A career as a signaller

[wingnut1982]

Absence from Covid?

Hi guys, after some advice if anyone here has been in the same situation or knows of anyone who has?

During IST I caught Covid and had to self-isolate meaning I’ve been back coursed

Checked my pay for this month and I’ve not been paid for a whole week and payroll have said it’s because I was ‘sick’ and so have only been paid SSP for that week.

Is this right or should this be classed as some sort of ‘special leave’ and therefore I should receive my normal pay?

If anyone knows of anywhere I can research any further information on this then please point me in the right direction!

Absence from Covid?

Hi guys, after some advice if anyone here has been in the same situation or knows of anyone who has?

During IST I caught Covid and had to self-isolate meaning I’ve been back coursed

Checked my pay for this month and I’ve not been paid for a whole week and payroll have said it’s because I was ‘sick’ and so have only been paid SSP for that week.

Is this right or should this be classed as some sort of ‘special leave’ and therefore I should receive my normal pay?

If anyone knows of anywhere I can research any further information on this then please point me in the right direction!

Managed to some digging and found this which indicates time off for Covid where employees can’t work from home should be “paid special leave”

 

[Simotrfc]

Absence from Covid?

Hi guys, after some advice if anyone here has been in the same situation or knows of anyone who has?

During IST I caught Covid and had to self-isolate meaning I’ve been back coursed

Checked my pay for this month and I’ve not been paid for a whole week and payroll have said it’s because I was ‘sick’ and so have only been paid SSP for that week.

Is this right or should this be classed as some sort of ‘special leave’ and therefore I should receive my normal pay?

If anyone knows of anywhere I can research any further information on this then please point me in the right direction!


Managed to some digging and found this which indicates time off for Covid where employees can’t work from home should be “paid special leave”

Are you a new employee? A lot of companies have a 3/6/9 Month probation where things like sick pay, holiday pay, union access etc are only entitled after a certain period. Could be because of that…

 

[Lyc0326]

I didn’t get it unfortunately. Proper gutted.

Does anyone know how the reserve list works? Do you have to be specifically told you’re on it?

I only ask because my feedback email basically said I did really well, I didn’t have any areas to improve upon so I must have been close to getting it.

Sorry if I sound arrogant I don’t mean to

"We’ve been really impressed by your overall performance, so we’d really like to add your details to our reserve list in case a position does become available. This means that if a place on this campaign becomes available, (for example, if someone withdraws their application), we will contact you again to make an offer to you."

 

[lineclear]

Are you a new employee? A lot of companies have a 3/6/9 Month probation where things like sick pay, holiday pay, union access etc are only entitled after a certain period. Could be because of that…

Network Rail sick pay (i.e. occupational sick pay) is not payable to new entrants in the signalling grade until six months' employment has been completed. This is written in the contract. SSP is still payable (as it seems to have been in Coppernob2014's case).

Companies denying holiday pay and union access would be breaking the law.

 

[wingnut1982]

Network Rail sick pay (i.e. occupational sick pay) is not payable to new entrants in the signalling grade until six months' employment has been completed. This is written in the contract. SSP is still payable (as it seems to have been in Coppernob2014's case).

Companies denying holiday pay and union access would be breaking the law.

It’s not sick pay though is it? It was a government enforced absence so should therefore be special leave and paid in full should it not?

 

[RAIL LAIR RAIL]

Hello,
Currently at IST training & I have an internal interview for a signal box, could anyone tell me the type of questions that would be asked or what format they would use (is it similar to the initial interview I took when I first applied before IST)

Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Dunnideer]

It’s not sick pay though is it? It was a government enforced absence so should therefore be special leave and paid in full should it not?

Sorry to intrude on the signaller's thread but I am also in NR Ops so can hopefully answer. The NR policy is that a confirmed Covid case with a positive test is recorded as ordinary sickness. Self isolation due to being contact traced by the NHS without a positive test goes down as 'released from duty' or 'special paid leave' (different routes record it different ways but the result is the same) and is paid as normal including any loss of overtime, this was agreed with the unions in 2020 to stop anyone being financially disadvantaged through being forced to stay at home when not actually sick.

If it's a covid case with a positive test then it's sickness and what lineclear says about sick pay for new entrants is correct. It's not ideal but it looks like the policy is being correctly applied in this case. You should speak to your local RMT rep anyway in case they know a loophole or local agreement.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

You claim it on the online business portal. They usually place you in a hotel as the course involves long days with early starts and late finishes to practice on the simulator. You’ll also benefit from study groups with the rest of the course. If they offer a hotel they may be less likely to offer to pay your daily expenses (perhaps other than in very unique circumstances but that’s more speculation). We had someone on our course who lived in the town where the training took place and they still stayed in the hotel - there were some very late evenings studying!

