Month: January 2012

Biometric Residence Permit changes

The UKBA has announced that wef 1 February 2012 the telephone biometric appointment booking service for postal applicants and the telephone Biometric Residence Permit management and verification services will be replaced with online services.  

Please see UKBA latest news and updates – Biometric Residence Permits Changes for further details.

The following guidance may also be helpful:

National Pay Award 2011/12

UCEA (the Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association) has advised that, following national pay negotiations with UCU, UNISON and UNITE, institutions can now implement the 2011/12 national pay offer. The College’s national pay scales have, therefore, been updated to incorporate a rise of £150.00 on each scale point effective from 1 August 2011 for those staff remaining on national non-clinical rather than local pay scales.

Payment at the appropriate new rates will be made in January 2012 salaries, and will be backdated to 1 August 2011.

What happens if the placement ends after I have started adoption/surrogacy leave?

If the child’s placement ends during the adoption/surrogacy leave period (for example, you are told that the placement will not be made or the child returns to the adoption agency), you will be able to continue adoption/surrogacy leave for up to eight weeks after the end of the placement unless the period of leave would have ended earlier than that in any event.

How will my fixed-term contract impact on my adoption/surrogacy leave and pay entitlements?

Where you have a fixed term contract and qualify for adoption/surrogacy leave, you will be accorded the same entitlements as comparable staff employed on permanent contracts. If there is funding available to extend a fixed term contract, the extension will be offered regardless of the adoption/surrogacy leave. A non-renewal of contract due to reasons related to adoption/surrogacy could constitute sex discrimination.

If the contract end date falls within the period of adoption/surrogacy leave and the contract is not renewed, any College benefits due will continue up to the date of termination of the contract and will cease on termination of employment. Where you are entitled to 39 weeks Statutory Adoption Pay and there has been less than 39 weeks of adoption pay at the termination date, the College will continue to pay the remainder of the Statutory Adoption Pay. 

Where, as an alternative to adoption, the baby is the subject of a Parental Order following a legal surrogacy arrangement,   there will be no legal entitlement to Statutory Leave and Pay.  Therefore, all payments will cease on termination of employment.

What happens if the mother/partner dies shortly after a child’s birth or adoption placement?

In this instance the father or partner will be able to take Additional Paternity Leave at an earlier point and for a longer period of time.  The start date should be within six weeks of the mother/partner’s death (this can be a date in the past but not before the date of death).  If the start date is not given within six weeks, it must be provided within eight weeks of the death.  The leave can then start from the later of:

  • the date of the mother or adopter’s death, or
  • the date the member of staff informs the College that they want it to start (or have started, if a date in the past)

Leave should end no later than:

  • the child’s first birthday
  • one year after the child was placed with the adopter
  • one year after the child entered the UK

If leave has already been applied for and granted, the start and/or end dates may be changed with immediate effect if notification is given in writing within eight weeks of the mother or adopter’s death.  If the member of staff changes their mind after this time, the College must be given six weeks’ notice:

  • before the original start date or the new start date, whichever is earlier,if withdrawing an application
  • before the date varied or the new date, whichever is earlier, if varying the start date
  • before the date varied or the new date, whichever is earlier, if varying the end date