Post on 06-Mar-2018
Recruitment Policy
July 2012
Ofqual/12/5204
Recruitment Policy
Ofqual 2012 1
Contents
Policy statement ......................................................................................................... 2
1. Purpose ............................................................................................................... 2
2. Scope .................................................................................................................. 2
3. Key principles ...................................................................................................... 2
Accountability ............................................................................................................. 4
4. Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 4
5. Review ................................................................................................................ 5
Overview of the recruitment and selection process .................................................... 6
Recruitment procedures ............................................................................................. 6
Stage 1: Identifying a job opportunity and getting approval to recruit ...................... 7
Stage 2: Promoting job opportunities ...................................................................... 8
Stage 3: Sifting arrangements (longlisting and shortlisting) .................................... 9
Stage 4: Interviewing arrangements ..................................................................... 11
Stage 5: Offer and pre-employment ...................................................................... 14
Specific situations ..................................................................................................... 16
1. Reappointment and reinstatement .................................................................... 16
2. Exceptions to selection via open and fair competition ....................................... 16
3. Secondments .................................................................................................... 17
4. Appointment of temporary staff (agency workers, consultants or
contractors/temps) ................................................................................................ 19
5. Relationship to other policies and procedures .................................................. 20
6. Complaints procedure ....................................................................................... 20
Recruitment Policy
Ofqual 2012 2
Policy statement
The success of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is
dependent on ensuring that we have people with the right balance of skills and
experience to help us shape and deliver our business objectives. Attracting and
recruiting the right people requires an understanding of our current and future
business needs, an understanding of the key requirements to carry out each job and
an ability to make decisions based on merit.
Our recruitment policy will help us to build a high-performing and flexible workforce of
people who take personal responsibility for the jobs they do, provide challenge,
support colleagues, and who will enhance our reputation.
This recruitment policy and these procedures comply with current employment
legislation, the Civil Service Management Code, the Civil Service Commission and
the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice. This
policy is also underpinned by our commitment to equality and diversity.
Unless otherwise indicated in your contract of employment, this policy and these
procedures do not form part of your contract of employment and may be amended
from time to time, or adapted to the particular circumstances prevailing at the time.
1. Purpose
The purpose of the recruitment policy is to provide a clear framework for an effective,
efficient and fair approach to recruitment and selection for all jobs (internal, external,
permanent or temporary) in order to recruit highly capable people for each available
job within a reasonable timescale.
2. Scope
The recruitment policy applies to all appointments (internal and external). It does not
cover contractors engaged under a contract for services; they are dealt with via the
procurement team.
3. Key principles
No recruitment will take place without authorisation from the Chief Executive or
another member of the Executive Board authorised by the Chief Executive.
The recruitment and selection process is appropriate and fit for purpose.
Job opportunities will be publicised internally and externally, as appropriate.
Prospective applicants will be given equal and reasonable access to adequate
information about the job and its requirements, and the selection process.
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Ofqual 2012 3
All stages of the selection process (shortlisting/testing/interviews) will be based
on relevant, objective and impartial criteria applied consistently to all
candidates.
The appointment process will be fair and applied consistently in an open and
transparent way that is well documented.
Appointments will usually be based on fair and open competition and merit, and
any exemptions will be in exceptional circumstances and in line with those
provided for by the Civil Service Commission.
Current staff who have been displaced and are at risk of redundancy will be
given an opportunity to be considered for any suitable vacancy before it is
advertised beyond us.
No employee, potential employee or applicant will be unlawfully disadvantaged
on one or more of the following ‘protected characteristics’: sex; race; disability;
marriage and civil partnership; sexual orientation; religion or belief; pregnancy
and maternity; gender reassignment; age; and for Northern Ireland: political
opinion; people with dependents; and marital status.
Where it is appropriate to do so, we may offer encouragement to any under-
represented groups to apply.
All staff involved in recruitment and selection activities will have received
training and be given reasonable support to assist them in following the
procedures.
A selection panel for recruiting an Ofqual employee will usually comprise three
people, one of whom will usually be a member of human resources (HR). In the
case of a short-term agency worker there will be a minimum of two panel
members.