And some people stayed at the weekends too!

 

[Trickster10]

Hi guys, anybody familiar with Snow Hill panel in Birmingham? Could do with picking somebody’s brain

 

[ArchangelA]

Hi guys, anybody familiar with Snow Hill panel in Birmingham? Could do with picking somebody’s brain

Is that the grade 6 job thats currently on the internal list?

 

[Trickster10]

Is that the grade 6 job thats currently on the internal list?

No mate grade 7 which is now closed. I know you are based in WMSC, any chance of a dm?

Is that the grade 6 job thats currently on the internal list?

it was an internal vacancy though that’s correct sorry.

 

[wingnut1982]

Sorry to intrude on the signaller's thread but I am also in NR Ops so can hopefully answer. The NR policy is that a confirmed Covid case with a positive test is recorded as ordinary sickness. Self isolation due to being contact traced by the NHS without a positive test goes down as 'released from duty' or 'special paid leave' (different routes record it different ways but the result is the same) and is paid as normal including any loss of overtime, this was agreed with the unions in 2020 to stop anyone being financially disadvantaged through being forced to stay at home when not actually sick.

If it's a covid case with a positive test then it's sickness and what lineclear says about sick pay for new entrants is correct. It's not ideal but it looks like the policy is being correctly applied in this case. You should speak to your local RMT rep anyway in case they know a loophole or local agreement.

That’s for the explanation, much clearer now.

 

[Jellyfish22]

I didn’t get it unfortunately. Proper gutted.

Does anyone know how the reserve list works? Do you have to be specifically told you’re on it?

I only ask because my feedback email basically said I did really well, I didn’t have any areas to improve upon so I must have been close to getting it.

Sorry if I sound arrogant I don’t mean to!

My whole IST group was people on reserve! So don’t give up hope none of us were aware we was put on a reserve list, we were just told we didn’t get it even though it seemed our interview feed back was good!

 

[Tifudog]

I'd also advise staying in the hotel provided. Aside from the advice already given, the distractions of being at home can be a disadvantage. One of the course members on my IST started off staying at home, but very quickly changed to staying in the hotel when they realised the down side of being at home.

I also start 4th apr, I will be traveling home friday and back on sunday, my question is do you get paid the “sunday rate” ? (My journey is only 1hr20 ish). Any advise appreciated,I have other pension questions (transfering civil service into care) however I hope that these will be answered at our meet & greet on the 1st.

 

[WoollyMammoth]

I also start 4th apr, I will be traveling home friday and back on sunday, my question is do you get paid the “sunday rate” ? (My journey is only 1hr20 ish). Any advise appreciated,I have other pension questions (transfering civil service into care) however I hope that these will be answered at our meet & greet on the 1st.

The answer to the Sunday rate is that it very much depends on what has been locally agreed, even within the same route there will be different arrangements.

Regarding the the pensions it would probably be advisable to speak to an advisor. There are a range of options and bringing in a defined benefit pension in to a new system isn’t necessarily straightforward.

 

[ChrisRS]

Hello,
Currently at IST training & I have an internal interview for a signal box, could anyone tell me the type of questions that would be asked or what format they would use (is it similar to the initial interview I took when I first applied before IST)

Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks!

Will be either the same as the interview you initially done, NTS based.

Or competency based, rules based questions with scenarios although unlikely with you being in signal school.

 

[Wombat123]

Hi. I'm due start IST on 4th April like many others on here. I am just wondering on how claiming for travel there and back works, is there some sort of form etc? I am planning on travelling there and back each day as its only a 40 min train journey. Who should I contact to get this or get information from? Thank you.

Honestly I would say stay at the hotel if you can. I lived a 5 minute drive from my hotel and still stayed there every night- there’s a lot of work/studying to do in the evenings.

 

[Kraken]

I also start 4th apr, I will be traveling home friday and back on sunday, my question is do you get paid the “sunday rate” ? (My journey is only 1hr20 ish). Any advise appreciated,I have other pension questions (transfering civil service into care) however I hope that these will be answered at our meet & greet on the 1st.

I travelled on a Sunday and got my straight travelling hours paid (it took 2 hrs so I got paid 2 hrs rather than time and a half)

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Honestly I would say stay at the hotel if you can. I lived a 5 minute drive from my hotel and still stayed there every night- there’s a lot of work/studying to do in the evenings.

100% this. You'll gain so much more by staying with your classmates at the hotel in terms of learning and also building up a camaraderie with them. You'll also avoid the distractions of being at home.

 

[Fishplate22]

100% this. You'll gain so much more by staying with your classmates at the hotel in terms of learning and also building up a camaraderie with them. You'll also avoid the distractions of being at home.

