The University of Sheffield
Human Resources

Management Guidance Notes on Redeployment

Pre-January 2013

1 Introduction

The following guidance notes have been drawn up to support the operation of the University´s Redeployment Policy.

This document is intended to be read in conjunction with the Redeployment Policy and to provide practical guidance to managers using the policy, to ensure its consistent and fair application.

The Redeployment Policy and these guidance notes apply to all staff, with more than 9 months´ service, in all staff categories, on both open-ended and fixed-term contracts, and shall be implemented in accordance with all other University policies and procedures, including and for example, the University´s Equal Opportunities Policy and Code of Practice for Staff.

It is essential that all redeployment situations are managed with discretion and confidentiality and that members of staff subject to the provisions of the Redeployment Policy are treated sensitively.

These guidelines supersede all previous arrangements, but do not affect the individual protection arrangements already in place for those members of staff who have been redeployed prior to the implementation of the Redeployment Policy.

2 Roles and Resposibilities

2.1 Staff accessing the Redeployment Policy

The effectiveness of the Redeployment Policy is dependent on the full engagement of the staff member concerned. The member of staff is expected to provide information required within the prescribed timescales and to cooperate fully in any assessment and interview processes. Staff shall be expected to exercise flexibility in relation to potential alternative posts, taking into account their personal circumstances and commitments outside of the University.

2.2 Heads of Departments and Line Managers

Heads of Departments and line managers in the originating departments shall be expected to explore fully redeployment opportunities in the originating departments in the first instance. Only where this is not possible should the Redeployment Policy be activated. They remain responsible for the salary and line management of members of staff accessing the Redeployment Policy throughout the redeployment period, until alternative employment is secured or University procedures have been exhausted.

2.3 Recruitment Panels

Recruitment Panels shall be expected to give full consideration to the suitability of all staff put forward for priority of consideration and interview through the Redeployment Policy. They shall be required to provide comprehensive written reasons to the Department of Human Resources where staff put forward through the Redeployment Policy are unsuccessful.

2.4 The Department of Human Resources

The Department of Human Resources shall be responsible for the administration of the Redeployment Policy.

Staff within the Department of Human Resources shall be responsible for providing Heads of Departments, line managers, their staff and recruitment panels with advice and guidance concerning the application of the Redeployment Policy.

3 Timescales for Redeployment

Eligible staff shall be placed on the Redeployment Database for a maximum period of 3 months which shall be defined as the Redeployment Period.

Any extensions to the redeployment period shall be on an exceptional basis and be dependent upon the individual circumstances. Extension of the redeployment period beyond the notice period shall require the written approval of an Assistant Director of Human Resource Management, or delegate.

The period of time on the Database for reasons relating to disability and making reasonable adjustments, may be extended at the discretion of an Assistant Director of Human Resource Management, or delegate, who shall assess the prospects of achieving redeployment, to ensure compliance with good practice and the requirements of legislation.

Where it is not possible to secure alternative employment for staff at risk of redundancy through this policy the provisions of the Redundancy Policy shall apply and those provisions and contractual and redundancy notice periods shall run concurrently with the redeployment period.

4 First Steps

The Redeployment Policy has been designed to assist staff in securing alternative employment within the wider University once it has been established that redeployment within the department in which the member of staff normally works is inappropriate or unavailable.

Staff eligible for redeployment shall have access to the normal services provided by the University in the areas of counselling, training and support. To be successful the redeployment process relies upon the commitment and active involvement of all parties.

4.1 Enhanced Statutory Redundancy Payment Option

At the point where a member of staff at risk of redundancy becomes eligible for redeployment they shall normally be invited to consider the option of an enhanced statutory redundancy payment according to the University´s agreed payment scheme, as an alternative to redeployment:

The enhanced statutory redundancy payment scheme shall be based upon the Statutory Redundancy Payment calculation, enhanced by 100%. The options shall be confirmed in writing to the member of staff by the Department of Human Resources. The member of staff shall have 10 working days to consider and confirm their preferred option in writing to the Department of Human Resources by completing the relevant documentation.

To inform their decision making, staff considering the 2 options available may seek a confidential discussion with their Head of Department or a member of staff in the Department of Human Resources, who can provide information on arising vacancies, based upon those arising previously. However, where individuals require advice on which option to take, this should be sought from an independent source, such as a Campus Union representative.

The University shall determine whether any applications for the enhanced statutory redundancy payment option can be made and accepted and reserve the right either not to offer or to refuse applications made where they are not in the interests of the department or the wider University.

Where a member of staff has confirmed that they wish to opt to access provisions for redeployment eligibility for the enhanced statutory redundancy payment option shall be forfeited.

Members of staff at risk of redundancy who choose to access provisions for redeployment and remain unplaced at the end of the redeployment period shall be subject to the terms of compulsory redundancy policy, which shall include the terms of the compulsory redundancy payment scheme. It should be noted that contractual notice periods shall run concurrently.

