Essex Hours
Essex Hours is a new functionality of iTrent and can be accessed via HR Organiser (staff members), and People Manager (line manager/iTrent administrator). This system offers flexible and efficient scheduling for roles with variable working patterns, such as averaged hours, annualised, or on-demand contracts. It also ensures compliance with employment regulations, such as managing the maximum working hours of Student visa holders.
Key benefits of Essex Hours
- The scheduling part of the system is customisable to meet department needs.
- All information is viewable in one place and will take away the need for multiple, manual spreadsheets.
- The system is easily accessible through HR Organiser and People Manager access.
- Paid time can be automatically submitted to payroll, or via various approval routes ( line manager and Department administrator).
- All On demand roles will be managed through this system.
- The system can also support budgetary monitoring in the administrator access.
- It will replace timesheets.
- It will replace the need to report Student visa holder working hours on a weekly basis.
- The system will not allow Student visa holders to undertake more hours than they are permitted to work.
- When looking at hours worked elsewhere in the University for Student visa holders, it will be able to include hours worked for the Student Union.
Implementation of Essex Hours
We have adopted a phased approach to the launch of Essex Hours. Communications have already been sent out to many departments regarding roll-out plans and timelines. All departments should be using Essex Hours before the start of the 2024/2025 academic year.
Please contact essexhours@essex.ac.uk if you have any questions.
How to access Essex Hours
Staff members with allocated hours please log into HR Organiser.
For Line Managers/iTrent Administrators to schedule working patterns and approve hours worked, please log into People Manager.
How to use Essex Hours
Essex Hours Department Administrator/Line Manager can schedule, approve and submit to payroll.
- People Manager user guide (.pdf)
- Adding and amending a shift (.pdf)
- Bulk allocating of shifts (.pdf)
- Creating multiple or recurring shifts (.pdf)
- Deleting a shift (.pdf)
- Managing sickness (.pdf)
- Reallocating a shift (.pdf)
- Understanding constraints (.pdf)
- Centralised submissions (.pdf)
- Flexible scheduling (.pdf)
- Creating remaining weeks rosters (for academic departments) (.pdf)
Staff members can view and submit hours worked.
- HR Organiser User guide (.pdf)
- Claiming hours worked (.pdf)
Additional guidance is available for those Employing Student visa holders (.pdf).
How staff are paid in Essex Hours
Staff can be paid via individual or central submission. Steps for each process:
Individual submissions
- Department schedules hours
- Staff member submits paid time in HR Organister
- Like-for-like paid time goes straight to payroll
- Paid time claims that do not match schedule are sent for approval before going to payroll
Central submissions
- Department schedules hours
- Scheduled hours are worked
- Day 16 of each month is the Payroll deadline and the paid time data is automatically pulled through for payroll
- Pay is based on scheduled hours for that month
On demand and GLA roles will always be paid via the individual submission process and all other roles will be paid via central submission.
For further detail on pay deadlines, please see payroll information for managers.
Department/Line Manager responsibilities
- Ensure that the most appropriate person is the line manager – someone who manages the day to day working hours and is the main contact for the staff member regarding work.
- Enter staff sickness via iTrent on day 1 of sickness (this does not apply to On Demand workers)
- Ensure that the schedules are accurate and regularly kept up to date with changes, and with payroll by the cut off (16th of each month) at the latest.
- Communication is key between line managers and central department teams, to ensure all of the above is accurate on Essex Hours, therefore we meet our compliance obligations and staff are paid accurately.
For further support regarding line management, please see Managing People.
Essex Hours support sessions
- P&C support sessions via Zoom (drop in) – 12pm every Tuesday and Thursday. These sessions are for policy and process-based queries.
- System support sessions (bookable) – The sessions will be to answer any system related queries or provide support needed for set up.
