Frequently Asked Questions: Registered

Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive from people who have registered with us. We hope you find this information useful, however, if you have any further questions, please contact us.

What training is available to me though Step Ahead?

As a valuable additional benefit of working with Step Ahead, we offer free application training to all our temps. The training is computer based and can is conducted at our Farringdon premises.

Step Ahead training can be tailored to suit individual requirements so you can either come along and learn, for example, Excel from scratch, or you can simply take training on a specific function of an application, such as the Mail Merge function in Word - it's up to you.

Please contact a member of our Team to discuss the training courses available or to book yourself in - remember, it's free!

If I have a problem with my assignment, who should I talk to?

If there is anything you would like to discuss about your assignment, our team of Consultants are always available to speak to you. We recommend you speak to us prior to addressing an issue with your supervisor at your assignment. In the first instance, you should call or send an e-mail to the Consultant with whom you arranged the assignment however we work very closely together as a team, so if he/she is not available, please speak to any other member of our Team who will be happy to help you.

How do I move into the Not-for Profit or Public Sector?

Register with Step Ahead! Generally we are looking for transferable skills and our clients look for a wide range of skills - experience from outside their sector is often invaluable to them.

What is the dress code for my assignment?

Unless you are told otherwise you should wear smart business dress, e.g. a suit or trousers/skirt and a shirt/blouse.

When can I contact you?

Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8.45am - 5.45 pm. Unless you have an emergency (in which case please call us immediately) the best times to call us are: 8.45 - 9.30am, 12.30 - 2.00pm and 4.30 - 5.30pm. During these times our Consultants are less likely to be engaged in interviews or clients meetings.

Our office has 24 hour answer phones and e-mail.

Do I need to contact all Divisions to tell you I am available for work?

No. At Step Ahead we work closely as a team and our state-of-the-art systems are linked between the divisions. This means that any communication you have with a Consultant at one division is automatically passed to all our Consultants in all divisions.

I'm a student. Can you offer me work during the holidays?

Yes - we find temporary work for lots of students and they return to us each holiday.

How do I complete my timesheet?

Step Ahead operates a unique on-line electronic timesheet processing system called 'SPRINT'.   This means that you can complete your timesheet from anywhere that has internet access.  SPRINT is easy to use.  Please click here to on the link below for simple to follow inistructions.

Temps' Guide to Using SPRINT

When do you need my timesheet to be completed?

Timesheets should ideally be authorised by your supervisor via SPRINT by the following Tuesday at 10.00am.  It is your responsibility to ensure that your timesheet ois completed and authorised on time. This is very important because failure to do this will result in a delay in your wages being paid.

When will I be paid?

Temporaries are paid on the Friday following the end of the week in which you worked, provided your timesheet has been completed and authorised on time (see above).

How do I contact my tax office?

If you need to contact our tax office, their details are as follows:
HM Inspector of Taxes
LP Lothians
Grayfield House
5 Bankhead Avenue
Edinburgh
EH11 3XF

Tel: 0845 302 1409

Tax reference: 846/C5175

What if I am unable to attend my assignment?

If for any reason you are unable to attend your assignment or you cannot get there on time it is imperative that you or a representative telephone us before 9am. We will then endeavour to make arrangements to cover for your absence and where possible hold the booking open for when you are able to return to work.

Am I entitled to statutory sick pay?

Yes, provided the following conditions are met:

• You must be in the course of an assignment when you fall sick. If you are not on an assignment, you must claim for SSP direct from the DSS.
• Your assignment must be ongoing whilst you are off sick. If your assignment is terminated whilst you are off sick because, for example, a replacement temp is requested, any remaining SSP should be claimed from the DSS.
• You must be off and unable to work due to sickness for at least 4 or more calendar days in a row including weekends and you must be unable to work on at least 4 of the days on which you would normally work, i.e. the 'qualifying days'.
• You must provide evidence of your incapacity for work by means of self-certification for the first 7 days and a doctor's certificate thereafter.
• You must not be on maternity leave or receiving maternity allowance, invalidity pension or sickness benefit.
• You must be under 65 years of age.
• You must have been within the EU on the first day of sickness.
• You cannot have been in prison or participating in an industrial dispute on the first day of sickness.
• You cannot have claimed Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance during the last 8 weeks, or be entitled to the 52 week benefit protection
• Your average earnings in the eight weeks immediately before you become sick are over the lower earnings limit for National Insurance.

Provided these conditions are met SSP at the current rate will be paid on your usual payday.

Statutory Sick Pay is only paid for qualifying days. The daily rate is the weekly rate of SSP divided by the number of qualifying days in the week for which you are receiving SSP. For SSP purposes, weeks begin on a Sunday.

SSP is treated like pay and so deductions for PAYE Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions must be made before payment.

To view the current rate of SSP, please follow this hyperlink:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employers/employee_sick.htm#2a

To download a Self-Certification form to apply for SSP, please follow this hyperlink:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/sc2.pdf

Please send this form through to your Step Ahead Consultant or our Corporate Services department, who will help to determine your entitlements and process your payment.

How do I notify you of changes in my personal details?

