
  place jobs provisionally on it pay modelling
• Agree arrangements for bonus, protection, back
  pay, unsocial hours other allowances
• Equal Pay Review of new proposals structure
• Draw up timetable for assimilation
  implementation

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And the NJC JE Scheme scores have to
beimplemented properly

• Need to resource pay grading reviews properly
  to remove threat of successful litigation
• Almost impossible to implement equal pay proofed
  pay structures at nil cost/very low cost in local
  government because of historical unequal pay in
  many councils
• Attempts to do so will make councils vulnerable
  to equal pay claims less attractive to work for

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ConclusionsWhy use the NJC JE Scheme (1)

• The NJC JE scheme is equality proofed in a local
• government context
• It has been specifically designed to evaluate
  local government jobs in the single status
  context
• It conforms with equal pay law and if properly
  implementedwill protect employers from equal pay
  claims which can run into millions
• Equality proofed pay structures good for
  employersand employees

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Why use the NJC JE Scheme (2)

• The NJC JE scheme builds in partnership and
  support
• It is open and transparent and in the Green Book
  job evaluation gains maximum acceptance when it
  is owned by the employer employee
• It is designed to be jointly operated union
  partnership is crucial for workforce confidence
• It comes with unrivalled practical and technical
  support and training materials

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Why use the NJC JE Scheme (3)

• It is the NJCs recommended scheme has been
  used by a rangeof councils
• It is recommended by an independent Local
  Government Pay Commission as the job evaluation
  scheme for local governmentsingle status
  reviews.
• Alternatives must meet its principles so simplest
  to use NJC JE scheme.