Current Colleague Handbook

1. The Colleague
Handbook
Where people come first!

2. The Colleague Handbook
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Contents
1. Welcome to First Call Contract Services ………………………………….Page 2
2. On Assignment ……………………………………………………………………….Page 3
o Accepting an Assignment
o Attendance & Punctuality
o Completion of Assignment
o Personal Conduct
o Absence from Work
o Grievances & Complaints
3. Payments & Payslips ……………………………………………………………..Page 6
o Weekly Pay
o Holiday Pay
o Online Portal
4. Health & Safety …………………………………………………………….………Page 11
o Manual Handling
o First Aid & Accidents
o Fire Safety
o PPE
o Safety Signs
o Rest Breaks & Rest Periods
o Drugs, Alcohol & Medication
o Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
5. Modern Slavery and Exploitation ………..……………………….……….Page 15
6. Company Policies ………………………………………………………………….Page 17
7. TAM Pensions ……………………………………………………………………….Page 17

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1. Welcome to First Call Contract Services Ltd.
We warmly welcome you to First Call Contract Services and hope that you
become one of our many valued colleagues.
First Call Contract Services have provided temporary staffing solutions to
businesses since 1997. We have a close working relationship with our clients,
which are built on trust, integrity and our ability to deliver a high standard of
service.
We firmly believe that our temporary colleagues are the back bone of our
business. A major factor in our success is due to their reliable and hard-
working nature.
We pride ourselves in being a recruitment business that looks after their
colleagues and expect the same level of commitment in return. This enables us
to ensure that exceptional services are provided to our clients, which creates
increased opportunities and development for colleagues.
Our offices are open from 07:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs Monday to Friday. If you have
not been allocated an assignment, then you are welcome to attend the office
at 07:00 hrs each day. Additionally, we suggest that a daily call to the office
around 16:00 should be made to enquire about assignments for the following
day. The very nature of our business means that, quite often, new assignments
are received by the office at short notice.

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2. On Assignment
Accepting an Assignment
Assignments will be communicated to you by telephone, email, SMS or
verbally in person. Once you have accepted an assignment you will receive a
confirmation email detailing the location of the assignment, the working hours
and the pay rate. There will also be an attachment to the email containing the
Assignment Schedule which provides full details of the assignment and is an
extension of your contractual terms. Should you require any additional
information relating to the assignment, then you should ask you your First Call
Contract Services Office.
As a temporary worker you are under no obligation to accept any assignment
that is offered, likewise, First Call Contract Services are under no obligation to
offer assignments. However, if an assignment is offered and subsequently
accepted, then we expect the assignment to be completed to the best of your
ability.
Attendance & Punctuality
Whilst working for First Call Contract Services you will be expected to arrive for
work promptly to allow you enough time to get changed and be at your
workstation at the stipulated start time.
Lateness has a direct impact on production as the clients business may not be
able to operate due to you not being at your workstation at the correct time.
If for any reason you are unable to attend work or are going to arrive late, you
must inform your First Call Contract Services representative within the
timescales below:-
 Non Attendance – 2 hours before shift start time or earlier

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 Lateness – 30 minutes before shift start time or earlier
Completion of Assignment
You will be expected to complete every accepted assignment to the best of
your ability, and promote First Call Contract Services at all times.
Should you fail to complete any accepted assignment without reasonable
cause, then the offer of any further assignments may be jeopardised.
If after starting the assignment you feel that the work is not suitable for you,
we would expect you to advise a member of the client’s management team
and attempt to complete the assignment as best you can. When you have
completed the assignment, we would expect that you notify your First Call
Contract Services office who will seek an alternative assignment for you.
First Call Contract Services operates an Equal Opportunities policy and will
consider candidates on the basis of their skills, experience and suitability for
the assignment. A copy of our Equal Opportunities Policy can be obtained
from your local First Call Contract Services office.
Personal Conduct
Please remember that whilst on assignment you are an ambassador of First
Call Contract Services and your actions (Good or Bad) may have a direct impact
on the image of the company. Should you, at any time, and through the course
of your actions bring the company’s’ name into disrepute, then disciplinary
action may be taken against you.
Whilst on assignment, you are expected to be polite and courteous to both,
the Client and your work colleagues. You are also required to follow the
Client's instructions and directions at all times.
If you are involved in any incidents or experience problems whilst working at a
clients’ site, you must ensure that you report it to a member of the First Call
Contract Services Team, whether that be at the office or to the on-site
coordinator.