It is important that we are holding accurate information so please notify us of any changes in your personal details as soon as possible.  In the Downloads section of this website you will find a Change of Details Form.  You can use this to notify us of change of address or other contact details, change of bank account or other changes to your personal information.  Please send the completed form to your Step Ahead Consultant (preferably via e-mail) who will make the necessary amendments to our database.  

How do I find out how much holiday entitlement I have accrued?

Your accrued holiday entitlement in terms of the number of weeks due is printed on the bottom of your payslip each week. It is expressed as whole weeks and parts of a week so, if you work on average 5 days per week, 0.2 (a fifth of a week) equals 1 day, 0.4equals 2 days etc. For example, if you work on average 5 days per week, one week and 4 days is expressed as1.8.  However, if for example you only work 1 day per week, then one week (1.0) would equate to 1 day.

How do I claim my holiday pay?

First you need to agree your holiday dates with your immediate line Manager/Supervisor if you are planning to take time off from an existing assignment.  Then you need to complete a Paid Annual Leave Request Form which is available in the Downloads section of this website.  Please send the completed form to your Step Ahead Consultant (preferably via e-mail) who will process your request.  We ask you to please give us as much notice of your intended annual leave dates as possible.

How is holiday pay calculated?

As of 1st October 2007 you are entitled to 24 days' paid leave in each 'holiday year'. Temps' annual leave year runs from 1st January to 31st December and your paid leave entitlement will be pro-rated according to the date you commenced working for us, the number of weeks worked and your average hours per week.  To put it simply, from 1st October 2007 you are entitled to 10.17% of the total hours you have worked, less any entitled already taken.

Holiday pay entitlement is calculated based upon your entitlement multiplied by your average hourly pay rate during the 12 weeks previous to the week in which you take holiday. This is done by adding all your pay over the last 12 weeks worked (if applicable) and dividing by the number of hours worked.

Can I carry forward unclaimed holiday entitlement into my next holiday year?

No. The Working Time Regulations prohibit annual leave entitlement from being carried over from one leave year to the next. It is your responsibility to make sure that you take your holiday entitlement before your holiday year runs out.

Will I be paid for Bank Holidays?

Where a Bank Holiday or other Public Holiday falls during an Assignment and you do not work on that day, then subject to you having accrued entitlement to payment for leave that day will automatically count as part of your paid annual leave entitlement and you will be paid accordingly.

If the respective Bank Holiday or other Public Holiday falls when you are not currently working in an assignment you need to put your request in writing to us using the Paid Annual Leave Request Form which is available in the Downloads specifying the date(s) of the Bank Holiday(s) for which you wish to be paid.

Do I get paid overtime?

Each organisation has different rules regarding the payment of enhanced rates for overtime. You should therefore discuss the specific arrangements for overtime in your particular assignment with your Step Ahead Consultant.

Can I use the office equipment and e-mail for personal purposes?

As a rule of thumb, you should not use the organisation's equipment for personal use. This includes the telephone, e-mail and internet as well as stationery, photocopiers and mail. If you have a specific important need to use the organisation's equipment, e.g. make or receive a personal call, you should ask the permission of your supervisor before doing so.

Is it OK if I use my mobile 'phone whilst at work?

Generally you are expected to keep your mobile 'phone switched off during working hours whilst in an assignment. If however there is an urgent requirement for you to make or receive a call, please obtain the agreement of your supervisor beforehand. We would suggest that where possible you make your calls during pre-arranged breaks such as lunchtime

I have just heard that my assignment is going to finish. What should I do?

You should inform your Consultant at Step Ahead as soon as you hear that your assignment is going to end. We can then endeavour to find you alternative work. It is also a good idea to ask around at the organisation where you are working - it may be that there is other work available within the same organisation, but, for example, in another department. Please keep us informed if you find an alternative assignment.

I am pregnant. What are my entitlements?

Congratulations! You need to contact your Step Ahead Consultant to let us know your expected due date and send us your MATB1 as soon as possible. This will be available from your Doctor or Midwife. The Inland Revenue web site has some useful information for you regarding maternity entitlements: http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/employers/employee_pregnant.htm

Alternatively you can contact Scott Farlow in our Corporate Services department, who will be pleased to help (tel: 020 7400 6266 or e-mail: scott@stepahead.co.uk)

My partner is pregnant. How do I arrange to get my paternity pay?

Congratulations! Please contact your Step Ahead Consultant to let us know the expected due date for your baby and your anticipated dates for paternity leave. You may find it useful to look at the following web site for more information about your paternity pay entitlement:  http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/employers/employee_pregnant.htm#2

Our Corporate Services department will be pleased to give you further information (tel: 020 7400 6266)

Am I entitled to have my costs reimbursed for eye sight tests?

As you are engaged on contracts for services you are responsible for you own eyesight tests; we do not provide or pay for appropriate tests or corrective equipment.

I have finished temping.  How do I get my p45?

You need to request your p45 using the p45 Request Form which is available in the Downloads section of this website.  Please compete this form and forward it to your Step Ahead Consultant; your p45 and any outstanding holiday pay entitlement will be processed in the next payroll run.