Tutor FAQs

Who do I contact if I haven't received my Tutor contract?

Please email HRadmin.tutors@sussex.ac.uk

When do I need to have a Right to Work check?

You cannot commence your employment in the UK until a valid Right to Work check has been carried out. Please ensure you have shown your ID to HR before embarking on any work for Sussex - this includes any background research or prep before delivering teaching sessions.

How do I book a Right to Work check?

Click here to find out

How are my hours allocated?

The hours you will be undertaking will be allocated following agreement between you and your school. Your school will confirm the details of how the hours are allocated and which modules you will be teaching. Your school will issue you with an Offer of Work which will set out your weekly working hours. Your pay will be averaged out for the duration of the Teaching Period. If you have any queries regarding the allocation of hours, please contact your School Admin Coordinator.

Is there a limit to the number of hours or Doctoral posts I should be working?

Those on Student or Tier 4 Visas have a limit on the number of hours they are able to work per week - this is normally 20 hours during term time and the limit will be stated on your BRP card or eVisa. If you exceed this limit you will be breaching the conditions of your Visa and could have your visa curtailed, be removed from the UK or be refused a future visa. The HR compliance team is obliged to tell UKVI if you breach your working conditions.

Please note, normal term dates do not apply if you are doing a PhD, and you are not allowed to exceed 20 hours of work per week (including during periods of 'authorised absence'). The exceptions to this rule are listed on the Working while studying : University of Sussex.

If you are working any additional hours on top of your contracted hours this must not exceed 20 hours per week.

You can have more than one contract of employment, as long as the total number of hours you are working does not exceed 20 hours per week. If you are working any additional hours on top of your contracted hours you must not exceed 20 hours per week. If you are concerned about this please contact the HR compliance team at HRCompliance@sussex.ac.uk.

If you are a School or Language Tutor, you cannot be contracted over 36.5 hours per week.

If you are a Doctoral Tutor, your working hours should comply with the guidance in the PGR Policy on Research Degrees (section 8).

If accepting another paid part time position in the University, it may be possible to continue working as a Tutor provided that the total number of hours does not exceed 1 FTE and you have no visa restrictions on the amount of hours you work.

What happens if I work additional hours on top of the hours set out in my offer of work?

Once your Offer of Work has been issued, any additional hours will need to be discussed with the School Coordinator.

This is my second job. What are the implications in having 2 employers?

Please be aware that having 2 jobs may have implications on your tax deductions. For more information please seek advice from HMRC: Income tax enquiries.

Please note that if you undertake paid work at the University and paid work through Reed, this will be classed as having 2 jobs as Reed is a separate employer to the University.

As an existing Doctoral Tutor, will my contract be extended?

Doctoral Tutors will now have an overarching contract for the duration their PhD with no hours or FTE. Offers of Work will be issued by the School for each Teaching period which will contain the hours and FTE for that period. Existing Doctoral Tutors moving on to the new contract will retain their continuous service.

When is pay day and payroll cut-off this month?

Pay day is normally the last working day of the month, with the exception of Christmas. Monthly dates for salary payment and cut-off dates are posted on the Human Resources section of the Sussex website under the heading Payroll Documents and Forms

Where can I view my payslip?

Payslips are all available via the MyView service portal. You can find additional information on the MyView user guide.

Am I entitled to annual leave/ holiday pay?

Your holiday entitlement will be the pro-rata equivalent of: 20 days per annum; rising to 21 days at three years’ service; rising to 22 days at four years’ service; rising to 23 days at five years’ service. The pro-rata equivalent of the normally eight public/bank holidays and the University’s six minimum service days will apply. Accrued holiday will be paid monthly with salary during the relevant Teaching Period.

When am I due an increment?

You will receive an annual salary increment on 1 October provided you have undertaken work in the previous academic year, except for those appointed between 1 April and 30 September inclusive who will receive their first increment on 1 October of the following calendar year. Incremental progression will be up to the non-discretionary threshold for their grade.

I have completed my fundmental for teaching course, when do I receive an additional increment?

