States Redeployment Policy

Section A7

This policy applies to all Pay Groups

Redeployment

1. Introduction

1. The Public Sector has a responsibility to provide a trained, motivated and efficient workforce which can provide a high standard of service to meet its objectives. It also has a responsibility to respond to changing financial and social conditions and must, of course, respond constantly to changing operational conditions and priorities.
2. In order to assess and meet the service requirements within overall financial constraints, Chief Officers and Managers will be constantly reviewing priorities within their Departments. As a result of changing priorities, and to ensure optimum operational efficiency, re-organisation and/or changed manning levels may occur, which may lead to redeployment.

2. Principles

1. This policy is introduced with the intention of avoiding compulsory redundancies wherever possible. Therefore in order to assist the employer to maintain continuity of employment there shall be a requirement for flexible working, re-training and redeployment.
2. The general principles are:-

• to provide for employee flexibility, mobility and training in response to changes in services, functions and objectives;
• to take account of the interests of employees who are affected by such changes, thereby encouraging participation and maintaining the motivation of all involved;
• that the policy will be applied consistently throughout the Public Sector. A Central Redeployment Register of employees who are available for redeployment will be maintained by the Human Resources together with a Job Register of all vacancies within the Public Sector. This will facilitate the redeployment process and ensure a consistent approach.

3. Measures to be taken to reduce staffing levels before implementing the Redeployment Policy
   1. Before applying the Redeployment Policy it is essential for Chief Officers and Managers to consider what other actions or measures can be taken. The following will ensure that unnecessary job losses do not occur:-

3. Natural wastage. Where employee reduction can be anticipated and thereby planned for, then natural wastage (i.e. non-replacement of employees terminating through resignation, retirement etc.) can often take care of a significant proportion of the needed reduction (Appendix A).
   1. Restricting Recruitment to internal employees. This restriction may be in the occupational group and or department affected or may be extended to the whole of one pay group or to the Public Sector generally (Appendix A)
   2. Reduction or Elimination of Overtime. There may be requirements to reduce or replace overtime in job categories and/or departments where there are needs for job reduction to enable those displaced employees to be redeployed. Regular analysis of overtime costs will identify distribution of workloads. If analysis indicates that sections work overtime on a regular basis, work scheduling, manning levels and methods of working must be investigated and could indicate a potential vacancy for an appropriate employee on the Redeployment Register.
   3. Non-Renewal of Temporary Employees. If departments currently employ staff on a temporary basis, the viability of giving notice to these employees must be examined before applying the Redeployment Policy.

6. Retirement of employees over normal retirement age and occupying positions that could be filled by younger employees. (Appendix Aiii)
7. Voluntary Departure Programme - seeking applicants for voluntary early retirement or voluntary redundancy. (For further information please see appropriate policy documents on Voluntary Early Retirement and Voluntary Redundancy).
8. Procedures for certain of the above are contained inAppendix A. These have been developed to standardise procedures throughout the Public Sector. Contact Human Resources for guidance on their application.

4. Redeployment as a result of restructuring

1. In instances where changes in operational requirements lead to restructuring and consequential reductions in the number of posts, it will be necessary to make provision to safeguard employees who are displaced.
2. The States of Jersey undertake, in the first instance, to offer displaced employees (hereafter referred to as "available employees") alternative employment within the Public Sector. Failing success in moving an available employee into suitable alternative employment within six months of the employee becoming displaced, the States of Jersey will offer voluntary redundancy or voluntary early retirement in accordance with established policies and procedures. An offer of voluntary redundancy or voluntary early retirement will not, however, be made where the available employee has unreasonably rejected offers of suitable alternative employment. In those instances, the States of Jersey reserve the right to terminate the employment contract of the employee concerned.