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Please be aware that threatening or abusive behaviour towards other
Colleagues’, client employees and /or any First Call Contract Services employee
will not be tolerated and all perpetrators will be prosecuted.
Absence from Work
If you are absent from work for any reason you must inform your First Call
Contract Services office prior to your agreed start time on your first day of
absence and on any subsequent day of absence.
Absence for holidays, Jury Service or any other reason should be agreed in
advance with your First Call Contract Services office who will advise you of the
procedure to be followed.
You should try to ensure that, wherever possible, any medical or dental
appointments are made outside your normal working hours.
Grievances & Complaints
It is the policy of First Call Contract Services to ensure that temporary
colleagues, with a complaint relating to their work, have a procedure which
can help to resolve problems as quickly and as fairly as possible.
You have the right to join a trade union of your own choosing.
In the event of a Grievance or Complaint, you should:
1. Discuss the issue informally with a member of the First Call Contract
Services Team. We hope that the majority of concerns will be resolved at
this stage.
2. If you feel that the matter has not been resolved through informal
discussions, you should put it in writing to the Branch Manager of the First
Call Contract Services office.

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3. If you still feel that the matter has not been resolved at this stage, you
should write to the Directors of First Call Contract Services.
Please use our dedicated Complaints email address which links directly to
our Compliance Director.
complaints@firstcallcontractservices.co.uk
3. Payments & Payslips
Weekly Pay
Payments are made weekly by BACS transfer and deposited into your personal
bank accounts every Friday. Please take into account that the pay you receive
will relate to the hours worked during the previous week.
See example:
Note: Please refer to your Assignment Schedule for confirmation of your
actual working week. These will be the days that you will be paid for each
week whilst assigned to that client.
In the majority of cases working hours are recorded electronically and emailed
directly to the First Call Contract Services office to be processed every Monday.
You will be notified of any signing in procedure in place at your respective
assignment location. Please ensure that you follow these instructions carefully,
as failure to do so may result in a delay of your payment.
Hours worked from 1st
to
5th
January will be paid on
Friday 12th
January

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It is in your interest to keep a manual record of the hours that you work each
week. We strongly suggest that you check your records against your payslips
on a weekly basis. If you feel that there is a discrepancy, please notify your
First Call Contract Services office and complete a ‘Pay Query Form’.
Alternatively, you can email your query to the office.
National Insurance Number
If you do not have a National Insurance Number (NINO), please contact the
National Insurance Hotline Number below to book your appointment.
A NINO must be obtained once you start work in the UK. When your NINO is
received, it must be produced at your First Call Contract Services Office.
Failure to obtain a NINO will result in: -
- Paying emergency Tax
- Restriction on free access to Medical Treatment
- Restriction Pension Contributions
- Restriction on claiming Benefits
- Possible prevention of permanent placement with a client
National Insurance Hotline – 0800 141 2075
Or apply online
www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number
Holiday Pay
The holiday year runs from 1st January to 31st
December of each year. All
holiday must be taken by the end of the leave year to avoid the potential of
losing any remaining holiday. Holiday cannot be carried over to the following
year unless in exceptional circumstances and notified by the First Call Contract
Services management.

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Should you decide to leave First Call Contract Services, please ensure you
inform a member of our team either by email of by completing a leaver’s form
in the office. This will enable us to process your P45 and arrange payment of
any remaining accrued holiday without any delay.
Agency workers are only “employed” when working and therefore in order to
take 5.6 weeks leave, they must accrue 5.6 weeks holiday over 46.4 weeks
rather than 52 weeks (i.e. 52 weeks minus 5.6 weeks). ACAS guidelines and
statutory regulations state that “shift and rota workers, whose pay varies
because they work their normal hours at varying times and in varying amounts
in different weeks, have their week’s pay calculated differently. Their average
weekly hours of work in the preceding 52 weeks are multiplied by their
average hourly rate”.
For clarification, the holiday accrual percentage of 12.07% is based on the
current statutory minimum holiday entitlement which a temporary worker is
entitled to (including all Bank holidays). The current rate of 12.07% is
equivalent to 0.6 days holiday per week.
Holiday is accrued on the Standard Hours worked each week. The standard
hours for each assignment will be detailed in the Assignment Schedule which
will be emailed to you upon accepting a booking assignment.
28 days holiday divided by 46.4 weeks (the remainder of the leave year after
deducting the 5.6 weeks) = 0.6 days
EXAMPLE:
If ‘X’ works 40 hours per week for 26 weeks:
‘X’ would accrue 26 weeks x 0.6 days = 15.6 days
40 hours per week / 5 days = 8.00 hours per day
15.6 days x 8.00 hours per day = 124.80 hours accrued (Total)
X is entitled to 124.80 hours of paid leave after working 26 weeks

