Payments for qualifications

These provisions apply to full-time employees who are required by the employing authority to hold a current Certificate of First Aid unless it is already included in the rate of pay.

With effect from 1 April 2006:

1. A payment of £6.50 per week shall be made to full-time employees holding the specified recognised first aid qualification.
2. The recognised qualification shall be a current 4 day Certificate in First Aid which is required to be updated regularly to maintain the efficacy of the qualification.
3. Part-time employees will receive pro-rata’d payment.
4. Where staff are required to hold the one day Appointed Person course this will not attract a payment.
5. Protection for employees in receipt of previous allowance
   • As an interim measure it is agreed that a provision for protection will be available to any employee who is in receipt of a first aid payment as at 1 April 2006 and holds only the 1 day ‘appointed person’ course in the following way:
     1. that the employee concerned is encouraged to achieve the first aid 4 day certified course within 12 months of the date of this agreement
     2. that until such time as the full qualification is achieved that the previous provision of 10p for every hour worked is protected for a period of up to 12 months.

Plumbers/Welders required by an employer to possess one or more current certificates of competency in welding who are designated as plumbers/welders shall be paid the following supplement:

Effective - April 2019

• Gas or ARC Certificate 48p per hour
  
  
• Gas and ARC Certificate 94p per hour

The provisions of this Article do not apply to Leisure Group Workers employed by the Department of Economic Development (VMGT) and the Department of Education (NSC) who have separate arrangements.

Payments made under this Article should not be taken into account for the purposes of calculating overtime.

_{Last Updated - August 2017}