Long Service Award Scheme

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The purpose of the Long Service Award Scheme is to recognise the loyalty of those employees who have dedicated their main employment to Aberdeen City Council (including its predecessor authorities), subject to the following eligibility requirements:

  • employees must have 25 years’ or more continuous service
  • only one Long Service Award will be made per employee

The Long Service Award will be made when the employee decides to leave employment with the Council. The award will not apply where the employee is dismissed by the Council for reasons of discipline.

The Long Service Award will be a monetary value for the employee to purchase a gift as a memento of service with the Council. Below are the monetary values of the levels of award.

The Scheme states that a Long Service Award will not apply where an employee is dismissed by the Council for reasons of discipline. It should be noted that it will apply in relation to all other reasons for termination of employment.

It should also be noted that absence from duty will not be regarded as a break in service for Long Service Award purposes for maternity leave, paternity leave, parental or shared parental leave, sick leave, time off for dependents/family emergencies, unpaid leave of absence or an approved break under the career break policy. The actual period of a career break will not count towards an employee’s continuous service.

Managers should ensure that those employees with long service are thanked for their services to the Council prior to their leaving the organisation.

Long Service Appreciation

This is to recognise an employees continuous employment with Aberdeen City Council (including service with its predecessor authorities).

On reaching 25, 35 and 40 years continuous employment with Aberdeen City Council (including service with its predecessor authorities), employees will:

  • Receive a long service appreciation letter from the Chief Executive. The letter is prepared by the employee’s manager and while it includes standard paragraphs to formally thank the employee for their years of service and contribution, it includes reference to the employee’s work achievements from the manager’s personal knowledge of what they have achieved.
  • Be thanked in person by a senior member of their service.
  • Will receive a long service certificate.
  • In the case of employees reaching 40 years’ service, be invited to the annual Star Awards where they will be presented with their award by the Lord Provost and/or Chief Executive.
  • In the case of employees reaching 25 and 35 years’ service, they will be asked how they wish to be presented with their long service certificate. The certificate and award will be presented as per the employee’s wishes. The same applies to employees reaching 40 years’ service who decline the offer or are unable to attend the Star Awards Ceremony.

This process was introduced on 1st January 2016

Long Service Appreciation Letter – Example

Long Service Award Scheme Process

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