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The above calculation is based on the assumption that no leave was taken in
the 26 weeks.
We then divide your total accrued holiday hours by 5 days to work out how
many days holiday you have accrued.
To work out your pay when you take holiday, we add your gross pay for the
previous 52 weeks and divide it by 52 and then divide it by 5 days to establish
your average daily rate. We then calculate the average hours worked per day
in the same way
EXAMPLE:
52 Weeks X 40 hours per week = 2,080 hours X £9.00 ph = £18,720.00 Pay
£18,720.00 /52 weeks = £360.00 pw / 5 days = £72.00 Avg daily pay rate
2,080 hours / 52 weeks = 40 hours pw (Avg) / 5 days = 8.00 Avg daily hours
Average holiday pay per day = 8 hours @ £72.00
The above example is calculated over a 40 hour week and a pay rate of £9.00
per hour. These calculations are variable, dependent on the number of
standard hours actually worked and pay rates.
If a worker has not worked for long enough to enable calculation of their
holiday pay over a 52 week average (i.e. they have worked for less than 12
weeks) then The Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) states that their holiday
pay should be based on an amount which fairly represents what their week’s
pay would be (e.g. by calculating their holiday pay based on the actual number
of weeks worked).
If you wish to book time off work as holiday, you must contact the First Call
Contract Services team and request a Holiday Application form.

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You must complete the form in full, stating the date(s) that you wish to take as
holiday and then ensure that the completed form is returned to the First Call
Contract Services office or Team Member.
Alternatively, if you are unable to attend the office, you may request your
holiday via email stating your full name and the dates you wish to take as
annual leave.
The office staff will confirm if you are permitted to have your requested dates,
or if your dates are not suitable they may request that you take alternative
dates. Every effort will be made to allow you to take leave on the dates that
you request.
Please note that the notice period required for holiday applications is twice the
period of holiday to be taken.
Example:
1 Day Holiday = 2 Days’ Notice
3 Day’s Holiday = 6 Days’ Notice
1 Week’s Holiday = 2 weeks’ Notice
Please call your First Call Contract Services Office if you have any queries.
Online Portal
First Call Contract Services have now developed an on-line facility for you to
access your weekly payslips.
The first time you use the online system, you will need to follow the
instructions provided on the payslip page in order to register your details for
payslip access.
This is an easy to follow step by step process but you will need to have the
following information available to complete the registration;

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- Valid email address
- National Insurance Number
- Payroll ID Number
If you have already registered on the First Call website you can also login to the
colleague area and access your payslips in the same way as above.
To access your payslips online, please follow the instructions below:
1. Go to www.firstcallcontractservices.co.uk each time you want to obtain
your weekly payslips.
2. Select ‘Pay slips’ at the top of the First Call Contract Services home page.
3. You will be taken to the ‘Payslips’ area of our website.
You can also use the portal to obtain historic payslips you may have misplaced.
We are sure that you will benefit from using this new ‘Easy to Use’ payslip
access facility
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OR HAVE DIFFICULTY IN LOGGING IN
PLEASE INFORM THE FIRST CALL CONTRACT SERVICES TEAM IMMEDIATELY
4. Health & Safety
Manual Handling
Manual Handling regulations cover the tasks supporting or transporting loads
by physical means.
Before conducting a lift, you should consider the following points:
- Plan the lift. What is the best way to get the load from A to B?
- Ensure you are balanced properly for lifting by positioning your feet
shoulder width apart.

