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In exceptional circumstances, UCL has the capacity to offer a salary advance to help staff with a critical need.
Contents
- Introduction
- Scope
- Salary advances
- Conditions
- How to apply
- UK GDPR and Data Protection
- Other financial information
- Appendix A
- Appendix B
Introduction
1. Payroll Services will only process an advance of salary where the application fulfils the conditions within the Salary Advance Guidance, including approval from the line manager (Grade 9 and above). This can also be another senior manager, a Director, or HoD in the Department, where the circumstances or the urgency requires an alternative approver.
2. An advance will not be provided where the repayment period exceeds the length of employment contract, a previous salary advance is still being repaid, or the employee is unable to agree the future repayment schedule.
3. Salary advances are not a substitute for personal debt management or intended to be used repeatedly, and are granted where an employee’s exceptional circumstances may cause financial hardship, or where the employee meets the new 'Contract Research Staff' criteria (Appendix A).
4. Examples of exceptional circumstances provided in this guidance are not exhaustive and a decision to agree a salary advance should be based on the merits of each individual case and some discretion is allowed.
5. Employees should be reminded of the following support:
- Spectrum.Life, UCL’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider, has specific and qualified experts including, financial and tax advisers for Financial Wellbeing issues. Please visit Spectrum.Life to find out more.
- London Capital Credit Union is a not-for-profit savings and loans co-operative, who can provide low-cost loans at times of need.
6. Separate arrangements for new 'Contract Research Staff' can be found at Appendix A. Out of cycle payments for new joiners who have missed the payroll cut-off, can be found at Appendix B.
Scope
7. All UCL employees
Salary advances
8. Situations that may qualify as ‘exceptional’ grounds for requesting a salary advance are typically emergencies and unexpected situations involving sudden financial loss or situations that could cause serious cashflow problems.
This might include but is not limited to:
- the death of a close family member leading to additional expenditure e.g., funeral or legal costs.
- financial loss resulting from some unforeseen incident or event such as a robbery, fraud or accident.
- A major emergency leading to unavoidable expenditure such as flood or fire damage to the home.
- A serious, unexpected financial issue which left unresolved could impact on the employee’s health and/or wellbeing.
Conditions
9. The employee will only become eligible for a salary advance, if the approver is satisfied the application meets the criteria in this guidance and the following conditions can be met (see Appendix A for new 'Contract Research Staff' conditions):
- The member of staff is employed on a contract extending for at least the duration of the repayment of the advance
- The maximum advance requested by the employee is no more than one month’s net salary and it can be repaid in six months or less (where the length of employment contract is shorter than six months)
- Before an approach is made to UCL, the employee has exhausted or explored (if applicable), other potential avenues of financial assistance e.g., bank overdraft, credit card, bank loan, insurance company etc
- The employee can provide evidence of the exceptional circumstances and/or the financial loss/expenditure incurred, if requested to support the application
How to apply
10. Staff requesting a salary advance should email the completed Salary Advance Application Form together with any other relevant supporting information, to their line manager (or an alternative approver [see paragraph 1]) for approval.
11. If the line manager is unsure whether a salary advance is appropriate in the circumstances, they may need to discuss the application with their manager, HoD and/or the employee.
12. Forms which have been approved, should be forwarded to MyServices. Salary advances will be paid as soon as possible outside of the ‘normal’ payroll run. Adjustments will be confirmed on the next available payslip. If you have any queries around a submitted salary advance application, contact MyServices.
UK GDPR and data protection
13. Submitted Salary Advance Forms will be retained and disposed of in accordance with UCL’s Records Retention Policy This information will also be used in accordance with UCL’s Staff Privacy Policy.
14. Relevant supporting documentation may be requested where it will assist the decision-making process. Where any documentary evidence is being provided, unrelated information can be redacted by the employee to protect privacy e.g. personal names, addresses, emails and third-party personal details etc. In any case, all documents will be kept confidential.
Relevant documents that may be applicable are:
- Outstanding invoice/bill
- Repayment demand
- Insurance claim
Banking details or statements should not be requested.
Other financial information
- Immigration loan
- Relocation scheme
- Relocation expenses
- Season ticket loan
- Cycle scheme
- Financial Benefits
- Employee Assistance Programme
Appendix A
New Contract Research Staff
1. Contract Research Staff who are Grade 8 and below and who are therefore not eligible for the UCL Relocation Scheme, are able to request a salary advance of one month’s net salary to assist with the costs of taking up their new appointment. This category of application must be made within the first month of employment and is separate to cases involving exceptional circumstances. The salary advance application form can also be used to request this payment.
Appendix B
Out of cycle salary payment for new joiner where payroll cut-off is missed (all UCL employees)
1. Hiring managers should refer to UCL’s pay dates and cut-offs when agreeing start dates, so that all payroll actions are completed on time and to ensure inclusion of the new starter in that month’s pay run.
2. Employees should be made aware of the date their first salary payment is due to be paid, before agreeing a start date. This should allow personal finances to be managed.
3. Any arrears due to a missed payroll cut-off will automatically be paid in next month’s salary.
4. New joiners who miss the salary cut off date and as a result may suffer hardship, can request an out of cycle salary payment via MyServices.
5. Always ensure the new employee is recruited and appointed in line with the recruitment process to ensure there are no unnecessary delays.