People doing the same job or work of equal value should get the same or equal pay. However, in many cases they don’t, even though the law says they should.
This web page brings together resources for getting the best out of job evaluation and negotiating equal pay, proofed pay and grading structures.
Each document is available for download from the resources section at the bottom of the page.
UNISON sees collective bargaining as the best way to deliver equal pay to all workers. Taking equal pay cases alone will not solve the gender pay gap. On the other hand, pay and grading reviews establish where all jobs fit in a structure.
Job Evaluation Explained
Job evaluation does not determine grades or pay levels but produces a hierarchy of jobs on which to base a pay structure. Job evaluation is a system for comparing the demands of each job and scoring them to produce a rank order of jobs. In job evaluation, the various demands of a job on a person are separately analysed – such as knowledge and skills, responsibilities, effort and environment.
Many non job-evaluated grading and pay structures have evolved over time and it can be hard for employers to justify why one job is graded higher than another or paid more. Job evaluation resolves this. The rank order of scored jobs is used to develop a grading structure for basic pay rates to be applied to.
Having job evaluation also deals with grading anomalies and grading appeals. It also deals with jobs which have changed or been restructured over a passage of time. Job evaluation also delivers equal pay for work of equal value which means it is free of gender bias.
Job Evaluation Documents
- NJC Green Book (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
The NJC for Local Government Services (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) covers the largest group of employees for collective bargaining purposes in the UK. Over 1.6 million employees have their pay and conditions determined within the national framework negotiated in the NJC. A handbook of NJC agreements is published as the NJC Green Book.
Part 4 of the Green Book contains the NJC Job Evaluation Scheme and User Manual and joint guidance on pay and grading reviews, equal pay audits and equality impact assessments.
- NJC Technical Notes (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
These are all the Technical Notes issued by the NJC Job Evaluation Technical Working Group (JETWG). Although JETWG produced the Technical Notes to help implementers of the NJC scheme, the contents of many relate to good job evaluation practice in general. This means they can be read across to the implementation of other JE schemes.
- Job Evaluation Model Role Profiles (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
The NJC has produced a number of advisory job role profiles covering public health, school support, social care and craft roles.
Used properly, profiles can speed up the process of job evaluation because they do not require the completion of detailed questionnaires. Many organisations have developed benchmark profiles for a representative sample of roles against which commonly occurring jobs or emerging jobs are matched.
Jobs can vary widely across authorities, so not every job with the same job title will match to the same profile. Individual authorities may also have different conventions to reflect local considerations and this can lead to variations in scores between organisations for what appear to be the same job.
- Quality assuring the GLPC JES outcomes (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
UNISON guidance on consistency checking GLPC JE scores in order to minimise appeals and provide a sound foundation for a pay and grading structure.
- Advice on Scheme Boundaries (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
Advice on where to place a scheme boundary when an employer insists on using two job evaluation schemes for posts below Chief Officer level.
Critiques of Job Evaluation schemes are available from UNISON Local Government – email NJCJEQueries@unison.co.uk
Pay and Grading
Documents relating to establishing and maintaining equal pay proofed pay and grading structures.
Documents
- NJC Green Book (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
Part 4 of the Green Book contains joint guidance on pay and grading reviews, equal pay audits and equality impact assessments.
- Keeping Pay Equal – NJC Trade Union Side Guide to Local Government Pay and Grading Reviews 2017 edition (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
The Trade Union Side Guide to Local Government Grading and Pay issued in 2005 had been updated to reflect developments in local government, equality law and key learning points.
The guide is intended for use by branches with members in organisations that provide local government related services, including schools.
For union representatives who have negotiated pay and grading reviews before, the guide gives technical and legal updates.
Although there are separate national agreements in Scotland and the rest of the UK, this advice applies equally in Scotland.
- Keeping Pay Equal – Online Supplement to Part 2 Equal Pay and the Law (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
This Guidance is a supplement to NJC Trade Union Side Guidance on Equal Pay and the Law which is in Part 2 of Keeping Pay Equal – NJC Trade Union Side Guide on Pay and Grading Reviews.
The Supplement is intended for lay representatives and paid officials, particularly those closely involved in or supporting union representatives carrying out local grading and pay reviews, such as members of the local negotiating team and full-time officials.
- NJC Trade Union Side Guide to Local Government Single Status Reviews – 2005 edition (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
The predecessor guide to Keeping Pay Equal. Useful for those who have not previously been involved in carrying out a local pay and grading review.
- Pay Modelling from a Union Perspective (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
This UNISON guidance covers frequently asked questions on pay modelling systems
- Definitions and significance of Green White and Red Circles (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
This UNISON technical note clarifies the terms and their significance in assessing pay and grading structures.
- Performance Related pay (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
This UNISON factsheet sets out the background to performance related pay, explores arguments about its value and key issues to consider in negotiating such schemes
- Competence Related Pay Progression in the Local Government Sector (Download from resources at the bottom of this page)
This UNISON guidance considers what should be taken into account if employers wish to introduce competency related pay progression
UNISON Training
The Service Group runs training course for activists and paid officials on
Getting the best out of job evaluation.
This one day course covers
- how to evaluate jobs,
- selecting benchmark jobs,
- matching jobs to role profiles,
- consistency checking JE scores
- appeals
The course can be tailored to the use of the NJC, GLPC or Hay job evaluation schemes.
Negotiating Equal Pay Proofed Pay and Grading Structures
This one day course covers
- Analysing the JE results – how many grades?
- drawing grade boundaries
- setting the pay structure
- nature of pay progression
- additions to basic pay
- assimilation
- protection and back pay
- equality impact assessments
- signing off procedures
These courses can be combined into a two day course but are probably best done separately to coincide with each stage of a pay and grading review i.e. when preparing for job evaluation and then pay and grading at a later date when preparing for pay modelling.
The Service Group runs tailored courses for UNISON regions locally and national courses at UNISON Centre in London. Course places can be reserved via your regional head of local government.
Equal Pay Training
Our job evaluation and pay and grading courses assume attendees have basic knowledge of equal pay law.
UNISON Learning and Organising Services run an introduction to equal pay course which you are recommended to attend before coming on the Local Government Service Group courses.