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- Adopt a good posture, bend the knees using them to lift, and keep
your back straight.
- Get a firm grip of the load.
- Keep the load close to your body.
- Lift smoothly, trying not to jerk.
- Do not twist your body when turning to the side.
- Put the load down before adjusting it to the desired position.
Machinery
The five main types of danger from machines are:
1. Traps 4. Ejection
2. Entanglement 5. Impact
3. Contact
To minimise risk:
- Only operate machines that you are authorised/have been trained to
use.
- Make sure you can reach the controls easily and know how to stop the
machine.
- Safety Guards fitted to machines must be used when in operation.
- Wait until a machine has stopped and has been switched off before
you clean/clear it.
- Be aware that jewellery or loose clothing which could get caught in
moving parts.
- Keep long hair tucked under a cap or tied back.
- Do not distract other people who are using machines.
- Inform your supervisor immediately, if any machinery is not working
properly or is faulty/broken.
First Aid & Accidents
All accidents, no matter how small, must be reported to the designated Client
representative and your First Call Contract Services office. All accidents must

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be recorded in the client’s Accident Record Book, maintained by the client’s
designated First Aider. If you have an accident, get first aid treatment
immediately, the smallest cut, if neglected, could result in infection.
Fire Safety
You must ensure that you are fully aware of and comply with the fire and other
emergency procedures at the client’s site and willingly take part in all drills as
organised/notified by First Call Contract Services and/or the client.
Ensure that you do not block any fire escape or fire escape routes at the
client’s site and render them unavailable for emergency use, nor cause any
obstruction at any time to any staircases, passages, walkways entrances and or
exits. If you notice any obstructions or blockages of escape routes, please
inform your designated client representative in the first instance followed by
your Fist Call Contract Services office.
Make sure you know:
- How to raise the fire alarm
- The fire evacuation procedure
- The location of your nearest fire exit
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
In order to comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Employers
must provide workers with (PPE).
First Call Contract Services will supply you with any necessary items of
PPE/Uniform required in relation to your assignment.
All PPE will be provided free of charge provided that it is returned in
reasonable condition, in the event that your employment with First Call
Contract Services ceases within the first three months of commencement.

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In the event that the PPE that you have been issued with becomes worn and
unusable, please contact you First Call Contract Services office team to get the
items replaced (Evidence of the items to be replaced will be required)
PPE is provided for the purpose of protecting you from injury and therefore
must be worn, where required, at all times and in the manner for which it was
designed.
Failure to wear the required items of PPE whilst on assignment may lead to
you being sent home from work without pay.
Safety Signs
Safety signs must comply with strict requirements in relation to their shape
and colour.
There are four types of safety signs:
1. Mandatory.
Blue on White background
2. Prohibition.
Red on White background
3. Information.
White on Green background
4. Warning.
Black on Yellow background

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Rest Break & Rest Periods
You have the right to the following Breaks
- A min 11 hours rest period between shifts (In 24 hour period)
- A min 1 day off (in a 7 day period)
- A min 2 days off (in a 14 day period)
- A min In-Work rest break of 20 mins per day if the working day is longer
than 6 hours.
- In Agriculture, a rest break of 30mins if the day is longer than 5½ hours
- Night-Workers are limited to an average of 8 hours work in a 24 hour
period
Drugs, Alcohol & Medication
You are expected to arrive at work fit to carry out your job and to be able to
perform your duties safely without any limitations due to the use or after
effects of alcohol or drugs (whether prescribed, over the counter or illegal).
If you are prescribed, or are taking medication you must seek advice from your
GP or pharmacist about the possible effect on your ability to carry out your
job. You must your First Call Manager without delay if you are taking, or have
taken any drugs or medication. If you have taken ANY drugs or medication
(prescribed or otherwise) please inform your manager before you attend work.
Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
When on assignment please ensure that you follow the site Covid-19 safety
procedures to maintain your own safety and the safety of others.
Please follow the general safety tips listed below at all times:
- Wash you hand regularly for at least 20 seconds using anti bacterial soap
- Use hand sanitiser regularly
- Maintain social distancing wherever possible (2 meters or 1 meter +)

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- Where face coverings in public places wherever possible
- Dispose of used tissues in a bin (Wash you hands)
- If you experience symptoms, you must self-isolate and get a coronavirus
test.
If you do experience symptoms you must inform your First Call Office
immediately.
In addition, you must also inform your First Call office if your coronavirus test
result is positive.
The government self-isolation guidance must be follow at all times.
Up to date guidance on coronavirus can be obtained from the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
5. Modern Slavery and Exploitation
First Call Contract Services have a zero tolerance policy on the exploitation of
workers and have implemented various measures to deter, detect and
eradicate all forms of exploitation and slavery from our business and the
supply chains in which we operate. First Call Contract Services do not charge
for Work Finding fees
All business over a certain size are required by law, to publish an annual
Modern Slavery Statement which outlines the measures that First Call Contract
Services have taken in relation to stamping out slavery and exploitation. Our
Modern Slavery Statement can be found on our website
www.firstcallcontractservices.co.uk
Can you answer YES to any of the following statements?
 I am being forced to work against my will
 I have paid money to someone who will find me a job

