Protecting AWR Rates and What is classed as a Shift?

[Lockardian]

Hi

I am off work at the moment due to illness and concerned about losing my AWR status.

I understand the six week rule - the last proper shift I worked was in June (paid 30th June), so this Friday 19th August will be the seventh week after that. However I attended a meeting regarding my health in July and received just over an hour’s pay on 28th July. I assumed that would be classed as a “shift” as far as protecting AWR was concerned, but now I’m worried in case it isn’t. I also got some back pay I was owed in July but again I’ve no idea if a payment is interpreted as a “shift”.

I’ve emailed payroll to ask, but wondered if anyone knows anything in the meantime. A “shift” doesn’t have to be a minimum number of hours to qualify, does it?

[tabact]

If off sick it pauses the clock up to 28 weeks so no need to worry about qualifying shifts.

[Lockardian]

I’m not getting SSP from Angard (didn’t qualify) so effectively I’m not “on the sick”. So unfortunately it is a problem (unless you know something I don’t), tabact.

I have sick notes to cover the absence but Angard didn’t want/need them as they weren’t paying me SSP. Is there such a thing as “unpaid sick leave” that pauses the clock?

[tabact]

You're still off sick but you need to supply Angard with sick certificates to pause the AWR clock even if you're not getting SSP. You said you'd emailed payroll so see what they have to say but according to this link any sickness has to be certified to pause the clock.

https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/advice/ca ... egulations
Sections 6 & 7 are the relevant bits, basically the 12 week qualifying reasons for pausing the clock are the same as for the 6 week period once qualified

Email certificates to payroll anyway so they can't argue the AWR clock wasn't paused. Just because you don't get any sick pay shouldn't make any difference, I hope you're claiming ESA if not getting SSP.

[Lockardian]

Thanks for the advice. I had fit notes I can send to them.

I have had a reply, which doesn’t really answer my questions and is little more than a “cut and paste” reply about AWR being lost after six weeks. They say that when I attended for a Risk Assessment that isn’t classed as a shift, and if that is correct I’m now over six weeks without bad shift. However, I completed a time sheet and was paid in the normal way for the Risk Assessment so I would be very surprised if that didn’t count as a shift, unless someone at payroll manually “clicked a button” to ensure that it didn’t.

I assume that as the fit notes are dated from June then the clock will be stopped from then, and it won’t be an issue that I’m supplying them late? I do have earlier ones but they probably won’t be needed - I may require the full 28 weeks so don’t want to go back too far, and I have done some shifts even while certified sick as it says I may be able to work doing “amended/adjusted duties” (this means only accepting shifts that are flat-sorting or similar). Again, I hope this isn’t an issue.

Oh - I didn’t qualify for ESA (as far as the DWP are concerned I am fit to work!) but I am claiming Universal Credit which equates to about the same amount of benefit.

[Tibtab39]

Are people still getting Angard shifts in processing centres?
I thought it had mostly dried up, hadn't had a shift for almost 4 ,or 5 months now at pleasance. Had been getting regular shifts for 2 years before that.

[Warbo]

Are people still getting Angard shifts in processing centres?
I thought it had mostly dried up, hadn't had a shift for almost 4 ,or 5 months now at pleasance. Had been getting regular shifts for 2 years before that.

Message them on Joined Up are you still on the list. Sometimes your email server decides to refuse stuff.

[Warbo]

Thanks for the advice. I had fit notes I can send to them.

I have had a reply, which doesn’t really answer my questions and is little more than a “cut and paste” reply about AWR being lost after six weeks. They say that when I attended for a Risk Assessment that isn’t classed as a shift, and if that is correct I’m now over six weeks without bad shift. However, I completed a time sheet and was paid in the normal way for the Risk Assessment so I would be very surprised if that didn’t count as a shift, unless someone at payroll manually “clicked a button” to ensure that it didn’t.

I assume that as the fit notes are dated from June then the clock will be stopped from then, and it won’t be an issue that I’m supplying them late? I do have earlier ones but they probably won’t be needed - I may require the full 28 weeks so don’t want to go back too far, and I have done some shifts even while certified sick as it says I may be able to work doing “amended/adjusted duties” (this means only accepting shifts that are flat-sorting or similar). Again, I hope this isn’t an issue.

Oh - I didn’t qualify for ESA (as far as the DWP are concerned I am fit to work!) but I am claiming Universal Credit which equates to about the same amount of benefit.

Anything that generates a payslip or fit notes paid or not will halt the clock. Might have to revet security etc.

[tabact]

Thanks for the advice. I had fit notes I can send to them.

I have had a reply, which doesn’t really answer my questions and is little more than a “cut and paste” reply about AWR being lost after six weeks. They say that when I attended for a Risk Assessment that isn’t classed as a shift, and if that is correct I’m now over six weeks without bad shift. However, I completed a time sheet and was paid in the normal way for the Risk Assessment so I would be very surprised if that didn’t count as a shift, unless someone at payroll manually “clicked a button” to ensure that it didn’t.

I assume that as the fit notes are dated from June then the clock will be stopped from then, and it won’t be an issue that I’m supplying them late? I do have earlier ones but they probably won’t be needed - I may require the full 28 weeks so don’t want to go back too far, and I have done some shifts even while certified sick as it says I may be able to work doing “amended/adjusted duties” (this means only accepting shifts that are flat-sorting or similar). Again, I hope this isn’t an issue.

Oh - I didn’t qualify for ESA (as far as the DWP are concerned I am fit to work!) but I am claiming Universal Credit which equates to about the same amount of benefit.

Probably easiest to email or try to talk to Kai in payroll direct assuming he's still there. You've hit the usual problem with Angard that the reply depends on who picks up the email and 9 times out of 10 you'll get a copy and paste answer.

Link to the official legislation. Paragraphs 8 & 9 are the relevant sections for sickness.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/201 ... ion/7/made