Protocol on Annual Staff Long Service Awards

1. Long service awards are intended to acknowledge the loyalty and longevity of service of staff members and are not linked to salary or performance of the individual.

2. The values of long services awards are:

The values will not increase automatically every year but will be reviewed every three years in consultation with the unions. The next due date for review is 2014 with any changes in the value effective 1 January 2015.

3. Eligibility for long service awards:

• Full-time staff members
• Part-time staff members who work at least 20 hours per week (the value of the awards are the same as for full-time staff members)
• Full-time or part-time (as defined above) staff members who are retiring within six months of their long service anniversary date. 
• Active members of staff. Therefore, staff on early retirement or medical boarding are not eligible once they have retired or been medically boarded
• Staff members who are on contract who were on the permanent staff during their period of service, on condition that the contract period extends up to or beyond the anniversary date.

Staff are eligible regardless of the source of funding of salary. Rhodes University will fund the award and associated Long Service costs in line with the Protocol.
   
Temporary staff members who have not been on the permanent staff or those on the casual data base are not eligible.

4. The calculation for long-service is as follows:

•  The period for long service commences on the start date of employment where such employment has been unbroken, e.g. unbroken service would apply to a staff member who has served an internship of twelve months, continued immediately on a contract basis for six months and then been appointed immediately to a permanent position.  (Where an intern does not move immediately into a permanent contract, the date of service would commence from the date a permanent contract commences.) 
• Where a permanent staff member resigns from the University but resumes employment with the University within six months, the original start date will be regarded as the start date for the calculation of long service except that the period of absence will not count in calculating the length of service.   
• Provided the staff member has served on the permanent staff for 6 months or longer, periods of service on contract and permanent employment are jointly considered in calculating length of service.
• Where a permanent staff member takes unpaid leave, the period of unpaid leave does not count in calculating the length of service.
  
  The award will be paid through the payroll where the amount will be adjusted in such a way that the amount received after tax is the actual value of the award.

5. Those staff eligible for a long service award during the course of a particular year will, at the start of each year, be advised by HR that during the course of the year they will receive a long service award. Their HoD and Dean or Line Manager and Director will also be advised of this.

6. Human Resources will also issue an electronic communication to the Rhodes community with the names of those identified for long service awards for the current year and advising of the date the award ceremony will take place.

7. The awards will be made at an early evening ceremony in the Senior Common Room. Usually there will only be one event during the year, usually in June. In the event of more than one function per year, this will be determined at the beginning of the year and communicated timeously.

The ceremony is usually attended by  the Vice-Chancellor and the Director: Human Resources.

8.  The evening is organised by the Events Section of the Marketing and Communications Division who will personally contact recipients as regards their attendance and if they would like any particular guests to be invited. Recipients may invite a maximum of 3 guests over and above their HoD and Dean or Line Manager and Director.

9. Recipients will receive a framed certificate and a letter of congratulations from the Vice-Chancellor at the ceremony and, after the event, a selection of photographs.

10.  The payment of the award will be made through the payroll in the month of the relevant staff member's anniversary.

11. Those staff retiring (whether early or not) and who are within 6 months of the date of their next long service award, will receive a full award when they leave the institution in their final remuneration payment. A framed certificate will be arranged and where feasible, handed over at the person's farewell party.

First Draft: October 2011 after consultation with both unions.

Last update: January 2013 based on discussions with Marketing & Communications, feedback from SAM/ALF and streamlining of process.