Benefits and working for the LGA

If you are directly employed by the LGA (i.e. not on secondment) salaries will be paid monthly (on or around the 12th day of the month) by means of credit transfer into your bank account.

If you are seconded to the LGA, you will remain an employee of your current organisation for the duration of the secondment and your annual leave entitlement will remain the same.

If applying for a secondment opportunity, please ensure that you have the permission of your current employer before submitting your application and provide them with the following guidance.

Information to share with your employer if you are interested in applying for an LGA secondment opportunity: Your salary will be paid against the LGA pay scales. If you are currently earning more than the maximum point in the salary range, you should obtain support from your existing employer that they are prepared to pay the difference between the salary for the post and your existing salary whilst seconded to the LGA. Your organisation will remain responsible for paying your salary, plus employers on costs and will invoice the LGA on a monthly basis.

The LGA has a transitional flexible working policy which aims to support our move to hybrid working as this has been implemented during the pandemic in early 2021 and will be kept under review for at least six months.

The LGA flexible working approach is based on four core principles:

• The LGA is a national membership body, and we exist to deliver services to our member councils. The needs of our business must be our priority.
• In setting patterns for flexible working, employees must have regard for the impact on colleagues, on LGA elected members, on partners and stakeholders and critically, on our membership.
• There is no one-size fits all when it comes to flexible working. Different roles have different requirements at different times of the year and from time to time these may change. Flexible working includes having the flexibility to adapt your working arrangements to meet the changing needs of our business.
• Flexible working is based on a culture of trust and personal responsibility. Employees are responsible for managing their time and their work to deliver their role and meet their contractual requirements; managers work on the basis that people can be trusted to manage their own time effectively. 

As an office-based worker, individuals are required under the transitional flexible working policy, to work in the office one day per week as a minimum. However, this may vary significantly between different roles and from week to week. When and how often you go into the office will depend first and foremost on the needs of the business and secondly on your own personal preference for where you work. That means some weeks you may need to go into the office for your maximum contracted hours, whilst others will only require you to be office-based for the minimum.

The LGA offers a number of contract types - Fixed Term, Permanent and Secondments. These contracts can be offered as full time or part time opportunities. The exact details for the role that you are applying for will be in the relevant job advert.

LGA full-time hours are 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Employees may be full time or part time and are based at 18 Smith Square. Working patterns and attendance in the office can be flexible and the LGA supports hybrid-working, provided that the individual is able to deliver their role and meet the needs of the business, without adversely impacting on the work of colleagues. This contract includes an allowance (equivalent to the current London Weighting) as a contribution towards the cost of living within commuter range of 18 Smith Square, of regular travel to the office and of working from home on those days when you are not required to come in.

Employees may be full or part time and are based at home although, they may make occasional use of hot-desking facilities in 18 Smith Square. This contract includes a tax-free annual allowance set annually by HMRC towards the cost of working from home. This allowance is currently £312 for the financial year 2021/22. The LGA pays all work-related travel costs incurred by contractual home-based employees.

18 Smith Square is based in the heart of Westminster and provides an influential position and a prestigious single base for local government. In the centre of the square is St John’s Church and Concert Hall, and just around the corner the building is a close walk to shops and amenities.

Our building is located nearest to Westminster, Pimlico, Vauxhall and St James’s Park Underground stations, as well as Victoria, Vauxhall and Charing Cross railway stations. They are all a short 10-20 minutes’ walk away.

There are various bus routes in close proximity to the building, as well as two public car parks nearby if you prefer to drive (Abingdon Street Car Park, Horseferry Road Car Park).

18 Smith Square is arranged as an open plan building, offering tea and coffee points and meeting spaces on each floor. Each staff floor has its own kitchen area equipped with a fridge, dishwasher, and free tea and coffee facilities.

The building is air conditioned and there are locker facilities for staff as well as bike storage and shower facilities. The building has also has a roof terrace with tables and chairs set up to enjoy a break or take a meeting in the open air.

• Only applicable to LGA employed staff
• All employees may apply for an interest-free season ticket loan to assist in their travel to and from work.

LGA annual leave entitlement is 28 days, rising to 30 days after three years’ service and to 32 days after five years’ service, plus all UK public holidays (pro rata for fixed term and part time contracts).

If seconded to a role, annual leave entitlement will remain as per current employment terms and conditions.

Staff on LGA Grades 1- 4

If you resign from your post, you are required to give 4 weeks’ notice in writing. If your employment is terminated by the employer, you will be entitled to 4 weeks’ notice or one weeks’ notice per completed year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks, whichever is greater.

