Long service allowance for university support staff
Council has authorised departments and institutions to pay a special allowance, the amount of which is reviewed annually, to any member of the university support staff who has completed 25 years' continuous service with the University (other than re-engaged pensioners). The Payroll Office will make payments automatically to eligible staff with effect from 1 August and backdated to the first pay period following completion of 25 years' service.
The long service allowance is also payable to staff who have completed 25 years' service in total with the University if they had a break or breaks in service for domestic reasons (i.e. maternity leave or family commitments such as the care of relatives) provided they have taken no other paid employment in the meantime and they have clearly informed their department, at the time of resignation, that the reason for leaving was such domestic circumstances. However, the Payroll Office is not able to identify from its own records members of staff who fall into the latter category; staff who have had a break in service for domestic reasons but who have completed 25 years' total service are therefore advised to apply for the allowance through their Administrator (or equivalent).
In accordance with the relevant legislation, where women employees exercise their right to return to work after maternity leave, periods of employment prior to the employees' absence are to be regarded as continuous employment for the above purposes.
The allowance is paid at a rate which is reviewed and notified annually as from 1 August, by reference to an index of university costs. Eligibility for the allowance will commence with the first pay period following the completion of the 25 years' service; but no claim for backdating prior to 1 August preceding the date on which the claim was raised will be allowed.