Feedback to unsuccessful candidates will be provided on request.
All candidates will be vetted prior to commencing employment, and all
appointments will be conditional on a satisfactory result being obtained. The
level of vetting required may be reduced for internal applicants.
All disabled applicants who request it will receive a guaranteed interview if they
meet the minimum criteria for an advertised post.
Reasonable adjustments will be put in place to assist any applicant who has a
disability to participate fully in the recruitment and selection procedures.
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Ofqual 2012 4
Accountability
The key areas of accountability for managers and HR generally, within the context of
this recruitment policy, are as follows:
Managers:
Own and lead recruitment and selection exercises and the outcomes, including
drafting initial job descriptions and person specifications, shortlisting,
interviewing and providing feedback
Maintain strict confidentiality around the process
Ensure that any questions asked of applicants are not in any way discriminatory
or unnecessarily intrusive
Maintain an awareness that encouragement or support offered to particular
candidates may lead to perceptions of favoritism or bias
Attend required recruitment and selection training and subsequent refresher
courses to maintain and develop skill levels
Must base their decisions, at each stage of the process, on available evidence
only.
Human resources:
Provide advice and guidance to managers on all aspects of recruitment and
selection
Promote all job opportunities in a timely way to attract a suitably diverse field of
candidates
Provide administrative support at all stages of the recruitment and selection
process
Carry out shortlisting and attend interviews, as required
Review and monitor the application of the policy and procedures.
4. Monitoring
The Head of HR is responsible for the confidential monitoring of the application of
this policy. Monitoring will also include looking at information that will help us to
assess the policy’s impact for equality purposes.
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HR will maintain records of all recruitment campaigns, including any correspondence
and outcomes and any subsequent developments.
All records processed or collected in relation to recruitment exercises will be kept
confidential and in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act
1998. They will be used solely for the purposes of monitoring the effectiveness of the
recruitment and selection process, and for the purposes set out in paragraph 6 of this
policy.
All recruitment data will be retained for two years.
5. Review
This policy will be kept under review and will be formally reviewed every three years.
Any changes to the policy or procedures may be made sooner for legal compliance,
where factual clarification is required or changes to operational practices take place.
The next review will take place on or before 1st April 2015 or as soon as possible
thereafter.
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Overview of the recruitment and selection process
Identify vacancy Following assessment of current and future needs
Gain authorisation to recruit Complete recruitment requisition form
Agree details of recruitment campaign with HR Timetable
Design/review/update job description and produce person specification
Advertise Internally/Civil Service job portal and/or externally (where approval has been given)
Shortlist Consider guaranteed interview scheme applicants
Identify vacancy ree
shortlist
HR log all applications received and update monitoring information
No appointment made Make conditional job offer
Interview/test candidates Assess against specification Rank in order of merit
HR update candidates and records Invites/regret letters Update E&D information
HR update candidates and records Regret letters Update equality and diversity information
Agree start date and issue contract
Employee vetting References Security
Given the time it can take to go through each of these steps, temporary staff may be sought to mitigate the consequential business and individual impacts that could otherwise arise. Temporary staff may be sought internally or through the Civil Service Jobs Portal or through agencies. Staff sourced through agencies are not employed by us, though they are required to comply with our policies and procedures.
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Recruitment procedures
Stage 1: Identifying a job opportunity and getting approval to recruit
1. Identifying a new job
A new job opportunity will usually arise as a result of the following: someone leaving
us; a long-term absence; an internal promotion or move; organisational growth; or
organisational change. This will present you with an important opportunity to take
stock of your existing team, your operational practices and your current and future
business and strategic objectives, before deciding whether or not you wish to recruit.
2. Job description and person specification
If you decide to recruit, you should, in conjunction with HR, review/prepare a new job
description that sets out the main duties and responsibilities of the post and a person
specification that lists essential and desirable criteria required for the role. The
person specification covers the following areas:
Qualifications and training
Knowledge and experience
Skills and abilities required for the role.
