Teachers’ Pension Scheme (PO-5938)

Ombudsman’s Determination

Outcome

I do not uphold Mr S’ complaint and no further action is required by the College

My reasons for reaching this decision are explained in more detail below.

Complaint summary

Mr S’ complaint is:

• “Because I am an hourly paid worker on a sessional contract the College is using an unfair formula to calculate a full time equivalent (FTE) salary that the TPS then uses to credit me with pension days. The formula they are using is 30 teaching hours x hourly rate x 52 weeks. This is wrong because of the following:
• The maximum teaching hours for a full-time member is 1200 and not the 1560 used here.
• The management where I work do not permit anyone to work more than 1200 hours per year.
• The hourly rate includes holiday pay and payment for an additional 20 minutes directed duties, which means I have to work longer than a full-time member of staff and cannot take any holidays.
• The net result of this is that I pay more in percentage terms than I should in contributions and get less in pension credits than I should. If I worked full time it would cost me an additional £317 in contributions and I would get 84 days less in pension credits.”

Mr S says “I would like the College to recognise that this is wrong on their part and repay me my lost wages and credit me with my lost 306 days.”