Here are some examples and descriptions of your rights and responsibilities in each area to answer Care Certificate Standard 1 – Activity 1.2a.
Health and Safety
You have the right to work in an environment that prioritises your health and safety. The workplace should conform to all legal standards, ensuring that you are not unduly exposed to harm or illness. Your employer should provide protective safety measures, policies, and training to safeguard your wellbeing.
You follow the health and safety guidelines laid out by your employer, like using equipment properly and wearing protective clothing when required. You have a duty to report any potential hazards or incidents that could compromise your safety or that of others.
Example: “My responsibility to uphold a safe working environment involves diligently applying the training I’ve received. When administering medication, I follow the correct procedures meticulously, ensuring both my safety and that of my service users. Regularly taking part in safety drills and checking emergency equipment also form part of my day-to-day duties to uphold our collective safety.”
Confidentiality
As a care worker, it is your right to expect that any personal or sensitive information you share with your employer will be treated as confidential. Similarly, privacy laws protect the information of those under your care.
Your role requires you to maintain the confidentiality of any personal information you encounter. This means handling sensitive information about service users with utmost discretion and only sharing it with authorised personnel as necessary for the provision of care.
Example: “In practice, I exemplify confidentiality by securing records in designated areas after updating them. I am careful to discuss service-user information only in private settings and only with colleagues who need the information to perform their job functions.”
Working Time
Your rights include clearly defined working hours, rest breaks for certain hours worked, and a limited number of working hours per week. Regular paid annual leave is also a statutory right.
You must manage your working hours as agreed with your employer, ensuring you are punctual for your shifts and notifying your manager if any changes prevent you from working as scheduled. Taking rest breaks and managing your workload are also key responsibilities to prevent burnout and maintain quality care.
Example: “I manage my working time by adhering to the roster provided and taking my rostered breaks to maintain a high level of care. If unexpected circumstances arise, such as a family emergency, I communicate with my supervisors to rearrange my schedule responsibly.”
Pay and Wages
You have the right to timely and accurate pay that reflects your contracted hours, any overtime worked, and is at least the minimum wage. Pay slips should detail earnings and deductions.
It is your responsibility to verify your pay by keeping accurate records of the hours worked and ensuring the pay you receive matches your records. Understanding your pay slip, including the deductions for tax and other contributions, is also part of your fiscal responsibilities.
Example: “I track my hours worked using the staff clocking system and regularly check my pay slips for accuracy. If there are any discrepancies, I report them to the payroll department, and I keep informed about changes in tax codes or pay rates that may affect my income.”
Delving into these details helps you as a care worker to know what to expect from your employer and what is expected of you in return. Being well-informed in these areas empowers you to deliver quality care while working within a secure and fair employment structure.