The person specification is critical to the whole process, as it will form a consistent
and appropriate basis for the recruitment and selection process. All staff/panel
members who are involved in the recruitment process should be aware that the
criteria listed in the person specification must be:
Relevant to the job
Fair and justifiable
Consistently applied
Clearly stated
Properly defined and expressed using appropriate terminology
Measurable at some stage of the recruitment process.
HR will provide advice to ensure that job descriptions and person specifications are
properly defined and expressed, use appropriate terminology and do not directly or
indirectly discriminate against any applicant.
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If you wish to discuss possible recruitment opportunities you should contact HR as
soon as possible so they can discuss the range of available options with you.
3. Recruitment requisition form
A recruitment requisition form must be completed for each request to recruit; this
includes permanent, fixed-term, agency, secondment or any other
appointment/engagement. Budget funds must be confirmed with Finance before the
form can be authorised by the relevant director and the Chief Executive. Authorised
forms should be sent to HR, who will contact you to discuss the proposed recruitment
and agree the recruitment plan, which sets out the agreed approach, timelines and
any special considerations. This recruitment plan forms the basis of the agreement
between the recruiting manager and HR or procurement (where the procurement
route is selected).
Stage 2: Promoting job opportunities
1. Advertising roles
1.1 The way in which job opportunities are promoted will depend upon the role being
filled. However, in any event, it must be done in a way that will attract a strong field of
applicants. Job opportunities may be advertised:
Within Ofqual only: Usually for temporary promotion, development and
secondment opportunities or to give our employees at risk of redundancy an
opportunity to be considered for a suitable alternative position before posts are
advertised more widely. Permanent posts may also be considered for Ofqual-
only recruitment on a case-by-case basis
Within Ofqual and across the wider Civil Service and to other government
departments using the Civil Service Jobs Portal: This is the most common
way to advertise permanent and fixed-term posts
Externally: The Chief Executive may approve recruiting externally, if internal
and Civil Service routes have not provided strong applicants.
1.2 Potential applicants will usually be given a minimum of two weeks to declare an
interest in a job opportunity. The exception to this will be for agency recruitment or for
short-term internal-only posts where there is an urgent requirement to fill.
1.3 HR will inform staff on maternity, paternity, adoption or parental leave of all new
job opportunities.
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2. Recruitment of temporary staff
Temporary staff may be recruited where:
There is an urgent need to fill a vacancy and resources cannot be found readily
internally
To fill a vacancy pending the appointment of a permanent or fixed-term
employee
To work on a specific project - usually small scale and ideally lasting less than
three months. Temporary staff are not our staff and are not paid through the
payroll.
Temporary staff may be recruited through agencies. Agencies will be selected in line
with our procurement procedures.
3. Use of executive search agencies
External search agencies may, if appropriate, be contracted to assist with a
recruitment campaign. Where this is the case, it will be authorised by the Chief
Executive or director. Any such agency will be selected in accordance with our
procurement procedures.
4. Applicant /candidate management
Application forms or expression of interest forms (for internal-only positions) will be
available online and will only be posted out to applicants in exceptional
circumstances. Applicants will be encouraged to submit their applications via email.
However, applications received by post, fax or by hand will still be accepted. HR will
acknowledge all applications received within 24 hours.
5. Late applications
It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their applications are received by
HR before the specified closing date. Applications received after the specified closing
date will not usually be considered.
Stage 3: Sifting arrangements (longlisting and shortlisting)
1. Sifting panels
A sifting panel will usually:
Comprise a minimum of two managers (one of whom is the recruiting manager,
who will act as Chair) and a member of HR, who will oversee the sifting process
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Aim to be as diverse as possible with, at the very least, one person from each
gender group
Have received interview and selection training.
With the exception of the HR representative, the panel members must be at least one
grade higher than the post for which they are recruiting. Any exceptions to this must
be agreed by the Head of HR, who will record the reasons for the decision.
2. Multiple sifting panels
In cases where an advertisement is expected to generate/has generated a significant
number of applications, the Head of HR may authorise the use of multiple panels to
participate in sifting and interviewing. In these cases the Head of HR will oversee the
process to ensure consistency and the integrity of the recruitment and selection
process.
