NHS Pay problem

[imissworthing2]

Please help fellow NSCers!

My girlfriend worked in the nhs in a band 5 position, a band 4 position came up in the same department, she went for it and got it. She was told even before she interviewed that they really want her for the job and would pay her at the top of band 4. This was agreed by the operational manager and my girlfriend received written confirmation that she will b paid at the top of band 4. She has been doing the new band 4 job from the 31st of October.

What would you know, her 1st wage slip comes in and she is now being paid at the bottom of band 4. At the start of november a new operational manager took over and has today emailed her saying there is a problem with the pay but due to the strikes cannot discuss it with her till next week. Sounds like a complete piss take to be honest.

Anyone any thoughts/ been in a similar position?

 

[Medwayseagull]

The letter constitutes a contractual agreement binding on her Trust. I would await the outcome of the meeting with the manager and if she is not satisfied she needs to contact her Union, if she is a member, or, alternatively raise a Grievance. I do have experience of dealing with stuff like this - pm me if you want further advice or to know my background.

 

[imissworthing2]

Thanks mate, seems that sounds promising. Just read her offer letter again, looking for any way her trust could get out of paying her correctly and this is the closest thing I could find to being a poss problem.

"Subject to a couple of pre-employment checks, I am delighted to be able to offer you the post" They could'nt weasel out of it using something like this could they?

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

NHS HR departments are a nightmare at the moment. It does sound like a cop out from her new OM as, there is still today and tomorrow before the strike. Our HR/payroll is still fully functional (although that is a relative term...), so there should be no reason for not being given answers. One bit of advice is not to conduct business over the phone. Either email or face to face, as everything is recorded and there can be no denial of dialogue taking place. Get her to request an informal grievance meeting and take a union rep in with her.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Thanks mate, seems that sounds promising. Just read her offer letter again, looking for any way her trust could get out of paying her correctly and this is the closest thing I could find to being a poss problem.

"Subject to a couple of pre-employment checks, I am delighted to be able to offer you the post" They could'nt weasel out of it using something like this could they?

I don't think so. I think they could only renegade on it through poor references, poor health (sickness records are something they are REALLY hot on atm) or failing the CRB check. If you went from a Band 4 to 5, AfC states you cannot be penalised for promotion and you go from the matching point on the new banding, plus 1 increment. I'm not sure how it works going back a Band, but if pay was given as an exact figure, rather than the Band 4 payscale, she should be fine.

 

[imissworthing2]

I don't think so. I think they could only renegade on it through poor references, poor health (sickness records are something they are REALLY hot on atm) or failing the CRB check. If you went from a Band 4 to 5, AfC states you cannot be penalised for promotion and you go from the matching point on the new banding, plus 1 increment. I'm not sure how it works going back a Band, but if pay was given as an exact figure, rather than the Band 4 payscale, she should be fine.

Thanks mate, I'll tell her to follow ur advice re communication and I was thinking that if she failed the pre employment checks then surely they couldnt employ her at all, irrelevent of banding. Lets just wait and see... She has the exact figure written on the offer so I'm quite sure things will be sorted

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

My partner moved from one hospital to another both at band 5 but when she started HR told her they couldn't pay her at the increment as her previous hospital. We tried argueing but they were denying it. Anyway a year later she went on Mat leave and they had to contact her previous hospital to make sure she'd been in the NHS for 12 months to get full allowance and when they contacted her old hospital they realised she should have been on a higher increment and then gave her a years worth of backpay completely going against what they originally said. The HR departments in the NHS are pretty shocking. Hopefully you can get things sorted especially if you have written proof of salary in the letter but it may take some time. Just keep at them

 

[imissworthing2]

My partner moved from one hospital to another both at band 5 but when she started HR told her they couldn't pay her at the increment as her previous hospital. We tried argueing but they were denying it. Anyway a year later she went on Mat leave and they had to contact her previous hospital to make sure she'd been in the NHS for 12 months to get full allowance and when they contacted her old hospital they realised she should have been on a higher increment and then gave her a years worth of backpay completely going against what they originally said. The HR departments in the NHS are pretty shocking. Hopefully you can get things sorted especially if you have written proof of salary in the letter but it may take some time. Just keep at them

