The JIB-PMES offers a broad range of welfare benefits which are available to JIB-PMES Welfare Benefit and Holiday Credit scheme employers and operatives. This page provides a little more detail about how each of the benefits work and how they are accessed.

Sickness Benefit

The JIB-PMES sickness pay with entitlement benefit is paid to qualifying operatives (i.e. those for whom their employer is purchasing either holiday credits or welfare benefits) at a level reflective of their grade (i.e. 1st year apprentice to Technician Plumber). The benefit is paid in addition to any Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to which the operative may be entitled.

The following conditions apply:

• Operatives are entitled to claim sickness pay benefit for a maximum of 28 weeks over the course of a calendar year
• Sickness pay benefit is calculated on a 7 day per week basis
• The first 3 days of a sickness benefit claim are classed as ‘waiting days’. However, benefit will also be paid for these days if the period of sickness exceeds 4 continuous weeks.

Death in Service benefit

This benefit is provided for all operatives for whom their employer is purchasing either holiday credits or welfare benefits AND whose contributions are kept fully up to date. 

Loss of tool benefit

The JIB-PMES operates a ‘Tool loss’ benefit scheme for operatives, which currently pays a maximum of £500 in the form of a grant towards the replacement of a plumber’s hand tools should they be lost or stolen. Conditions include:

• Losses must be reported to the relevant authority within 24 hours of them occurring
• Claimants must be employed by a JIBPMES participant company on whose behalf either holiday credits or welfare benefits are being purchased; they must also hold a current JIB-PMES CSCS registration card to be eligible
• The first £10 of any loss is borne by the claimant.

JIB-PMES Registration and Grading (CSCS cards)

Operatives for whom their employer is purchasing either holiday credits or welfare benefits are eligible for free JIB-PMES Registration and Grading, which includes provision of a JIB-PMES CSCS registration Smartcard, reflective of the operative’s qualification and/or recognised Industry Grade.

Operatives from Holiday Credit and Welfare Benefit participant employers are also entitled to be formally ‘graded’ by the JIB-PMES free of charge. For more detail on grading please visit the specific operative grading page

Accidental disability benefits

These benefits are provided for all operatives for whom their employer is purchasing either holiday credits or welfare benefits AND whose contributions are kept fully up to date.

In addition to the range of welfare benefits which are focussed on the individual operative, being a JIB-PMES participant employer also includes access to the following ‘employer’ benefits.

Employment advice and guidance

Operatives from JIB-PMES participant companies are entitled to free employment advice and guidance from the JIB-PMES. This may include advice and clarification on the interpretation of the National Working Rule Agreement and/or other queries relating to employment legislation.

Contract of employment template

The JIB-PMES provides a standard contract of employment template which is made available to participant companies and which is updated in line with employment legislation and the NWRs.

It is recommended that this is provided to operatives and apprentices when or shortly after they are engaged by the company. The template is available in an editable format and allows employers to add further information or policies as necessary.

JIB-PMES disputes resolution and conciliation service

Holiday credit and welfare benefit participant companies are able to call upon the JIB-PMES should they have any queries regarding employment issues or if they require clarification on the interpretation of the National Working Rule Agreement.

In instances where a dispute arises between a participant employer and an operative; there is a procedure whereby the JIB-PMES can convene a Conciliation Panel meeting in order to help settle the dispute. Under the JIB-PMES Conciliation Procedures, the JIB-PMES acts independently and represents neither employer nor employee. Should employment disputes arise, the JIB-PMES has extensive experience of dispute resolution and mediation.

The advantage of this, is that it provides a chance for impartial third-party arbitration without either party having to incur costly legal expenses.

Insolvency protection scheme (an additional benefit for Holiday Credit participants)

The JIB-PMES operates an Insolvency Protection scheme which is accessible by holiday credit participant companies.

The insolvency protection scheme is designed to help qualifying companies to recoup a proportion of any income which has been lost to them as a result of a client company going into administration or liquidation. 

“By providing the National Working Rules, the JIB-PMES helps to ensure that everyone in our company ‘knows where they stand’ and ‘what they are entitled to’. The range of employee benefits such as sickness pay and death in service benefit also helps us to retain our staff.

As a company we have also benefited by accessing the JIB-PMES Insolvency Protection scheme which recently helped us to recoup some of the losses sustained when a long-standing client went into liquidation.” Matthew Charlton Limited

If you would like to discuss becoming either a JIB-PMES Welfare Benefit or Holiday Credit participant employer, please email info@jib-pmes.org.uk or call 01480 476925.