Staff in SemiState Agency funded by HSE or VEC: Increment not being passed on

Hey,

I have a question for a friend of mine.

She works for a semi-state agency and the staff in her agency are all funded through the VEC or the HSE. All staff were aligned to posts from these agencies when they started. Then last year all staff received a pay cut the same as was given in these agencies. However, my friend has just found out that VEC staff have received increments since then which she hasnt and her funding comes from the VEC.

When she checking the funding draw down in work she noticed that there was extra money given this year to cover an increment and PRSI.

Her colleagues who receive their salaries from the HSE didnt receive any increase in their draw down amount to cover an increment and she wondering whether this was why her increment wasn't passed on. Also all the draw down amounts from 2009 to 2010 were the same amount but they all still received a pay cut in 2010 as supposedly they had less money.

She approached her boss and asked why she didn't get increment and the boss said because they cant afford it (so the money is being diverted to other functions). She asked if there was further pay cuts in HSE/VEC would she get them and she was told yes. So if the funder is providing money for an increment and if the funding level doesn't change then can an employer justify passing on pay cuts and not giving increments. All the employees dont receive a pension as other HSE/VEC staff do so the only thing the same is the salary amount and they dont get any benefits of TOIL or flexitime etc like HSE/VEC staff.

If anyone has any thoughts I would be very interested to hear them.

This has happened in many agencies and charities which were originally pegged to civil service rates.

It could depend on the Service Level Agreement with the VEC, but I would be surprised if it included a clause that staff must be pegged to Civil Service rates.

Your friend should contact her Union if she is a member. BTW not all VEC/HSE staff have pensions, TOIL or flexitime.

Definately talk to the union the LRC just ruled on a similar issue in the Brothers of Charityand said that they had to pay the increments as it was against the spirit of the croke park agreement. Get them to take a case.

Are you sure that you're correct in describing her agency as 'semi-state'. HSE and VEC don't generally fund other state agencies, semi or otherwise. Perhaps she is working for a charity or service provider or NGO or private agency?

I think so Complainer-thats what she said. Just checked with her there and what she said is that some staff are permanent HSE staff, others are paid through mainstream HSE funding, and she is paid through mainstream VEC funding. As her agency works quite closely with the HSE and VEC on different projects, her role is funding through them. She is on a permanent contract subject to funding but they dont need to apply for funding to be renewed?? So the HSE and VEC dont fund the agency that is through Community Rural and Gaeltacht affairs-although she thinks they have moved dept now. But her role is funded by VEC and some people by HSE.