#BTColumn – Dear HR, I am starting my first job. What are some things I should know?

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

The first thing you should know is that when you accept a job offer from an employer, you are entering into a contract of employment. You are agreeing to perform specified tasks for your employer and will receive payment (at an agreed value) in exchange for the work you perform.

Working under a contract of employment: An employment contract is a legally binding agreement between you and your employer. Best practice dictates that this agreement should be in writing, signed by both parties.

When this document is signed, it means there are some agreed obligations that apply to each of you. When you sign and return the copy of the letter to the employer, it indicates that you accept the job being offered and that you agree to perform the job under specific terms and conditions.

It is very important that you read and understand the terms and conditions of employment to which you are agreeing before you sign since these will govern the relationship between you and your employer.

Ask questions if you must – seek clarity.

After signing, you should keep your copy of the contract in a safe place so that you can refer to it, as needed, in the future.

What should the contract of employment contain? The Employment Rights Act 2012 specifies what information must be given to you in writing. The document you receive should include:

• Your name and address
• The name and ad
dress of your employer
• The date your employment begins (your start date)
• The date your employment ends (if the position is not a permanent one e.g. if you are filling in for someone or if it is for a fixed period of time e.g. six months or three years)
• The title of the job you are being employed to do (the position you are being offered)
• A description of the work you are being employed to do (a job description)
• How much you will be paid for the job you are being employed to do
• How often you will be paid: whether hourly, daily, weekly or monthly
• Your working hours (the time you start work and end work)
• Whether you are required to work on weekends or public holidays or both
• Whether your employment is “part-time”, “full time” or “seasonal”
• The period of probation (if any)
• The period of notice you are to give the employer if you decide to leave
• The period of notice you are entitled to receive from your employer if your employment is terminated
• The business’ location(s) and where you are expected or permitted to work.
• Your annual vacation entitlement and how you will be paid when taking a holiday
• How sickness and injury will be handled, including whether there will be paid during periods of sickness
• Pension and pension schemes
• How grievances will be handled
• Disciplinary rules and the associated procedures

Honouring the agreement:

As an employee, you are expected to deliver according to the contract that you have signed. You are expected to be punctual and regular in your attendance because you have agreed to be at work for a specific period each day unless you are sick or on holiday.

This is why if you are going to be late, or absent for any reason, you must inform your employer or them to get permission because, in such instances, you will be unable to honour the terms of the agreement between you.

It is also important for you to become familiar with the company’s policies because these policies outline what is acceptable or unacceptable at that workplace. These policies should be documented, and you should be provided either with your own copy or with access to a copy that you can refer to as needed.

Payment:
You must be given money (legal tender) for the work you do and generally, payments will be made weekly or monthly. An employment contract cannot provide for less than the legal minimum set out in the Minimum Wage (National and Sectoral Minimum Wage) Order, 2021.

If your job is in the public sector, your salary will be linked to a pay scale and the scale into which your position falls will be made known to you in your engagement letter (e.g. Z16 – Z8).

These are specific identifiers that indicate the value at which your salary starts and where it ends. Increases are provided incrementally until you reach the top of the payment scale.

After that, any other increase will come after a promotion which will take you into a new payment scale (e.g. Z3- Z1) If the company for which you will be working is in the private sector, then you may be offered a specific amount per month or per week for the role you are being employed to perform. Increases may be offered at the company’s discretion or as a result of negotiations between the company and a trade union.

Payslips:
Each pay period you are to receive, from your employer, a record of the payment made to you for that period. This payslip outlines the gross earnings (your earnings before statutory deductions are made) and the net earnings (your earnings after the statutory deductions have been made).

No other deductions should be made from your earnings without your permission.

Other obligations:
National Insurance contributions: As a new employee, you must apply to the National Insurance Department for a National Insurance Number and will need to have this number to give to your employer before your first payday.

This is a number that is unique to you.

National insurance will be deducted from your earnings each time you are paid and is sent to the National Insurance Department on your behalf each month. It is from this scheme and the contributions remitted on your behalf that you are able to access sickness benefits when you are ill and pension benefits when you retire.

Payment of National Insurance is a mandatory statutory obligation – it is stipulated by law that employees contribute a portion of their earnings, each month and their employers also contribute a percentage on behalf of their employees.

Income Tax Tamis Number:

You must also apply to Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) for a TAMIS number. This number must also be given to your employer so that the income taxes deducted from your earnings can be sent to BRA on your behalf.

Income tax is another mandatory statutory obligation.

Account at a financial institution:

If you do not already have one, you must also apply for a personal account at a financial institution – either a bank or credit union. Many employers now choose to make payments to their employees’ personal accounts rather than paying them in cash or by cheques and will ask for banking details to facilitate payments by direct deposit.

One last thing:
Bear in mind that the relationship between an employee and an employer is a contractual relationship in which each party has rights and responsibilities. You should keep your contract, your job description and the company’s policies close at hand and refer to them often to ensure that both your rights and responsibilities are being honoured.

About Lifeline Labour Solutions: Lifeline Labour Solutions is a boutique partnership providing people management solutions to workplace challenges. Partners Carol-Ann Jordan and Jacqueline Belgrave have established practitioners with a wealth of knowledge and experience in Employment Relations, Labour Relations and Human Resource Management between them. Email: info@lifelinelabour.com; Tel: 1(246)247-5213