We also had a helluva prob getting mat pay out of her trust as she does 12month contracts too. Wasn't going to bore you all with the developments but as I'm here I may aswell. She got an email off the new OM today who said that HR havent signed off the top of band 4 pay even tho the OM had authorised it. Don't know who to believe really, just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Tory Boy]

I suspect a mistake has happen, from time to time they do.

TB

 

[Muzzman]

I work for the NHS and am Band 4.

If your girlfriend works for Sussex Partnership she'll have trouble this week as the payroll department are moving offices in Swandean, all the updated contact info for them is on the NHS intranet.

Payroll can be a real nightmare, they had me on the wrong tax code of 2 years and I've just got that debacle sorted out.

If she doesn't work for Sussex Partnership... ignore this and have her contact HR.

Regards.

 

[imissworthing2]

I work for the NHS and am Band 4.

If your girlfriend works for Sussex Partnership she'll have trouble this week as the payroll department are moving offices in Swandean, all the updated contact info for them is on the NHS intranet.

Payroll can be a real nightmare, they had me on the wrong tax code of 2 years and I've just got that debacle sorted out.

If she doesn't work for Sussex Partnership... ignore this and have her contact HR.

Regards.

Na, she works for the hereford and worcester trust. She's just got home and basically HR have said that because she was coming down from a band 5 post does not automatically qualify her for top of band 4 as you need to have 5yrs experience for top of b4 wage. She has 3 and they said she can have about mid band 4 salary. She's gonna seek some advice before agreeing to anything as there's no reason why she should lose out over someone else's mistake

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Why would she go from a band 5 to a band 4? You have to have different qualifications for either band,therefore you would go to the bottom of band 4.

 

[Nibble]

What's the problem? They said there had been a mistake and they would discuss when they get the strike out of the way.

 

[imissworthing2]

You sound like you know far more about this than me, I assumed it was just a pay scale. She's an assistant psychologist and needs to get a variety of experience to get onto the Clin psych doctorate. Ths new job is to tick off here neuro experience.

 

[Da Man Clay]

To be fair, if you've got a written offer of employment on that wage and the job has been accepted on that basis then I fail to see them being able to wrangle their way out of paying that amount. Got to amount to a breach of contract imo. It's their problem they've cocked up on the pay offer, not your partners.

 

[The Mole]

NHS HR departments are a nightmare at the moment. It does sound like a cop out from her new OM as, there is still today and tomorrow before the strike. Our HR/payroll is still fully functional (although that is a relative term...), so there should be no reason for not being given answers. One bit of advice is not to conduct business over the phone. Either email or face to face, as everything is recorded and there can be no denial of dialogue taking place. Get her to request an informal grievance meeting and take a union rep in with her.

My experience of NHS HR departments is that they are always a nightmare - even inefficient by NHS standards. I once had a job for 18 months and didn't ver get around to signing a contract as they had got my pay at a different rate to that which was offered. (The offered rate didn't match their banding). As pointed out in an earlier thread the offer is legally binding. Anyway goo luck... be prepared to wait though.

 

[Castello]

Hi,

I am a Regional Officer for Unite in London, covering the health service. If you want to send me a private reply answering the questions below. I don't mind giving some informal advice. based upon your answers we can take it from there.

Is your girlfriend a union member?
Which union?
Is there a union rep?
Why did she take the new job?
Was it due to potential redundancy or redeployment for another reason?


If she has it in writing that she will definitely be paid at the top of band 4 that would seem to constitute a contractual offer. However I'm not a lawyer, and I'd have to see the letter before I'd comment and would need proper legal advice before advising legal action.

However often a well worded letter can sort these things out.

If you want advice let me know.