We’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions below, so you can find the answer and a relevant point of contact quickly and easily. If you’re unable to work at an assignment and need to contact us urgently, please contact your Coordinator (see booking confirmation email) or see below for other contact details.
I’m not able to work at an assignment I’ve accepted
You need to contact your Coordinator at the earliest opportunity. You will need to check the email received when you accepted the job for their details. If you don’t know who to contact, call 01202 961038 and a member of the team can direct you (office hours: 9am – 5pm) – you need to have the following available: your name, the work location, time (and date, if not today), the activity type and Coordinator name.
How do I submit a timesheet?
Your timesheets must be submitted and approved by midnight on the 7th of each month for payment on the last working day of the same month. Any work after this date won’t be paid until the last working day of the following month.
Why does my timesheet need to be approved?
You will submit a record of your hours and the Coordinator will need to approve this. In some cases they may dispute your timesheet if they feel it is inaccurate and you will need to submit again, with the corrections noted. We normally operate a sign in/out sheet at events to keep a record of your start and finish time. Any disputes that are not resolved by the 7th of the month, will mean you will be paid the following month.
Why are there deducations in my pay?
If you have received your pay, and there have been deductions this may be due to tax, national insurance or a pension contribution. Please note that if you have another job this will affect the tax that you pay. If you need further information about any deductions or your payslip please contact [email protected].
Why am I paying into a pension? Can I opt out?
Local Government Pension Scheme
We postpone a decision about automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) until 3 months from the date you begin work. At this point, you will be assessed and if your earnings exceed the earnings trigger for automatic enrolment you will be contractually enrolled and pension contributions will be deducted from your salary.
If you are under 75 you have the right to opt to join the LGPS from the start of employment. If you wish to join the scheme please visit the BU pension page to access the membership and expression of wish forms that you will need to complete. Completed forms should be returned to the University’s Payroll section, 3rd Floor, Studland House. The pension administrator is Dorset County Council and the LGPS is a qualifying pension scheme which means it meets or exceeds government standards. If you join, both you and BU will make monthly payments into the scheme. For further information about the scheme please visit www.yourpension.org.uk/dorset.
If you notice a deduction for pension contributions on your payslips and you do not wish to be part of the scheme, you can opt out by emailing [email protected].
How do I submit expenses for a work assignment I have completed?
You will be notified by your Coordinator if you are eligible to claim any of your costs back as a work expense. You will need to complete a staff expenses form. All claims will need to be supported by an original receipt where applicable and authorised by your Coordinator. You will be reimbursed into your bank account.
On an exceptional basis, you may be permitted to claim amounts under £30 back as ‘petty cash’ on the same day (during Finance opening hours), but will need approval from your Coordinator to do so. Receipts are required for all items claimed.
I haven’t received a payslip in the post
We don’t send paper payslips to you in the post. You can view your payslips online using BU’s myHR system. Login details will be emailed to you soon after you start work. If you have worked and not received your login details, please email [email protected].
I have read the information above and still think there’s something wrong with my pay
If you think there has been an error in the amount you have been paid, you can raise a pay query with the team and you will hear from us within 5 working days.
How do I use Dashboard?
Take a look at the user guide (pdf 817kb) for details of how to use our online system to accept jobs, submit timesheets and ensure your profile is always up to date.
Can I use BU as a reference?
If you are a paid Student Ambassador with a Casual Student Worker Agreement with us, we will be able to confirm the role and dates that you worked with us. All reference requests should be sent to [email protected]. If you have worked closely with one of the teams at BU, you might want to contact a member of that team for agreement to be a character reference.
Can I enrol to be an Ambassador during the year?
The majority of our recruitment, selection and training of ambassadors takes place in October and November 2022. Applications received after this time will be considered dependent on our needs, we would contact successful applicants directly to confirm the next steps.
Where can I access the relevant policies and procedures applicable to me as an employee of the university?
At the current time you will need to request copies of individual documents from our HR team by emailing [email protected].
How do I give feedback to the team?
We welcome feedback on any aspect of what we do. You can email [email protected] to give feedback to the team.