What is changing?
The University recently announced that it is partnering with Reed Talent Solutions to provide a managed service which will take responsibility for temporary staff engagements. This includes engagements with new joiners who previously would have been paid via the University’s casual payroll or via an agency.
The service was launched back in November 2021, and from 1 August 2022 Reed will manage engagements for all new or re-joining temporary staff.
Why is it changing?
The new service offers some key benefits to the University and its workers, including:
- One right to work check. The service offers a central pool of workers, which means workers only need to provide their right to work check once, after which they can work for other managers without the need to prove their right to work again
- Electronic time sheets
- Electronic payslips
- Shorter payment cut-offs with weekly pay dates, so workers receive their payments faster
- Standardised pay rates in line with University pay scales
- Greater visibility for workers of opportunities within the University
Key points and guidance for managers:
- The managed service will process all casual payments on which standard PAYE deductions apply.
- Current engagements using the old casual payroll process will not be automatically transferred to Reed and can continue via the University casual payroll.
- New and re-engagements should be directed to the Reed managed service where possible:
- Re-engagements include any worker who had previously worked, but whose agreement for work has ended. The next time they are offered work it should be through the Reed system.
- Workers who have not been paid for three months will be removed from the University casual payroll. If the worker has not been paid in this period, then the next period of work should be treated as a re-engagement.
- Payment rates should sit on the University single pay spine. These rates can be found on the Reed service portal; however, if managers identify a need to engage for work on a fixed fee basis this should be discussed with their HR Business Partner before using the Reed service.
- Payments for overseas workers will not be processed via the managed service. If there is a need to engage an overseas worker, this should be supported via a purchase order raised via finance.
- Payments which might previously have incurred no PAYE deductions, (including payments for external post-grad examining, guest lectures, artistic fees, musician fees) should be routed through the IR35 process, which will result in one of two actions:
- If a payment is deemed self-employed for tax purposes payment will be made via the Finance light touch requisitioning system (guidance can be found here)
- If a payment is deemed employed for tax purposes payment will be made via the managed service.
Things recruiting managers need to know
It is recognised that the Reed managed service will not be appropriate for some temporary engagements in Schools such as Post Graduate External Examiners. A small working group has been formed to help identify such roles and find workable solution.
This means that whilst it is encouraged that all temporary assignments be managed by Reed, recruiting managers will be able to make use of the casual payroll until 31 July 2022. Current ‘live’ engagements paid by the University casual payroll should remain on the casual payroll until the end of the engagement.
Any claim forms submitted to the casual payments team which relate to new or re-joining workers and for work commencing on or after 31 July 2022 will be returned, and managers will be directed to the managed service.
You can view further details and FAQs for the new service.
If you are unsure about how best to engage workers you should discuss your resourcing requirements with your HR Business Partner, who will be help you to identify the correct engagement process.