The fact that UT Flex has to be overhauled is due to the relatively new Labour Market in Balance Act. As a result, the UT already had to pay back UT flex workers a substantial amount earlier this calendar year. 'We have to be compliant with the laws and regulations,' says HR director Hans Oeloff. 'For that reason, we also have to make these adjustments to UT Flex. We are currently putting the finishing touches to this in consultation with the unions.'
Student assistants
The name UT Flex will cease to exist on January 1st and will be renamed to UT Student Jobs. It will have a separate scheme for student assistants. 'Then we are talking about students with a teaching or research task,' Oeloff explains. 'They are offered a fixed-term appointment for a fixed amount of hours.'
On-call employees
There is also the diverse and widespread group of student on-call workers, for whom a different system comes into play. Oeloff states. ‘That group can be engaged for jobs through units at the UT. Yet, payment will go through an external payroll agency. A tender for that is now running.'
Cost increase
According to the HR director, the construction for on-call workers in particular is going to have the necessary financial impact. 'Hiring an external agency for payout is simply more expensive than through the UT Flex system. We expect a cost increase of 30 per cent, which will be borne by the UT unit hiring such an on-call worker.'
