Supporting staff at Solent

Solent University is topping up the salaries for staff that have been furloughed by their catering contract partner, Sodexo, cleaning contract partner, Haywards, and maintenance contract partner, Corrigenda.

When the University completely closed its academic campuses to safeguard staff and students during the Covid-19 pandemic, 52 Sodexo staff were furloughed on 18 March, 7 Corrigenda staff from 31 March, and 65 Haywards staff from 1 April.

Andrea Thompson, Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor (People) says: “We made the decision to make the top up payment to 100% of normal earnings for our catering, cleaning and maintenance staff in recognition of the fantastic work they do for Solent, and have done for several years.

“Given the challenges we are all facing at the moment, we want to ensure that no one suffers any financial detriment during this already difficult time.”

The University is also grateful to its contractors for their ongoing support during these challenging times. Sodexo continues to support Solent through deliveries of groceries to students who remain in the residences in self-isolation, having displayed coronavirus symptoms; a core team of Haywards staff continue to work at the residences, alongside Solent keyworkers, in support of the students still living there; and Corrigenda have played an intrinsic role in the safe shutdown of buildings, maintenance at the residences which remain open, and will play a critical role when the University starts to re-open buildings for safe occupation.

When reviewing the pay arrangements for its contractors, the University also reviewed its own.

Andrea Thompson continues: "We recognise just how well everyone has adapted to working remotely and, in line with our University Values, we have not furloughed any Solent staff and are continuing to pay people as normal."