Is it possible to negotiate a pay rise in the civil service?

[Themidnightpig]

I'm sure that generally the answer is no but these are my circumstances:

I was in my previous job for 3 years at the same grade. I have just returned from maternity leave into a different role at the same grade. My salary has remained the same. However they are currently recruiting for my new role at a slightly higher salary.

Would I get anywhere asking for my salary to be adjusted to align with the advertised rate for my new role?

I would have definitley done this when I worked in private but I understand non performance related pay rises are more nuanced in the civil service.

Grateful for any advice. Tia.

I know this sounds mad but apply for the job advertised at a higher salary. The rationale is you are tested against the current market (other candidates) and they can justify increasing your salary.

Start by emailing HR and recruitment team and ask what you need to do to get the higher pay being advertised, e.g. applying for advertised role.

No, do not do this, it’s not a thing!

OP, unfortunately you may not be eligible for the higher salary as they are often only for new entrants and not existing civil servants. The ad probably says something about rules of pay on level transfer. It is very frustrating and not good for retention but there may not be anything you can do.

It is worth asking your manager. But chances are they will have to say no.

You’ve got about as much chance as a snowball in hell. Sorry to be blunt.

The civil service doesn’t negotiate salaries individually for employees already in post unless they are uniquely special, with scarce and sought-after skills, in which case you might get a retention supplement. The chances of this are vanishingly small unless your skill set and experience make you one in ten thousand.

This is the downside of the grading system and pay bandings. You know what the upper and lower rates are for your grade, so you can be confident that your peers are earning more or less the same, ie nobody habitually gets much more by negotiating hard, but you need to accept that you are unlikely to be able to influence your own pay by much if you stay in post.

I assume you are a HR Pay and Reward lead in the CS. I can name several departments where the policy applied was that if a job requires a higher starting salary a business case is made to objectively justify this. The salary is only offered to recruits via that specific recruitment exercise. If an existing CS applies and are successful they get the higher salary. The rationale is they are tested against the market.

Funnily enough no one can be bothered to apply, they just moan about the salary.

OP ask the HR/recruitment team as they will confirm one way or another.

So I've checked it out and unfortunately it's not possible as pay on level transfer rules are different, as are pay on internal promotion rules. So basically the advertised salary is only available to external applicants. Seems very unfair but I wont get anywhere complaining I know that much.

Did you specifically ask what happens if you apply for the external job and are successful?

No, I’m not a pay and reward lead. I’m someone earning £3k less than an external candidate would have got for my job because - as it says on numerous ads - of the rules about pay on level transfer.

@scribblycat the rules on internal transfers and promotions is the correct policy and applies to most jobs. However, as previously stated, if a department advertises an external role with a higher starting salary I.e. not min of the grade, if a CS applies and is successful they also get the higher starting salary.

Next time they advertise your job with the 3k higher starting salary apply and request the higher starting salary. Check with your HR as soon as it’s advertised.

I did check. It’s not possible for existing civil servants to receive this on level transfer - maybe it varies by department.

@scribblycat the route I am suggesting is not level transfer it is becoming a new recruit again (you don’t lose service related benefits). It also only applies to specific roles where the advertised min rate is above the min for the grade.

Is it to do with pension?

If you've been with them a while you may be on an old pension scheme and a new recruit would be on the newest scheme?

That's what I see in adverts for CS jobs in Ireland. Pre-2004 pension scheme members their salary would be less than advertised as a new recruit would be ''ppc'' (making their own pension contributions).

Nothing to do with pension. It’s about equal pay and being tested against the market. Once again, if you apply for a role that is advertised externally and clearly states a higher starting salary than min of the grade and you are successful (no guarantee) you should be paid the higher starting salary. If they advertise the role with min of the grade then normal CS pay rules apply. If you can’t be bothered to apply then don’t complain about being paid less.

That is just not a thing in my department. I checked!