3. Sifting assessments and outcomes
3.1 HR will provide each panel member with a copy of each completed application
form and an individual sift record shortly after the closing date for a job. Panel
members will not be given access to any equality monitoring information. However,
HR will advise the panel of any candidates who have applied through the Guaranteed
Interview Scheme.
3.2 Each panel member will be expected to complete a confidential assessment of
each applicant on an Individual Sift Record, based on the selection criteria taken
from the person specification. The candidate will need to have provided evidence to
demonstrate competence for each selection criterion. The following rating system will
be used:
5 = very good – well above acceptable standard
4 = good – above acceptable standard
3 = acceptable standard
2 = below acceptable standard
1 = well below acceptable standard
4. Essential and desirable criteria
Candidates must be assessed in the first instance against essential criteria. If too
many candidates appear to meet the essential criteria, an assessment of desirable
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criteria can be used to determine which candidates move through to the next stage of
the selection process.
5. Outcomes
The score in each area will determine the shortlist.
Key points:
Panel members who have a personal relationship, for example partner or close
personal friend, with an applicant must declare this at the outset and may be
excluded from participating in the selection process.
The panel members will meet to discuss their individual assessments and agree
upon a final joint shortlist rating that ranks each candidate in order of merit.
The final shortlist individual panel shortlist record form must be signed off by the
Chair.
The individual panel shortlist record and copies of application forms will be
collected by HR.
HR will notify all applicants of the outcome.
Stage 4: Interviewing arrangements
1. Conducting interviews
The Chair of the interview panel is responsible for ensuring that the interviews are
conducted professionally, fairly and in line with this policy and these procedures.
2. Interview pack
HR will supply a recruitment interview pack to include:
Guidance on how to prepare for and conduct interviews
Copies of the individual candidate interview score sheet
The final interview record Form (completed by the panel’s Chair)
Management guidance on how to score candidates.
3. Interview preparation
Prior to the interview/s the panel members need to prepare a checklist of
competency based questions, which will test the degree to which the short-listed
candidates can meet the criteria outlined in the person specification.
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Panel members should agree which subject areas they will each concentrate on.
However, this need not be rigid: other panel members may contribute outside their
own subject areas.
The interview panel should plan questions around the person specification and the
job description. These questions should be consistent from one applicant to the next,
and interview panel members must take care not to use discriminatory language.
4. Invite to interview
HR will invite shortlisted candidates to an interview, usually giving at least one week’s
notice and providing any relevant additional information about the selection process.
This timescale may be varied for internal-only positions, where there is an urgent
need to fill the post. If a candidate is unable to attend an interview, the recruiting
manager may consider whether it is possible to agree an alternative date/time. If it is
not possible to reschedule, the candidate will be informed.
All candidates must attend an interview in order to be considered for a job role.
5. Guaranteed Interview Scheme
As part of our commitment to equal opportunities, any applicant who requests to be
considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme and who meets the minimum
selection criteria will be guaranteed progression to the first stage of the selection
process. Depending on the process, the first stage could be an interview or a
practical test (or other assessment exercise), or both.
6. Selection testing and evaluation
6.1 Depending on the nature of the role, the recruiting manager may decide to use a
method of candidate assessment in addition to the panel interview. Forms of testing
or evaluation may include in-tray exercises, psychometric tests (verbal reasoning,
numerical reasoning, cognitive ability tests and/or personality profiles) or assessment
centres.
Recruiting managers who wish to use tests should discuss this in the first instance
with HR, who will advise on what might be appropriate.
7. Interview assessments
7.1 Panel members are expected to take suitable notes during each interview that
will assist them with the completion of their individual assessment score at the end of
the interview. Panel members must not discuss individual candidates between
interviews but must wait until after all the interviews have taken place.
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7.2 In cases where a large number of candidates are to be interviewed over more
than one day, the panel members may discuss candidates at the end of each day of
interviewing.