Where the University has approved an application for an enhanced statutory redundancy payment:

4.2 Redeployment within the Department

Responsibility for redeployment lies, initially, with the department in which the member of staff is located and every effort should be made within the department to find a suitable alternative position for the member of staff.

This is likely to involve a discussion between the Head of Department and the Department of Human Resources, taking into account the overview of departmental needs and the prevailing circumstances. This may involve consideration of training and the provision of aids or adaptations to assist the member of staff where appropriate.

Prior consideration of any suitable vacancies arising within the department should be made for any member of staff accessing the Redeployment Policy. The manager may determine, if there are no objections after consultation with relevant staff, and the member of staff seeking to be redeployed meets the minimum criteria for the post, to offer the position to the member of staff without the necessity for interview balancing the need to avoid risk of redundancy with ensuring a suitable appointment to the post and the University´s commitment to equal opportunities. Redeployment Interview Assessment Form (Form R2B) and Section 4: Request to Appoint must be completed and returned to the Department of Human Resources. Advice on this should be sought from the Department of Human Resources where necessary.

4.3 Redeployment within the wider University

If no suitable employment can be found within the originating department then the Head of Department should inform their customary Senior/HR Adviser and the member of staff shall be placed on the University´s Redeployment Database, administered by the Department of Human Resources.

5 Placement on the Redeployment Database

5.1 Collection of Information and Assessment

The member of staff and their manager shall meet to discuss, identify and record the member of staff´s relevant experience, skills, qualifications and preferred work options the Redeployment Scheme Application Form (Form R1). The member of staff shall be entitled to be accompanied by a work colleague or trade union representative if they so wish.

A Redeployment Scheme Application Form (Form R1) and a Redeployment reference request form should be completed by the current line manager and submitted to the Department of Human Resource within the prescribed timescales.

The eligibility of staff to access the provisions for redeployment set out in this policy shall be dependent on the correct completion of the documentation, within the prescribed timescales, their full cooperation in the process and the provision of all necessary and relevant information to support assessment and decision making.

The Department of Human Resources shall be responsible for assessing whether a post constitutes suitable alternative employment, according to the skills required, the working hours / pattern and supervisory responsibilities, against the information provided by the member of staff on the Redeployment Scheme Application Form (Form R1).

Eligible staff shall be entered onto the Redeployment Database and be entitled to priority of consideration for all vacancies considered to be a suitable match by the Department of Human Resources (see 6. below).

Throughout the redeployment period the member of staff and the department should keep in close contact with the Department of Human Resources to ensure that all options for redeployment are kept under review.

5.2 Responsibility for Staff during the Redeployment Period

During the redeployment period staff shall remain in their original post, within their originating department. The department shall remain responsible for line management during this period. Staff shall be paid from the budget of their department throughout the redeployment period.

Departments shall allow reasonable time off to staff to find alternative employment, attend interviews and training during the redeployment period, in accordance with statutory requirements.

6 Priority of Consideration

6.1 Priority of Consideration and Guaranteed Interviews

Where, on the basis of the information provided, a member of staff is identified to be a potentially suitable match for an arising post by the Department of Human Resources, and meets the minimum criteria for the post, the member of staff shall be eligible for priority of consideration, as defined within the Redeployment Policy.

The Department of Human Resources shall send, within 3 working days of the recruitment documentation being received by the Department of Human Resources, a copy of the Redeployment Scheme Application Form (Form R1), the redeployment reference provided, and any other relevant information, to the department where the vacancy has arisen for consideration by the recruitment panel in advance of the post being advertised. The department must complete and return the Initial Department Assessment Form (Form R2A) by the date specified, indicating their selection decision.

Selection

Where a recruitment panel considers that a member of staff meets the minimum criteria for an arising post a guaranteed interview, in advance of advertisement of the post, should be held.

Where staff are able to demonstrate at interview that they meet fully the requirements of the post, the expectation shall be that they shall normally be appointed to the post.

Where more than one staff member, eligible for redeployment, is identified as potentially suitable for an arising post all eligible staff shall be considered and the appointment shall be based on matching the best candidate available to the post.

Where, after consideration and interview, the department proposes to appoint the member of staff, the Redeployment Interview Assessment documentation (Form R2B) should be submitted to their customary HR Assistant along with completion of Section 4: Request to Appoint, a copy of the Redeployment Scheme Application Form (Form R1), and CV; the normal administrative procedures relating to appointment, as set out in the Staff Recruitment and Selection Handbook, shall apply.

Non-Selection

Where a member of staff, put forward for priority of consideration through this Policy, is not selected for a priority interview, written reasons, based on the requirements of the post, shall be provided by the recruitment panel, with the support of the Head of Department, on the Initial Department Assessment Form (Form R2A), to the Department of Human Resources.