Staff on LGA Grade 5 and above

The notice period will be 12 weeks’ notice in writing from either party.

If on secondment, early termination prior to expiry of the agreed period will be subject to discussion and consultation between your employing organisation, the LGA and yourself, and be subject to one month’s notice from either party.

Please visit our organisational information page to view the LGA pay scales.

New employees are subject to a six-month probationary period to determine any support needed to meet the standards required in their job. The reviews during the probationary period set a structure of having regular 1:1’s to review performance, achievements and set objectives to develop.

Beyond the probationary period the LGA operates a performance review scheme. The aims of the scheme are to help individuals to perform their role to the best of their ability and to develop their career to reach their full potential.

To enable success, the LGA manages an online learning hub full of resources to support staff with their development goals. Face-to-face and virtual courses are scheduled in line with the development goals given by staff during the appraisal. Appraisal learning objectives are scrutinised to inform future training to benefit all staff aspirations.

The LGA applies the scheme agreed by the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services. If seconded, this will remain as per your current employment terms and conditions.

The LGA recognises that most individuals at some time in their lives experience personal or work-related problems. The LGA offers 24/7 access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme managed by Health Assured. This service also Dependants are also able to access this service.

The LGA administers the ‘Simply Health’ cash plan health care scheme. Through deductions direct from your salary, you can join a family or individual scheme which can contribute towards the cost of eye care, dental treatment and private treatment. The amount you contribute varies according to the plan you register for.

The LGA offers a contribution to eye care expenses for employees. All employees are entitled to one eyesight test per year (up to a maximum of £25). If employees require glasses for VDU use, we contribute up to £75 towards the cost of glasses.

The LGA also offers a Cycle to Work Initiative which is a salary sacrifice scheme which gives you the chance to save on the cost of a new bike as well as security and safety equipment to go with it.

The LGA offers the following family and carer’s leave including:

• Paternity leave – eligible employees will be entitled to take lave and receive paternity pay. This leave allows two weeks paid time off for the partner that will be responsible for the child’s upbringing. If a parent is not eligible for maternity leave, they may take Maternity support leave as an alternative.
• Maternity leave – the LGA offers, depending on eligibility, statutory leave and pay (26 weeks of Ordinary maternity Leave and 26 weeks of Additional Maternity leave, with 13 weeks on unpaid leave)
• Maternity support - Employees (irrespective of their length of service) nominated as a carer may take one week’s Maternity Support Leave. Full normal salary will be paid during Maternity Support Leave.
• Shared parental leave – subject to eligibility, this allows an opportunity for partners giving birth to a child or adopting a child to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay between them.
• Adoption leave - Eligible employees are entitled to 26 weeks Ordinary Adoption Leave (OAL) and 26 weeks Additional Adoption Leave (AAL).
• Parental leave - Parental leave is unpaid. Employees are entitled to 18 weeks’ leave for each child and adopted child, up to their 18th birthday. The limit on how much parental leave each parent can take in a year is 4 weeks for each child
• Leave for carer’s - the LGA works flexibly and employees with caring responsibilities should discuss working arrangements with their line manager to see what can be reasonably accommodated to allow time off for appointments and other responsibilities for your dependant.
• Emergency leave - Employees will be entitled to draw from a family emergency leave provision of up to five days paid leave each year with a limit of up to 2 days per emergency.

Only applicable to LGA employed staff. You will automatically be enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme. You will be required to contribute a percentage of your salary and the LGA will also contribute to the scheme on your behalf. Further information, including current contribution rates can be found on the Local Government Pension Scheme website.

Concerning other employment or voluntary/unpaid work, written agreement from the Chief Executive is required if you are already engaged in or wish to engage in any other additional employment, business enterprise, political or unpaid public appointment.  The Chief Executive will determine whether there is any potential or actual conflict of interest, however consent will not be unreasonably refused.  This should be discussed at interview or at the earliest opportunity during your pre-employment checks.

Any financial interest or relationship (personal or otherwise) you may have which could affect the decisions and policies of the LGA must also be declared.

Although LGA posts are not subject to the same political restrictions as local authorities, you will be expected to behave in ways which express clear political impartiality and will not be able to take up any public political office without the approval of the Chief Executive. This excludes roles in the LGA Political Groups.

The LGA is committed to providing equal opportunities for existing and potential members of staff. It is a condition of employment that all members of staff comply with the equality and diversity policy, further information can be found on our equality and diversity page.