As you would expect from the largest employer in Highland, we offer an excellent range of employee benefits.
Quality through Equality
Providing equality of opportunity for all applicants and employees is among our most important goals and values. We appoint on merit and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Flexible Working Arrangements
Where possible we will support you in maintaining a balance between your work and home life through flexible working practices. Depending on the nature of your post there are a variety options available, such as job-sharing, home working, term time working, flexible working patterns and flexitime available.
Family Friendly
Our generous package of benefits and provisions will support you with your family and caring responsibilities. We give prospective parents generous maternity and paternity benefits – including those adopting. We offer up to 13 weeks unpaid leave in line with our Parental Leave policy. And when you need the time off to care for your children or a dependent relative, you’ll find us very flexible, subject to the needs of the service.
Childcare Vouchers
Balancing your working life with the demands made on you as a parent can be challenging. As part of family friendly support we have introduced a childcare voucher scheme. This helps save money on your childcare costs while you are at work. The scheme allows you to exchange part of your salary - up to a maximum of £243 a month - for childcare vouchers. Childcare vouchers save you money because you don’t have to pay any tax or national insurance on them. Childcare vouchers can be used to pay for many kinds of registered childcare, typically including: nurseries, childminders, after-school clubs, breakfast clubs and holiday play schemes.
Healthy Living and Working
We care about improving your health, welfare and training. We’ll promote healthy living options for you through a range of events and initiatives. We aim to guarantee a safe working environment for all. Our procedures for training, guidance and assessments all combine ensure that our policies are working for your wellbeing. Our commitment to providing a healthy working environment means that we don’t allow smoking in Council premises or in vehicles.
Employee Development
Our induction programme helps all new employees get to know about us. The learning doesn’t stop there, we’ll give you all the training you need for your role. We have a regular review system which focuses on your development needs and gives you the chance to talk about your job, and your plans for the future.
Holidays
You will enjoy 20 or 25 days paid holiday a year, depending on the length of your service. You’ll also benefit from up to 14 days of public holidays. Part-time staff get a pro-rata proportion of this amount.
Relocation Expenses
If you have to move home in order to join us, our generous expenses package (maximum amount £6, 500) makes it easier for you.
Sickness Leave
Our scheme of sickness absence payments (as below) provides for when you are sick and unable to attend work.
Continuous Service Full Half
at Commencement of sickness
Less than 26 weeks 0 weeks 0 weeks
26 weeks but less than 1 year 5 weeks 5 weeks
1 year but less than 2 years 9 weeks 9 weeks
2 years but less than 3 years 18 weeks 18 weeks
2 years but less than 5 years 22 weeks 22 weeks
5 years or more 26 weeks 26 weeks
Continuous Service
We consider your continuous experience with local government and specific public sector partners when we calculate your annual leave, sick pay and maternity provisions.
Pension Scheme
We contribute to a high quality final salary pension scheme that enables you to make adequate provision for when you retire. It is completely secure because its benefits are defined and guaranteed in law. You put in 6% of your pensionable pay and we make an additional contribution. You don’t have to join the scheme but we will enrol you unless you choose not to go ahead with it.
Trade Union Membership
We believe in solving employee relations issues by discussion and consultation – so we encourage you to join a trade union relevant to your post and to take part in its activities.