Redeployment for recruiting managers

This guidance and process will take effect from Wednesday, January 31st.

This page contains information on redeployment for recruiting managers.

It is recommended that recruiting managers read the redeployment guidance for employees at risk of redundancy.

Thinking about redeployment

The University has a legal obligation to find alternative employment for employees at risk of redundancy, or who need to be redeployed due to health and/or disability.

To facilitate this, all open ended and fixed term vacancies must be advertised on the University’s redeployment job board for 5 working days.

These five days will need to be built into your recruitment timeline.

When the five-day window does not apply

On occasion, there may be reason to operate outside of this five-day window when:

-      The role requires a specialist skill set that is known not to exist elsewhere in the University.
-      Where there are multiple vacancies of the same role and contract terms.

If your vacancy meets one or both conditions, you should discuss this with your HR Business Partner.

The redeployment process for recruiting managers

  1. An approved staffing request form (SRF) is received by the Onboarding team in HR Shared Services.
  2. The vacancy is created by Onboarding team and arrives in eRecruit where it is picked up by the Resourcing team.
  3. Resourcing request an approved job description and advertising pro-forma from the recruiting manager.
  4. Once received from the recruiting manager, the vacancy is posted to the redeployment pool job board for five working days.
  5. Applications from redeployees must be submitted within this five-day window.
  6. Post closing date, any applications are sent to the recruiting manager by a recruitment coordinator for review.
  7. Any applications that meet the essential criteria are progressed to a panel interview.
  8. If considered appointable after interview, an conditions of contract form is returned to resourcing by the recruiting manager.
  9. If not appointable, feedback is provided to the candidate and outcome confirmed to resourcing.
  10. The vacancy is now progressed to internal and/or external advertising.

Any questions on the redeployment process should be directed to your Resourcing Business Partner.

The selection process: recruiting manager responsibilities

The recruiting manager and selection panel are responsible for deciding if a candidate is suitable for a job.

Recruiting managers have a role in supporting redeployees by ensuring proper consideration of suitability against the skills, knowledge and experience for a given job.

Applications received at the redeployment stage should be treated in the same way as any other main staff recruitment. This includes:

-      An evaluated job description and advert being available.
-      Being available to discuss details of the vacancy with a redeployee.
-      Careful assessment of applications from redeployees, matching the individual's skills, abilities and experience against the essential criteria and job requirements. 
-      Fully considering the transferability of redeployees skills and experience.
-      Considering whether a short period of relevant training could bring the individual up to the required skill level for the job.
-      The offer of a trial period, if there are material differences between the redeployees at risk role, and the vacancy.
-      Making sure the grounds for reaching a decision are reasonable and defensible and relate to the essential criteria and job requirements. 
-      Accurately recording the reasons for the decision made.
-      Providing feedback on any unsuccessful application or interview.
-      Your HR Business Partner will be able to advise on individual cases where required.

Trial periods

Trial periods are period spent on the job and helps the employee and recruiting manager assess if it is right for both sides.

A trial period should be considered when:

-         The new job is different from the redeployees at-risk position.
-         The redeployee could be suitable for the job after receiving reasonable training.

Trial periods can last between four and twelve weeks. The length of the trial depends on the type and duration of any training needed. Your HR Business Partner can help to assess what is considered ‘reasonable training’.

Further information on trial periods is covered in Trial periods