WITH APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTING

Here at Leeds we are currently experiencing some problems with unsigned timesheets.  These are timesheets where students have failed to attend their appointment with a support worker, or have cancelled at short notice (i.e. we have to pay the support workers anyway), so they have not been present to sign the sheet during their appointment.  For info, we employ our support workers directly, so we manage all invoicing and payment.

Our current system is this:

Our Finance Officer scans in a copy of each unsigned timesheet and emails it to the relevant Scheme Manager for that type of support.  The Scheme Manager forwards it to the student asking them either to print, sign and return, or come in to Reception to sign the hard copy.  Signed copies are then returned to the Finance Officer who processes them.  Scheme Managers regularly check whether or not students have signed their timesheets, and chase students if they have not.

The issue is that this is immensely time-consuming, and is totally reliant on the student being proactive in getting the paperwork signed.  Timesheets can and do sit around for weeks without being signed, and payment for support workers is delayed, which creates a certain amount of friction between all parties (Disability Team, Operations Team, support workers, students and funding bodies).

We have looked at the possibility of withdrawing support for students who persistently fail to attend, and don't sign timesheets, but I feel it would be discriminatory to do so when many students will not have attended due to reasons directly related to their disability, which may also affect their ability to come in and sign their timesheet.

I have talked to SFE to ask if there are any ways around getting a student to physically sign their timesheet (we were thinking along the lines of attaching an email confirmation from the student stating that they accept the hours indicated were booked, but that they didn't attend, and then having Scheme Managers pp the timesheet on the student's behalf).  SFE said that this would be a formal change to their procedures and to put it in an email, so I do not expect any change to be made quickly, if at all.

I was wondering if anyone would share with me how they handle unsigned timesheets.  Please contact me on or off list - details below.

Thanks in advance,

Harriet


Harriet Cannon
Disability Team Manager
Equality Service

University of Leeds
Leeds
LS2 8JT

0113 343 4836
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Hours of work:  Monday-Thursday, 7.45am-3.45pm