FOI Request - Teacher Payroll Formulas, Salary Allocations and Policies
Request 101003757052
Request disclosure of the following information regarding teacher salary payments and payroll policies for the financial year 2024/25, or the latest available year:
1. Payroll Formula Used for Teacher Salary Calculations
a.Please provide the exact formula your local authority applies to determine teacher salaries, including:
o The daily rate calculation used to determine pro-rata salary.
o The holiday accrual rate applied.
o The specific methodology used to determine start-month pay for newly employed or transferring teachers.
o The methodology used to calculate final salary payments upon exit.
o Any deductions or adjustments routinely applied during employment transitions.
2. Salary Funds Received vs. Distributed
Please provide:
a.The total funding allocated by the Scottish Government for teacher salaries in 2024/25, or the latest available year.
b. The total amount actually paid out to teachers in salaries during this period.
c.Any records of salary underspends and how these were reallocated.
d.Any policy documents related to the retention or redistribution of unspent salary funds.
3. Start-Month Pay Suppression Policies
Please confirm:
a.Whether your council applies a pay suppression or deduction policy in the first month of teacher employment.
b.The rationale and formula used to determine first-month salary reductions.
c. Whether first-month reductions are systematically applied to all teachers or only to those transferring between local authorities.
4. Council Payroll Alignment with National Teacher Pay Standards
a. Please confirm whether your council follows a nationally standardised payroll system for teacher salaries or if individual payroll policies vary by local authority.
b.Provide any correspondence or guidance received from the Scottish Government or SNCT regarding teacher salary administration in cases of mid-year transfers.
5. Record of Teacher Salary Complaints and Adjustments
a.The total number of formal salary complaints received from teachers in the last three years.
b.The number of cases where salary adjustments were made following a payroll dispute.
c.The total amount of salary back payments issued to teachers due to payroll miscalculations or disputes.
6. Teacher Hardship Loan Policies and Usage
a.Does your local authority have a hardship loan scheme for teachers affected by payroll issues?
b.How many teachers have applied for or received hardship loans in the last three years?
c.What is the total amount issued in hardship loans specifically due to pay suppression in start-month salary calculations?
d.Are teachers required to repay these loans in full, and if so, under what repayment terms?
e.Is there any policy documentation explaining why salary funds are not paid directly instead of requiring loans?
7. Awareness and Communication Provided to Transferring Teachers
a.Does your local authority provide any formal communication, warnings, or advisory information to teachers transferring into employment within your authority about potential start-month salary reductions or payroll adjustments?
b.If so, please provide copies of any standardised documentation, guidance, or disclaimers issued to incoming teachers.
c.How and when is this information communicated to teachers? (e.g., during recruitment, in employment contracts, upon appointment, or only when a teacher queries pay discrepancies?)
d.Does the local authority actively ensure that teachers understand potential salary suppression before accepting employment?