To receive an additional increment you must have completed the Fundamentals of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education course and submit your teaching experience to obtain your Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) award. In order to receive the increment, please send a copy of your AFHEA certificate to HRadmin.tutors@sussex.ac.uk.The increment will be awarded on the 1 October, following the receipt of your certificate.

Further information can be found here Fundamentals of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education.

I wish to resign from the University, can I end my Tutor contract early?

You are committed to completing your current Offer of Work, however if your circumstances change and you are unable to fulfil your Offer of Work, please contact your School Admin Coordinator. and convenor to discuss an arrangement for an early exit.

How is my pay calculated?

Tutors who are paid on Doctoral Tutor or School Tutor contracts, please refer to the Tariff information.

Your total hours will then be converted into an FTE based upon the start and end date of the offer of work. The FTE will be averaged out to ensure a monthly salary is paid in equal instalments.

Tutors can use the payment calculator on the Tutor Hub page to see your monthly payments before deductions of tax and national insurance.

Can I undertake further training and personal development courses through LearnUpon and is this paid?

As an employee of the University you are able to access development courses through Organisational Development. Doctoral and School Tutors receive tariff payments for 10 hours training per year, and Language Tutors on open ended contracts have development and scholarship time included as part of their overall FTE.

Who do I contact if I am unable to attend a teaching session for any reason?

Please contact your convenor and your School Admin Coordinator, if you are unable to attend a teaching session due to sickness or any other reason. If you are working for more than one convenor or School, please contact both parties. If your absence is due to sickness, please record your absence via the MyView service portal.

If my sickness is prolonged, what am I entitled to?

Occupational Sick Pay entitlements are set out in the terms and conditions of employment for Doctoral Tutors, School Tutors and Language Tutors.

I feel I'm being bullied or treated with a lack of respect as a Tutor, what can I do?

You can discuss with your line manager (Head of Department), Head of School or DT Lead in the first instance. In addition, the Report + Support hub offers information on support options including an online reporting tool. You can report as a member of staff or as student, whichever feels most comfortable to you.

Additionally, if you are on a Student or Tier 4 Visa (or any other Visa which comes with an hourly limit) and you feel pressured to accept further offers of work and breach your hourly working restrictions, please contact the HR Compliance Team at HRCompliance@sussex.ac.uk (as well as using the Report + Support hub). Please ensure you do not breach your hours restriction even if you feel pressured to do so.

I am a new employee or rejoining the University. What paperwork do I need to complete?

The list below states all documents that need to be sent to HR. 6 – 8 will be emailed to you with your appointment letter.

Copy of the photo page of your passport (and visa endorsement and/or biometric card if you require this to work in the UK)
Also, if you are a holder of a Residence Permit, Biometric Residence Card, Tier 4/Student visa or have settled or pre-settled Status under EU Settlement Status, please complete an online right to work check for migrants and send me the “share code” by following this link Prove Your Right to Work (If your Tier 4/Student visa is not sponsored by this University please make us aware)
Your P45 from your previous employment. If you have not yet received this please ensure that you send to us as soon as possible. If you do not have a P45 then please complete the new starter tax form included with your appointment letter
A copy of your highest academic qualification certificate – if you gained this certificate at Sussex we will be able to obtain it from our records
If you have completed your AFHEA accreditation, please provide us with a copy of your accreditation certificate
Completed staff record acceptance form
Completed Equal Opportunities form
If you are also a student at this University please sign and return the confidentiality agreement.

How do I obtain a Staff ID?

Once you have accepted your contract and been added to the HR system, you can go to the Print Unit and be provided with a staff ID if required.

I am on a student visa; can I claim for the £4000 NHS surcharge?

EU citizens holding an EHIC can only reclaim the £4k NHS surcharge if they don't undertake any work on their student visa whilst they are here.

I have handed in my thesis; how long can I continue to work as a DT?

You can continue working as a DT until the end of August of the current academic year.

I have been offered a part time post before the end of my DT contract. Can I continue to work as a DT until the end of the academic year?

As a DT you cannot hold any other teaching post at the University, so you would have to resign from your DT post.

You could work in any other type of post including as a Research Fellow, as long as your combined hours do not exceed 36.5 hours per week and do not exceed any visa or funder restrictions.