Where a member of staff, granted a guaranteed interview through this policy, is not recommended for appointment, written reasons, based on the requirements of the post, shall be provided by the recruitment panel, with the support of the Head of Department, on section 3 of the Redeployment Interview Assessment Form (Form R2B), to the Department of Human Resources. In such circumstances feedback will be provided to the member of staff by the recruitment panel.

Completed forms should be submitted to the Department of Human Resources by the recruitment panel directly after their consideration of the suitability of the member of staff.

All posts identified as a suitable match for priority of consideration and guaranteed interviews which do not result in the appointment of the member of staff seeking to be redeployed shall be subject to review by an Assistant Director of Human Resource Management, or delegate, prior to the advertisement of the post.

In these circumstances the department shall be advised of the outcome of this review as soon as possible, within 3 working days and whether and when they are able to proceed with advertisement of the post.

Where a member of staff seeking to be redeployed is put forward for priority of consideration and / or a guaranteed interview but turns this down as unsuitable, they shall be entitled to refuse 2 offers, as deemed suitable by the University, providing they can provide valid reasons to the Department of Human Resources in writing. Where 3 suitable offers for priority of consideration and / or a guaranteed interview have been made and refused the University reserves the right to proceed to dismissal. . Where a member of staff seeking to be redeployed is offered a post through the redeployment process but declines the offer without valid reasons, the University reserves the right to proceed to dismissal. In both instances, any entitlement to the provisions of redundancy may be forfeited.

Where it is agreed by all parties that suitability for a post is not certain, consideration of a trial period may be appropriate and shall be considered in accordance with statutory requirements (see 8. below).

If the member of staff does not meet the specified criteria and the vacancy is not considered suitable by the Department of Human Resources they may apply for the job in the normal manner and shall be considered in competition with other applicants.

6.2 Suitable Alternative Employment, Grade, Category and Working Arrangements

In normal circumstances suitable alternative employment shall be defined as posts arising of the same grade or the grade below and shall include posts in alternative staff categories, of a commensurate salary, and posts occurring in alternative University locations.

Staff shall be expected to be flexible regarding their working arrangements, to meet the operational needs of alternative posts identified (for example, hours of work), taking into account their personal circumstances and commitments outside of the University.

Since the objectives of the Redeployment Policy are primarily to avoid redundancy, priority of consideration and guaranteed interviews shall not be granted for posts which represent a promotion for the member of staff. For such posts, application must be made in the normal way.

All parties involved in the redeployment process are expected to exercise flexibility when considering opportunities of a different grade, staff category or University location.

7 Trial Periods

A trial period according to the nature of the post may be applied in some cases, in particular, where suitability for the post is disputed or unclear. Trial periods shall be operated in accordance with statutory requirements and may extend up to a maximum of 4 weeks, in accordance with the legal framework, and shall take effect from the date of appointment to the new post.

During a trial period the new line manager shall meet with the member of staff on a regular basis to review progress and identify any areas where further training or support may be required. This shall be achieved through a programme agreed by the line manager and the member of staff in consultation with the Department of Human Resources.

At the end of the trial period the line manager shall confirm to the Department of Human Resources, in writing, whether or not the appointment is regarded as successful.

Where the appointment cannot be confirmed this must be supported by written reasons which shall be reviewed by the Assistant Director of Human Resource Management, or delegate. Where these are accepted, alternative courses of action shall be discussed with the member of staff.

8 Protection of Earnings and Conditions of Services

For the duration of the redeployment period the contractual position of staff and their associated grade, salary and all other contractual benefits shall remain unchanged.

Redeployment offers shall be made at the grade and conditions of service, including eligibility for membership of pension schemes, attaching to the redeployment post. However, where a member of staff´s current contractual pay level exceeds that for the post, their level of pay shall be maintained and frozen at their current cash pay level, excluding any additional allowances, additional contractual earnings or contractual overtime, for 4 years or until the pay level for the new grade overtakes their cash pay level, whichever occurs sooner.

Pay protection will apply to a member of staff´s level of pay for their existing working commitment; where the contractual working hours of the redeployed post exceed the member of staff´s contractual working hours of the existing post, pay protection will only apply to their existing contractual working hours. Any additional contractual working hours will be paid at the level attaching to the post.

9 Implementation and Review

Policies and procedures which are linked to the Redeployment Policy and these guidelines, and which should be read in conjunction with it, are:

These guidelines were implemented with effect from 1 February 2005 and reviewed on 16 March 2009. They shall be monitored on a regular basis, to ensure that they support the operation of the Redeployment Policy effectively, in meeting the needs of the University, and to ensure compliance with relevant legislation.

It is essential that redeployment is managed consistently and fairly. Further guidance for managers may be sought from the Department of Human Resources.

Content last updated by Department of Human Resources: 16 March 2009