7.3 For the Interview Score Sheet, candidates will be scored against each criterion
using a five-point rating scale. The purpose of this is to score candidates for each
criterion that the questions have covered. Ratings are as follows:
5 = very good – well above acceptable standard
4 = good – above acceptable standard
3 = acceptable standard
2 = below acceptable standard
1 = well below acceptable standard
7.4 After the final candidate has been assessed, the panel members will discuss their
individual scores and agree a final score for each candidate, who must then be
ranked in order of merit. Each candidate should be discussed in turn, with clear
discussion regarding suitability for the position in relation to each selection criterion.
Where there are significant differences in evidence and the scores awarded, further
discussion will be undertaken to achieve consensus. The Chair will complete the
Final Interview Record together with an agreed commentary for each candidate. The
panel will provide clear evidence to demonstrate why each candidate received a
particular rating. These comments will be used for candidate feedback, so they will
need to be specific with detailed examples.
The final assessment should not just be based on reaching an overall score, but the
panel will need to look at each criterion rating to see whether there is a successful
mix of scores that would mean the candidate should be able to do the job.
The decision to select a candidate should be based on the actual information
available using the Interview Score Sheet and never on gut feelings. Such feelings
often arise from preconceived ideas or stereotyping, and should be recognised as
such.
The Chair of the panel is responsible for ensuring that a consensus is reached on the
selection decisions and that decisions are based upon the selection criteria and not
any other factors that are not relevant to the role.
7.5 The Chair of the panel will complete the final interview record for each candidate,
which lists each criterion assessed and its agreed panel score. The panel will then
discuss and agree the final assessment. The assessment ratings are:
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A - excellent
B - acceptable
C - marginal
D - poor
Guidance on assessing each candidate for these ratings is provided as part of the
interview pack. Details are as follows:
EXCELLENT ACCEPTABLE
If the candidate has achieved:
A maximum score of 5 or 4 in all
the criteria assessed
A score of 4 in all the essential
criteria and at least a score of 3 in
the desirable criteria.
If the candidate has achieved:
A minimum score of 3 in all the
criteria assessed.
MARGINAL POOR
If the candidate has achieved:
Scores of at least 3 or above with
one score of 2, which must be in
the desirable criteria.
If the candidate has achieved:
A score of 2 or below in any of the
criteria assessed.
A rating of excellent or acceptable would indicate that the candidate is appointable to
the post.
A rating of marginal would indicate that the candidate has some development needs
in relation to the post.
A rating of poor would indicate that the candidate is unappointable to the role.
The HR representative will collect all individual scores and comments and the final
agreed comments. These will be stored confidentially on the recruitment file for two
years.
Stage 5: Offer and pre-employment
1. Communicating the outcome
1.1 The successful candidate will usually be contacted by telephone in the first
instance and advised of the recruitment outcome. If the candidate is still interested in
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taking up the appointment, HR will confirm the details of the conditional offer in
writing.
In the event that the preferred candidate does not accept an offer, the job can be
offered to the other appointable candidates in merit order.
1.2 In cases where a large number of staff are to be recruited, it may not be practical
to wait until the end of interviews and offer jobs in a strict merit order. In such cases
the candidates to be offered appointments first must be towards the top of the likely
merit list. Those candidates who are likely to be further down the list will have to wait
until the end of the process before an offer can be made.
2. Starting salaries
New appointees will usually be offered salaries in line with the pay and grading policy
in operation at the time. This will usually be the starting point of the salary band
unless the post was advertised at or with the possibility of a higher starting point.
In exceptional cases, and on submission of a written justification, the Director of
Corporate and Business Services or the Chief Executive may approve a starting
salary above the minimum starting point, having due regard to issues of equal pay.
Examples of factors to be considered include existing salary, market rates and
business needs.
3. Baseline security checks
HR will carry out baseline personnel security checks on every new appointee. These
checks include identity, employment history, nationality and immigration status, and
unspent criminal records. A prospective employee who fails a baseline security check
will be informed and any offer of employment will be withdrawn.
4. References
HR will take up employment references for all new appointees, covering up to three
years of employment (depending whether the appointee is internal or external),
before they take up their new position or commence employment with us. After the
interview, references will be shared with the recruiting manager, who will decide
whether they are satisfactory. HR will provide advice on any issues of concern arising
from a reference. Where concerns remain unresolved, an offer of employment may
be withdrawn.