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 My accommodation is overcrowded and unsafe
 My identity documents and bank account are being controlled by
another person
 I am being threatened and intimidated
If you can answer yes to any of the above statements then we urge you to
report the matter in confidence to your First Call Contract Services Branch as
it is possible that you are a victim of exploitation or Modern Slavery.
Alternatively use our dedicated confidential email address:
stronger2gether@firstcallcontractservices.co.uk
All emails sent to this address are received by our Compliance Director who is
trained in investigating cases of Modern Slavery. All information provided will
be treated in the strictest confidence.
Alternatively you can contact our dedicated Whistleblowing Hotline in
confidence on 01276 700617
DO NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE – WE CAN HELP!!!
6. Company Policies
All company policies are held centrally. Should you wish to view any of our
company policies, then please contact your local First Call Contract Services
Office.
7. TAM Pensions
First Call Contract Services Limited has chosen to use TAM pensions to help you
save for your retirement. You can contribute to your retirement pot and First
Call will contribute too.

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TAM pensions is a high quality online pension that’s run in its members’ interests
and is designed to be simple to use. It offers its members value for money, with an
investment approach that aims to look after members’ savings for a better
retirement outcome.
Depending on your age and earnings you will be automatically enrolled into TAM.
If you’re enrolled into TAM you’ll receive an information pack in the post or by
email. You will be postponed for 12 weeks before pension deductions are made
from your pay.
It’s important that you feel in control of your retirement savings. With TAM you
can view and make changes to your account online.
You may choose to pay more into TAM and you can top up your pot directly
through your online account.
Putting money away in a pension can be a very effective way of saving for your
future. If you’ve been automatically enrolled, you and your employer will pay
minimum contributions based on a percentage of your pay, but if you want, you
can add more to your pot. And for eligible contributions, the government will add
20p for every 80p you invest.
The government puts a limit on the total amount you can pay into pension
schemes each tax year without paying extra tax. This limit is called the annual
allowance. If the total amount you pay into all your retirement pots in one tax year
goes over the annual allowance you’ll have to pay a tax charge on the amount that
goes over. For more information go to www.gov.uk/tax-on-your-private-
pension/annual-allowance.
You should consider carefully how much you need to set aside for your retirement.

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Your TAM pension pot will stay with TAM until you decide to take your money out
of TAM at retirement. Currently the minimum age for taking your pot at
retirement is 55.
We will automatically enrol you if you are:
 Aged at least 22 but under State Pension age
 Working in the UK
 Not already a member of a qualifying workplace pensions scheme we
provide
 Earning more than the current auto enrolment earnings trigger
However, you can also ask to opt in if you are:
 Aged at least 16 but under 75
 Working in the UK
 Earning more than the current lower level of qualifying earnings
You will just need to let us know by written and signed confirmation.
Getting more information
If you would like to know more about TAM, you can visit their website at
www.tamassetmanagement.com/workplace-pensions
TAM ASSET MANAGEMENT
City Tower
40 Basinghall Street
London
EC2V 5DE
Phone - 0207 549 7650
Email - info@tamassetmanagement.com
You can also get general information on pensions and saving for later life from
gov.uk/workplace-pensions.

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Opting Out
If you decide you do not want to put money aside for your retirement pot just
yet, you have the right to opt out. You must do this within the opt-out period,
which is one month from the date your enrolment begins. TAM will write to
you to tell you about your one month opt-out period. DO NOT contact TAM to
opt out before you have been automatically enrolled and received your
welcome pack. They will not have set up your account yet and you won’t be
able to opt out.
Stopping Contributions
Once you are a member of TAM you might want to stop making contributions
or to take a break from contributing later on. TAM lets you do this. If you do
take a break and decide to start contributing again, you just need to let TAM or
First Call know. If you choose to stop contributing, the contributions you have
made so far will stay in your retirement pot. Please note that during the
period you stop making contributions, First Call’s contributions will also cease.
Company Registration 3296899
Registered Address: Collingham House, 6-12 Gladstone Road, Wimbledon,
London, SW19 1QT
www.firstcallcontractservices.co.uk
RP.04 Colleague Handbook V8.3 05.09.2020