Staff Benefits

Lecturing staff are entitled to 62 days holiday per annum including public holidays. The leave year runs from 1st September to 31st August. Leave is currently fixed as per the college calendar.

Support staff are entitled to 45 days holiday per annum including public holidays. The leave year runs from 1st September to 31st August. It will be possible to carry forward up to 5 days annual leave any leave untaken over and above this will be lost. Leave must be approved by the line manager and should not be taken in blocks of more than 3 weeks unless for a special reason e.g. holiday of a lifetime. 

Part time staff are entitled to holiday leave on a pro rata basis.

An employee’s holiday entitlement will be outlined in their employment contract, or should refer to the leave screen in the HR21 account.

Maternity Leave – in addition to the statutory leave and pay entitlement support staff are entitled to 12 weeks half pay provided they return to work for at least three months following maternity leave. Lecturing staff are entitled to the first 13 weeks of maternity leave to be paid at a value equal to full pay but including statutory maternity pay. If eligible staff are also entitled to shared maternity leave.

Adoption Leave – staff are entitled to statutory leave and entitlement.

Paternity Leave – all staff are entitled to statutory paternity leave. In addition, staff with more than 5 years service are entitled to 5 days paternity leave with pay.

For more information on any of these please contact the HR Department.

All staff are eligible to receive Occupational Sick Pay from their first day of service.

Support Staff have the following entitlement:

Lecturing Staff have the following entitlement:

Lecturing Staff - Scottish Public Pensions Agency

All lecturers have access to the Teachers Superannuation Scheme through payroll deductions.  The scheme is operated by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency who are based at Tweedbank.  Currently staff make a minimum contribution of 7.2% and the College pays 23%.  This is free of tax.

More information can be obtained from their web site: www.sppa.gov.uk

There is also a facility linked to the pension scheme which allows for the payment of Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC). 

Lecturing staff can make additional voluntary contributions through Prudential.

This is a straight forward, convenient and tax efficient way to boost retirement income which is designed to work alongside a member of staff's Teachers Superannuation Scheme.

Any employee interested in this scheme can gain further information and an application form from the Prudential website at www.pru.co.uk/teachersavc

Support Staff - Local Government Pension Scheme

All support staff have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme which is administered by Scottish Borders Council at Newtown St Boswells.  Currently staff pay a rate which is based on pensionable salary which is indicated to staff every year in April, this starts at 5.5%, the College pays 18%.

More information can be obtained from their web site: https://scottishborderscouncilpensionfund.org/

There is also a facility linked to the pension scheme which allows for the payment of Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC). 

Support staff can make additional voluntary contributions through Standard Life.

This is the same idea as with Prudential, some of the benefits of the Standard Life AVC plan include:

• Tax relief at the highest rate of tax on payments.
• Own personal fund that will enable staff to monitor the progress of their own additional pension provision
• Freedom to alter payment levels to cater for changes in personal circumstances

Any employee interested in this scheme can gain further information and an application form from the Standard Life website at www.mypensioninfo.com

The College retains the services of NHS Borders to provide an Occupational Health Service which offers a range of services, including lifestyle screening, stress counselling, medical referrals and other health issues relating to the workplace.

Appointments may be made through the HR Department and can be held on or off campus at the request of the staff member. Anything discussed during counselling is completely confidential between the individual and the Occupational Health Service representative.

To arrange an appointment with Occupational Health, please contact the HR Department, or contact NHS on 01896 825 982

Borders College provides staff development, training and education programmes designed to meet the needs of staff and of the College. The primary objective is to enable each member of staff to make an effective contribution towards the operation and success of the College.

College policy requires managers to assume  responsibility  for  the training of their own staff within the scope of the College’s Strategic Plan. The Senior Leadership team provide advice and assistance to managers   in carrying out this responsibility. In addition, the College organises and implements a Continuous Professional Development Programme encompassing national developments together with development and training requirements identified via the Staff  Development  and Review procedures. All new staff receive induction training. Staff may also be assisted in furthering their own development through the acquisition of appropriate qualifications.

All attendance at courses, conferences and meetings should be approved by your Line Manager.

The Flexible Working Hours Scheme is open to all support staff whether they are full time or part time and has the aim of providing a more flexible system of attendance for staff, on a discretionary basis, with the guiding and overriding principle that this flexibility should be achieved without adverse effect on overall efficiency or on services.

For more information on the FWH Scheme, please refer to the Flexible Working Hours Scheme Policy accessible on the College Website or by getting in touch with the HR Department.

Capital Credit Union is a democratic, mutual, financial service co-operative, providing savings plans, lending facilities and insurance services for anyone living or working within Lothian or the Scottish Borders.

They are owned by, and run for the benefit of their members, to become a member and access the services of the Credit Union, employees only need to open a savings account and agree to save on a regular basis.

For more information, or for an application form, please contact the HR Department or visit their website at www.capitalcreditunion.com

Prosperity Independent Financial Advisors and Stockbrokers [Prosperity] provide financial services for staff. Prosperity representatives come to the Galashiels Campus on a regular basis to talk to staff about any aspect of their finances.

After the first initial chat, if staff want the advisors to carry out any further work they will let you know of any proposed charge and what the next steps are (how long it will take, if you’ll need a longer private meeting, perhaps in your own time or signposting to a trusted third party etc).

HEALTH SHEILDS

Health cash plans are a great way to ensure your everyday healthcare costs are covered and give you peace of mind you and your family are protected for everyday healthcare.

For more information visit www.healthshield.co.uk

MEDICASH HEALTHCARE SCHEME

Medicash Active is a health plan available to any Borders College staff member aged between 16 and 65 years old.

It is designed for modern lifestyles and pays staff for the full cost of all treatments – up to their annual policy limit after 6 month membership. Medicash care offers peace of mind against everyday healthcare bills.

For more information, or for an application form, please contact the HR Department or visit their website at www.medicash.org/active

LHF HEALTH PLAN

This healthcare scheme is provided by LHF, which is a division of Simplyhealth Access.  It provides insurance cover towards the costs of dental and optical healthcare, complimentary therapies, consultation costs and health screening costs.  It also makes payments following hospital stays for maternity cover.

Cover is provided for permanent UK residents between the ages of 17 and 65.

For more information, or for an application form, please contact the HR Department or visit their website at www.lhfhealthplan.co.uk

Costco is a membership wholesaler which currently operates over 470 warehouses worldwide.  Their goal is to provide members with top quality goods and services at the lowest prices possible, www.costco.co.uk

For an application for membership, please contact the HR Department.

We offer access to an exclusive discount website.  Borders College My Lifestyle allows staff to save money at hundreds of high street retailers, supermarkets, restaurants and more. 

When you commence employment you will receive a link to join.

If you need a new link to join then please email hr@borderscollege.ac.uk and a link will be sent to you.

Borders College, in conjunction with EDENRED has introduced a more flexible way to meet the cost of employee’s childcare.   

By “sacrificing” part of their salary, employees can exchange it for Childcare Vouchers which are in turn exchanged, in whole or part, for the childcare services used.

For more information, please contact the HR Department or visit their website through Edenred My Lifestyle.

The College works in partnership with Cycle Solutions which allows any Borders College staff member to choose a bike which the College buys on behalf of the employee and leases it back to the staff member via a salary sacrifice scheme.

For information on the Bike to Work scheme, please log in to Edenred My Lifestyle and click on the link.

The College works in partnership with Let's Connect which allows any Borders College staff member to choose from a brochure of available items. The College buys this on behalf of the employee and leases it back to the staff member via a salary sacrifice or purchase scheme

Log in to My Lifestyle for more information.​​​​​​