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Specific situations
1. Reappointment and reinstatement
Reappointment is a return to the Civil Service following a break in service of no more
than five years at the same level/grade as that which you held when you originally
resigned.
Reinstatement is a return to the Civil Service on any other terms.
There is no automatic right to either reinstatement or reappointment, and any
decision will take into account current business needs and the extent to which the
applicant meets the selection criteria. Any decision will be taken by the relevant
director as advised by the Head of HR.
Key points:
The candidate must have been originally recruited to the Civil Service on merit
through fair and open competition in accordance with the rules set out by the
Civil Service Commission.
The candidate must not have been dismissed for inefficiency (poor performance
or attendance) or misconduct.
If the candidate was previously retired on medical grounds, any reappointment
must be supported by our occupational health service provider.
The candidate must not have previously taken early retirement and given an
undertaking not to seek re-employment or reinstatement.
2. Exceptions to selection via open and fair competition
Recruitment will usually be by fair and open competition to select the best person for
the job, and to demonstrate transparency and openness and avoid perceptions of
favouritism or partiality. The Civil Service Commission provides for exceptions to this
in certain cases:
Short-term appointments up to a maximum of two years. Any proposals to
extend such appointments will require the approval of the Civil Service
Commission
For the appointment of individuals with highly specialised skills and experience
on a one-off job for up to two years. This is on the basis that a competitive
exercise would, in this case, be merely a formality. Any proposals to extend an
appointment beyond two years will require the approval of the Civil Service
Commission
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External secondments for up to a maximum of two years to facilitate
interchange between us and other employers. Any proposals to extend a
secondment beyond the two years or to convert it to a permanent appointment
without fair and open competition will require the approval of the Civil Service
Commission.
All exceptions have to be approved by the Chief Executive; advice should be sought
from HR.
3. Secondments
3.1 A distinction needs to be drawn between the formal secondments covered here
and informal cross-Ofqual project work and temporary support cover. There are
typically three types of formal secondment:
Internal secondments
They are used in cases where you work temporarily in another of our directorates or
departments with a view to returning to your substantive post at the end of the period.
In these cases HR will confirm the secondment arrangements by letter, which will act
as a temporary variation to your contract of employment.
External (outgoing loans and secondments)
They are used in cases where you are based in another Civil Service department
(loans) or exceptionally with an external organisation for a defined period with a view
to returning to your substantive post at the end of the period. During an external
secondment you will remain one of our employees and retain all your terms and
conditions of employment, including continuous service and existing payments and
pension arrangements. A secondment agreement will be put in place with the host
organisation that sets out the detailed arrangements, including financial
arrangements. If you are seconded to an organisation outside the Civil Service you
will continue to be a Civil Servant and the codes of conduct and standards of
behaviour, including information, will continue to apply to you.
External (incoming secondments)
They are used when individuals come to work with us from another organisation for a
defined period and maintain their contract of employment with their substantive
employer. At the end of the period, individuals return to their employer. The
individuals will not be eligible to receive the same terms and conditions of service as
our employees. A secondment agreement that includes financial arrangements must
be signed by the individual concerned, the individual’s employer and our receiving
director.
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3.2 If you wish to advertise a post on a secondment basis, the procedure to be
followed will be in line with the recruitment procedure for any other appointment.
3.3 If you wish to apply for a secondment opportunity you should discuss this in the
first instance with your line manager. This differs from the usual practice in
recruitment, because you will be expecting to return to your substantive post. Whilst
there is no obligation on your line manager to agree to your secondment, it is
expected that proper consideration is given to any request, particularly where such
an opportunity would help to meet a stated development opportunity or an employee
is at risk of redundancy. If your line manager does not support your request they
must explain the reasons for the refusal, which may include: your departure at this
time would have a significant impact on your current work priorities and the team; or
there are concerns about your ability to undertake the secondment successfully.
Key points:
A secondment may be on a part-time basis, for example one day a week to
work on a particular project.
A secondment opportunity may be for any length of time between three months
and two years.
There is no automatic right for a secondee to be appointed into a post on a
permanent basis, should the post become permanent.
