Policy for the Transfer of Hourly-Paid Teachers to Fractional Contracts (Part-Time Teachers)

1. Purpose

The University recognises the significant contribution made by Hourly-Paid Teachers (HPT’s) to the delivery of teaching in many Schools. This policy enables an Hourly-Paid Teacher to be offered a fractional contract, where the individual is undertaking substantial teaching hours on an on-going basis. To assist with the implementation of the policy, the procedure outlines the specific approach, and the Managers Guidance provides additional information for the Faculty/School to consider. 

Where an Hourly-Paid Teacher is offered and accepts a fractional contract they will become known as a Part-Time Teacher. 

This policy is effective from autumn 2015.  

2. Entitlement

Where the Hourly-Paid Teacher meets the eligibility criteria below, and is offered and accepts a Part-Time Teacher contract, they will receive the same terms and conditions as staff on grades A to I, or grades J and above, depending on the grade of the role (refer to procedure) in question.  For further information on the nature of the fractional contract, refer to section 7 of this policy. 

3. Eligibility Criteria

The following eligibility criteria must apply before consideration can be given to offering an Hourly-Paid Teacher a fractional contract.

Volume of work

A minimum of 0.2 FTE / 310 total contracted hours of work are carried out within the academic year in question.

Ongoing nature of work

The employing School anticipates that the work is to be ongoing for at least two academic years.

Role Descriptor

The Hourly-Paid Teacher’s work (of at least 0.2 FTE / 310 total contracted hours) on one or more contract will ordinarily be on the same Descriptor (Demonstrator, Teacher, etc), and will ordinarily be located in the same School. 

Where some of the work is on a different Descriptor but the combined work is of at least 0.2 FTE / 310 contracted hours and the work is ongoing, the employing School, in conjunction with Human Resources should consider on a case by case basis, whether a fractional contract would be appropriate (with reference to the continuing need for the work and the member of staff’s history of involvement with the University).

Where the work is for different Schools but the combined work is at least 0.2 FTE / 310 contracted hours, the relevant Schools in conjunction with Human Resources should consider whether a fractional contract would be appropriate (with reference to the continuing need for the work and the member of staff’s history of involvement with the University).

4. Work allocation

Work allocation considerations are covered within the Procedure for the Transfer of Hourly-Paid Teachers to Fractional Contracts and includes:

a) allocation to the most appropriate role in the Research and Teaching Family (with reference to the HPT Descriptors or in some cases the Pathway 3 Role Profiles), and

b) the appropriate fraction to be offered 

5. Approval

Where it is proposed that an HPT is going to be offered a fractional contract on an HPT descriptor, the employing School should seek authorisation in the normal way for sign off by the Dean.  Where authorisation by the Dean is agreed, the salary costs will continue to be met from the HPT budget. 

Where it is proposed that the HPT moves to a Pathway 3 role as opposed to an HPT Descriptor, approval will be required by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Where a Pathway 3 role is approved, the salary costs for the Part-Time Teacher will be transferred from the HPT budget to the core salary budget. 

For either scenario, approval is not required from the Establishment Review Group (ERG). 

6. Offering the HPT a fractional contract

Where the eligibility criteria are met, and approval considerations have taken place, the Hourly-Paid Teacher will be offered a Part-Time Teacher fractional contract, and can either accept the contract, decline and continue as an HPT, or decline the contract offer. Where the eligibility criteria are not met, and the work is ongoing, the Hourly-Paid Teacher will be offered an HPT contract.  

7. Nature of the fractional contract

• The contract will be issued for the anticipated activity required, for example 20% full time equivalent (FTE).    
• The fractional contract will be offered in the Research and Teaching family.  The contract offer will either be a non-pathway role with the most appropriate Hourly-Paid Teacher role designation, or on a Pathway 3 role where appropriate.   
• All entitlements will be given in accordance with the A to I, or J and above terms and conditions, as appropriate. 
• The individual will be offered a fractional contract on either a fixed-term or an open-ended basis, in accordance with the relevant University policy and the individual’s continuous service.   
• In the event that the volume and/or nature of the work changes, redundancy rights may apply to Part-Time Teachers, as is the same for other staff. 
• The individual will be a salaried member of staff, paid monthly for the duration of the employment in question. 
• Existing HPT’s being offered a fractional contract will be eligible for incremental progression, subject to satisfactory performance, based on the following table:

Length of service	Increment point on appointment to a fractional contract
For existing HPT’s with 5 or less complete years’ continuous service	3rd increment point
For existing HPT’s with 6 complete years’ continuous service	4th increment point
For existing HPT’s with 7 complete years’ continuous service	5th increment point

Staff with less than six years’ service will remain on the third increment point until they have reached six years’ continuous service.  

• New staff appointed to undertake Part-Time Teacher work on a fractional basis will normally[1] be appointed to the first increment point, and the usual university rules of incremental progression will apply.