AQW 26899/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 06/12/2021
Answered On Date: 13/12/2021
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance when agency staff in the Northern Ireland Civil Service will receive their pay increase and back pay, paid to other Civil Servants in July 2021.

Answer:

It is the responsibility of the Civil Service’s contracted recruitment agencies to pay their employees the appropriate rates of pay and manage any pay adjustments or claims for back pay during the contract term.

As part of contractual arrangements, recruitment agency workers on assignment to the Civil Service receive an increase to their rate of pay in line with any Civil Service pay award. Recruitment agency workers are also entitled to paid overtime at the relevant rate and, where appropriate, pay progression.

The pay scales reflecting the 2020 and 2021 pay awards were published on 4 June 2021.

Civil Servants received payment of the 2020 pay award, including any backdated pay, in July 2021. Payment of the 2021 pay award was made in October 2021.

The majority of recruitment agencies have confirmed that their employees on assignment to the Civil Service are now on the correct rate of pay and have received any pay progression, where entitled. My Department has been advised by recruitment agencies that any pay progression still not in place for employees will be implemented week commencing 13 December 2021.

NICSHR officials in my Department continue to support the recruitment agencies to support back pay calculations due to their employees. While a number of recruitment agencies have paid their workers any back pay due, work is ongoing to finalise back pay calculations for the majority of recruitment agency workers. It is expected that this will complete early in the New Year allowing recruitment agencies to pay their employees any back pay due.