I will be starting signalling school soon, I live 20 mins via train from York and I wish I could stay for the duration of training but it just wouldn’t work for my personal circumstances however I’m going to get to as many revision sessions as possible and revise as much as possible whilst at home! I have been worrying this may put me at a disadvantage or distance me from the group so I’ll try not let that happen! I may also be able to stay for a week on the run up to important exams as iv read others have in the past.

 

[adamwarner999]

Hi all, starting Derby on Monday! Anyone else here? I go to the gym 4 days a week at home, will I have an hour to squeeze this in?

 

[lee2201]

Hi guys,

I have my interview for grade 3 signaller next week. Can anyone who has recently gone through the process give me a few pointers as to what might be asked please?

 

[WoollyMammoth]

Hi guys,

I have my interview for grade 3 signaller next week. Can anyone who has recently gone through the process give me a few pointers as to what might be asked please?

Hi Lee,

You have come to the right thread but all of the answers that you seek are within the thread already, have a look through the pages (particularly the first couple of hundred or so) and come back if you’ve got any questions.

 

[headshot119]

Hi all, starting Derby on Monday! Anyone else here? I go to the gym 4 days a week at home, will I have an hour to squeeze this in?

This post by myself should answer that for you. Again I won't profess to knowing anything about going to a gym.

 

[Rockhopper]

Can some recently qualified signallers contribute and stress how important it is to stay in the hotel whilst training as you'll likely be working well into the evening in your groups and on the sim and so on. I fear that many many be setting themselves up to fail.

 

[ChrisRS]

Can some recently qualified signallers contribute and stress how important it is to stay in the hotel whilst training as you'll likely be working well into the evening in your groups and on the sim and so on. I fear that many many be setting themselves up to fail.

I have personally been at IST where we had an individual on our course and lived locally. They decided to opt of of the hotel option, coming to and going home from IST during the course.

This was the first individual who left us after a few weeks as they couldn't grasp the concept of signalling, which I would definitely put it down to not staying at the hotel, staying focused and building a rapport with your fellow delegates. You need to be with each other throughout the journey, revise and bounce ideas off each other. Push each other to the limits on the simulator. You need to put in the hours, if this means staying until 22:00 on a weekday then so be it.

Whether you live 5 minutes away or a few hours I would strongly recommend taking the hotel option. You'd be setting yourself up for failure otherwise, remember if you fail this course that's it. It's down to your LOM whether they spend more budget sending you back or handing you your P45.

If this signalling job is your only backup plan I'd take the course very seriously. Remember it's your future and the potential to be unemployed for failing the course is very real.

 

[TommyF]

I am hopefully starting signalling school on 4th July, just wondering if anyone recommends any books to read for a total novice signaller looking forward to starting school but also would quite like a little knowledge before I go in and feel completely out of my depth, I’ve bought British railway signalling fourth edition but any other recommendations would be good

 

[Fishplate22]

has anyone ever commuted to IST and still passed the course ? my plan wasn't to head straight home as soon as the home time bell rings, I was planning to revise with the group and not become distant etc however from the above responses I think it would be more beneficial to try arrange a hotel even if I need to stay at home the odd night or two per week I also have access to an office at home I can use to avoid distractions whilst at home

 

[nikkiwire]

Can some recently qualified signallers contribute and stress how important it is to stay in the hotel whilst training as you'll likely be working well into the evening in your groups and on the sim and so on. I fear that many many be setting themselves up to fail.

Sorry I'm not going to give you the answer that you are looking for but I did not stay in the hotel. In fact my house was closer to signalling school than the hotel. I did however come in before and after class to practise on the SIM. I then went home and studied on my own. I sailed through with no problems, all my exam results were in the high 90s. But then I was motivated and self disciplined to do this and had no distractions such as kids at home. Everyone is different and what is right for one person is not necessarily right for everyone.

 

[Fishplate22]

Sorry I'm not going to give you the answer that you are looking for but I did not stay in the hotel. In fact my house was closer to signalling school than the hotel. I did however come in before and after class to practise on the SIM. I then went home and studied on my own. I sailed through with no problems, all my exam results were in the high 90s. But then I was motivated and self disciplined to do this and had no distractions such as kids at home. Everyone is different and what is right for one person is not necessarily right for everyone.

thanks for this I have researched hotels used by others and by the time I walk to the hotels I could be home via train. however I realise it could be beneficial to revise with others so I would like to do this when possible maybe on early finish days... I raised this a couple of days ago because I was worried my dedication would be questioned if I didn't stay at the hotel however leaving my partner at home who often works into the night in a very demanding role with the sole responsibility of our child for the duration of the course could be tricky / wouldn't be fair