Employee Benefits

At Hearing Dogs we have a comprehensive benefits package in place to recognise the value that our staff bring to our charity. Please click on an icon below to be taken to the relevant section, or scroll down to read more.

Health and Wellbeing

Life assurance

All employees are covered by our life insurance scheme. This provides a lump sum equivalent to two times salary, made to nominated beneficiaries, in the case of death whilst in employment at the Charity.

Occupational sick pay

The Charity operates a discretionary Sick Pay Scheme for all employees which is:

  • up to 12 months continuous service - two weeks at full pay
  • after 12 months continuous service but less than three years continuous service - one month at full pay and one month at half pay within a twelve-month period.
  • after three years but less than five years continuous service - two months at full pay and two months at half pay within a twelve-month period.
  • after five years continuous service – three months at full pay and three months at half pay in a twelve-month period.

Employee assistance programme

The Charity offers a free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme to all employees. This private and impartial support, information and counselling package is available 24/7 online, via phone and through a face-to-face service.

Eye care

The Charity will cover the cost of up to one eyesight test in any two-year period for employees who are classed as users or operators of Display Screen Equipment. If glasses are required that enable employees to use DSE safely, the Charity will contribute up to £100.

Hearing tests

The Charity encourages all employees to have their hearing tested annually and will help signpost to a local service.

Family

Paid maternity and adoption leave

All pregnant employees are entitled to a period of up to 52 weeks maternity leave regardless of length of service. The entitlement for adoption leave is also 52 weeks regardless of length of service.

Pregnant employees who have 12 months or more of continuous service by the time their baby is born, or employees who are matched for adoption who have 12 months or more of continuous service, will receive enhanced maternity pay or adoption pay of 12 weeks full pay, with the remainder of their leave being paid under statutory leave arrangements.

Paid paternity leave

Fathers-to-be or employees who will share the responsibility with a partner for bringing up a child, may have the right to statutory paternity leave and pay. Employees who have 12 months or more of continuous service by the time their baby is born will receive enhanced paternity pay of two weeks full pay.

Learning and development

The Charity is committed to developing all its employees to improve individual performance and fulfil each person’s potential. Each employee is encouraged to take advantage of the variety of learning and development opportunities available.

Employee recognition

Hears to You

All employees can be nominated at any time for this staff recognition award, for which they receive a place in a quarterly draw. The winner of the draw receives an additional day of holiday and an entry into the Beatrice Wright Award.

Beatrice Wright Award

This is an annual award comprising winners of the Hears to You recognition scheme as well as direct nominations. The award is judged annually and the winner receives a financial prize of £500.

Work-life balance

We encourage all forms of positive, productive communication between colleagues and endorse an email culture that recognises a healthy work-life balance. All routine emails should be sent within the hours of 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday only.

Annual leave

Our holiday entitlement for full-time employees is 24 days per annum excluding public holidays. The Charity recognises long service by granting two days additional holiday after an employee’s completion of five years continuous service and a further three days after the completion of 10 years continuous service.

Pension

The Charity operates an auto-enrolment pension with The People’s Pension and new employees will join automatically on the second month of employment if the minimum criteria is met. We will contribute a minimum 4% of your gross basic pay.

Added perks

Hearing Dogs shop

We offer a 20% discount in our Grange Gift Shop and online shop. Details of online discounts for this shop and any other suppliers who offer discounts to our employees are published on our Staff Benefits SharePoint page.

Pet dog policy

The Charity offers all employees the opportunity to bring their pet dog into The Grange or the Beatrice Wright Centre offices following two months of continuous service. A pet dog assessment will apply as do other conditions.

Careers at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People