Market supplements

Background

The National Framework Agreement requires institutions to use analytical job evaluation as the basis for assigning posts to the new salary structures. The purpose of job evaluation is to ensure that internal salary relativities are equitable and based on consistent analysis and criteria. The National Framework Agreement recognises that these relativities may not reflect the salaries being paid in the wider labour markets from which the University recruits, and hence makes allowance for the salary levels in the evaluated grade for a particular type of post to be supplemented in order to ensure that institutions are able to recruit staff of the appropriate quality to meet the requirements of the University’s mission.

This procedure seeks to provide for salary supplementation which:

does not conflict with the statutory framework for equal pay for work of equal value and,
only permits supplements on the basis of objective assessment.

Criteria

Salary supplements will only be approved on the basis of objective evidence that the salary scale for a post is insufficient to recruit a candidate of the appropriate quality in relation to the University’s mission, who meets the essential criteria in the person specification for the post.

The sources and the nature of the objective evidence available in particular cases will vary, and a body of case-law will develop as the University gains experience with the procedure. Initially, the following types of evidence will be used to assess a proposal for salary supplementation:

authoritative salary surveys carried out by well-known and reputable commercial and professional bodies, such as the Reward Regional Surveys, IDS, CIPD
post/salary monitoring of THES, Guardian Education, Jobs AC (UK), Oxford Times by the HR Directorate
salary monitoring through the Oxford Public Sector Employers network group
EOC and JNCHES written guidance on the use of salary supplements.

The recognised trade unions will have access to all data used.

Procedure

Supplements will be considered as pensionable pay, and will count as normal pay for calculating deductions and for calculating additional payments.

When a supplemented salary is approved, it will apply to all posts which have the same role description and essential person specification criteria and will be pro rata to fte for part-time staff. Further consideration may be given to posts with similar role descriptions following written application to the Director of Human Resources.

Review: December 2004