Where the internal secondment is a promotion opportunity, you will be paid at
the minimum point of the salary scale for the new role.
There is no salary protection for secondment opportunities at a lower grade
than your substantive post. On return to your substantive post, your original
salary will be reinstated.
The secondment may be terminated at any time by either party, giving the
appropriate notice (as per the secondment agreement).
In the event that the substantive post becomes redundant following a period of
organisational change, the secondee may be at risk of redundancy and will
have the opportunity to be considered for suitable alternative posts in line with
the redeployment and redundancy policy.
Managers must release employees as soon as it is reasonably practicable or in
any event within eight weeks to take up secondment opportunities.
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4. Appointment of temporary staff (agency workers, consultants or contractors/temps)
4.1 Temporary staff are typically used where:
There is an urgent need to fill a vacancy and resources cannot be readily found
internally
To fill a vacancy pending the appointment of a permanent or fixed-term
employee
To work on a specific project - usually small scale and usually lasting less than
three months.
If appointed through an agency, temporary staff are not employed by us and are not
paid through the payroll.
4.2 If you wish to recruit temporary staff, you must complete a recruitment requisition
form as set out in stage 1, paragraph 3 above. On receipt of this, HR will progress
the appointment either directly with an agency or, if appropriate, pass the request to
the procurement team.
4.3 Key points:
Temporary staff must be assessed against the person specification in
accordance with stage 1, paragraph 2 above.
The minimum recruitment panel must consist of the recruiting manager and a
representative from HR.
References must be provided by the agency, together with any information on
any reasonable adjustments we may need to make in order for the worker to
undertake the role.
HR will ensure that baseline security checks are completed, wherever possible,
prior to any start date. This may delay an appointment, so recruiting managers
are advised to identify resource requirements as soon as possible.
4.4 If you wish to extend a temporary appointment, this must be approved in advance
by a director in good time to ensure continuity of the assignment.
4.5 An agency worker who has completed 12 weeks’ continuous service with us
becomes entitled to receive the same pay and benefits as our employees in a similar
role. HR must be consulted for all recruitments that could last more than three
months.
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5. Relationship to other policies and procedures
5.1 The recruitment procedures are linked to our other policies. Therefore, decisions
that are made during the process must be considered by reference to other policies,
which currently include:
Equality and Diversity Policy
Pay and Grading Policy
Redeployment and Redundancy Policy
Security Policy
Civil Service Management Code
Grievance Policy
6. Complaints procedure
6.1 Internal procedure
All applicants have the right to raise a complaint against a recruitment decision
regardless of whether they are one of our employees, provided they have taken part
in one of our recruitment campaigns.
All complaints must be sent in writing to the Head of HR, clearly setting out the
reason for the complaint and providing any evidence to support the reason for the
complaint.
For internal employees, the matter may be investigated using the grievance
procedure and/or disciplinary procedure.
For external applicants, the Head of HR may appoint a manager to investigate
the complaint, which may include reviewing all relevant documentation,
interviewing the panel and inviting the complainant to attend one or more
meetings/telephone conversations. The purpose of a meeting will be for
applicants to present their case, and/or clarify information, and/or discuss the
decision. An external applicant may be accompanied at any meeting by a friend
or relative but not by an individual acting in a professional legal capacity.
The manager dealing with the complaint will confirm the decision in writing, and the
decision will be final. Where a complaint is upheld, any action taken to address the
matter will depend on the circumstances of the case. In most cases the recruitment
campaign in question will have closed and we will not be in a position to offer
employment (or a change in post for internal applicants) for the complainant.
Recruitment Policy
Ofqual 2012 21
6.2 External procedure - Civil Service Commission
Any applicant who remains dissatisfied, after having exhausted the internal
complaints procedure as set out in section 6.1 above, may complain to the Civil
Service Commission that the requirement of appointment on merit on the basis of fair
and open competition and that the Commission’s recruitment principles have not
been met.
Complaints must be lodged within 12 months of the recruitment, although the
Commission will, in exceptional circumstances, consider complaints lodged out of
time. Further information can be found on the Commission’s website:
www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
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First published by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation in 2012
© Crown copyright 2012
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