Rights and responsibilities

Employment conditions for research staff are gradually changing. Government and employers are increasingly aware of the important contribution that researchers make to the UK knowledge base and to the national economy. The efforts of research staff are crucial in maintaining the UK’s competitiveness and economic standing in the world.

The appearance of the 2002 Government Review SET for Success, and the European Charter for researchers have helped ensure that institutions now fully recognise both the legal rights of researchers as employees and their long-term duty to support the personal and career development of staff engaged in research. The 2008 Concordat for the career development of research staff  sets out a ‘modus operandi’ for research staff, universities and funders of research. It also includes a clear statement of researchers’ responsibilities.

The key messages of the Concordat are that:

• employers and funders should ensure equal and fair terms for the recruitment and employment of research staff
• research staff should have access to, and be encouraged to participate in, personal and career development
• research staff share the responsibility for their development and should seek out and avail themselves of opportunities to develop.

This section of the website sets out the standards of support that researchers can expect from their institution, and that you and your colleagues can expect to receive from one another. It is also here to help you find sources of support if something should go wrong.

Institutional rights and responsibilities

In practice this means that you should receive (and pro-actively engage with):

• induction to the institution, the department and the role
• a probationary period  to offer a period of protected development (if appropriate)
• regular professional development review
• representation on institutional and departmental committees, as appropriate
• acknowledgement of your intellectual property in the writing of research applications and publications and the commercialisation of research
• the same rights and responsibilities under UK and European law as any other employee.

Fixed term contracts

The Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 has meant a change in the way universities use fixed term contracts. Different institutions have dealt with the changes in legislation differently, as shown by the Vitae report 'Researchers, fixed-term contracts and universities: understanding law in context'.

Work-related stress

Under UK law, employers have a legal duty of care to ensure their employees are not harmed by work-related stress. They also have a duty to assess the risk arising from hazards at work, including stress. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has responsibility for auditing organisations and ensuring that they reach the nationally agreed standards for managing work-related stress.

Bullying and harassment

Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect at work and employers are responsible for preventing bullying and harassing behaviour in the workplace. Bullying and harassment can create a huge amount of stress and it is important, although often not easy, to recognise and address it.

Harrassment is defined as:

unwanted conduct affecting the dignity of men and women in the workplace. It may be related to age, sex, race, disability, religion, nationality or any personal characteristic of the individual, and may be persistent or an isolated incident. The key is that the actions or comments are viewed as demeaning and unacceptable to the recipient.

Bullying and harassment at work: guidance for employees. Acas

Bullying is defined as:

offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.

Bullying and harassment at work: guidance for employees. Acas

If you think that you may be a victim of harassment or bullying, contact your personnel or human resources department for more information on your university's harassment and bullying policy