5. Redeployment where jobs have not been deleted

5.1. These procedures do not apply in situations where redeployment might be necessary as a means of dealing with:

• medical problems;
• work problems associated with performance or mismatch of skills and abilities to the job;
• following disciplinary procedures;
• career development and succession planning;

6. Identifying employees for redeployment

1. Selection for redeployment: The Department identifies the postholder(s) to be redeployed, the department, together with the Human Resources Manager advise the Union of postholder(s) to be redeployed. If all posts with a generic job description are being deleted, then redeployment is automatic. If all posts on a generic job description are not being deleted there will need to be selection of employees for redeployment from the section in which posts have been deleted.
2. The selection criteria to be used are detailed below. These criteria should be considered together rather than in any prescribed sequence and the Continuity of Employment and Redundancy Policy' outlines a points system and a recording sheet which should be applied in these circumstances.
3. Volunteers. All staff in the affected category should be allowed to volunteer for redeployment and managers should not be allowed to stand in their way unless a very good reason can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of Human Resources (with appeal to an independent body whose membership will include a senior manager from Human Resources and two further senior managers from within the States of Jersey but who are not employed in the employees current employing/administering department).

• Job knowledge, skills and abilities (including skills required for the future)
• Past appraisal in the current post would be of help in this area
• Absence Records
• Career aspirations
• Age
• Length of service
• Suitability of the employees for redeployment should also be considered all other criteria being equal.

4. The objective of using these criteria is to ensure that the selection of employees is fair and reasonable and also that all remaining employees are best qualified to meet future needs.

7. Formal notification of redeployment

1. Requirements for redeployment will be identified by the Line Manager and the Human Resources Manager. Employees will be informed verbally by Line Managers and/or Human Resources Managers, in confidence, at the earliest possible stage. Letters will be sent to appropriate Employee Representatives informing them of the decision.
2. Line Managers/Human Resources Managers will then write formally to employees who are chosen to be redeployed to:

• Explain the reasons for their proposed redeployment and to reassure them that everything possible will be done, within realistic timescales, to find alternative, suitable employment within their own Department or elsewhere in the Public Sector.
• Make an appointment to discuss with them the way forward, accompanied by their Employee Representative if they wish. Either at this meeting or soon after, the Application Form for Redeployment form should be completed Appendix C).

8. Application Form for Redeployments

1. Application Form for Redeployments will identify the range of work-related skills, abilities and qualifications possessed by available employees. "Skills" in this context has a broad definition and includes: educational/professional qualifications, further education, technical/special training/languages, training and development, career aspirations, employment history, work preferences, limitations to redeployment, relevant personal achievements and other skills relevant to positions in the organisation, even if they are not being used by employees in their current jobs.
2. Skill Audits will be carried out by:-

A Human Resources Manager. The following documents concerning the available employees will need to be enclosed with the Application Form for Redeployment.

• A copy of the Job Description for the available employee's current role
• A copy of their most recent Performance, Review & Appraisal (if the employee hasn't had an appraisal in the last 12 months, the relevant redeployment assessment form will need to be completed by the individual's Line Manager- available from Human Resources)
• Absence records for the last 12 months
• Any details regarding performance/capability/disciplinary issues

(For the Application Form for Redeployment see Appendix C)

Once in receipt of the Application Form for Redeployment, the Human Resources Officer will send a letter to the employee confirming their name has been added to the redeployment register, a copy of this policy should be enclosed. At the same time, details from the Application Form for Redeployment will be entered onto a database held by the Human Resources Officer.

It may be necessary for registered employees to be interviewed by the Human Resources Officer or relevant Human Resources Manager in order to bridge any gaps in information. (Guidance notes on preparing available employees for redeployment are contained in Appendix B).

9. Matching available employees to vacancies

1. Departments must give due consideration to opportunities within their own areas before referring their available employees to Human Resources. If they have no suitable vacancies, and there are unlikely to be any in the foreseeable future, then available employees will be entered onto the Central Redeployment Register.
2. The Human Resources Officer in consultation with the relevant Human Resources Manager will identify potential suitable jobs. The Human Resources Manager will then contact the individual on the redeployment register to discuss the potential job opportunity.
3. Departments should notify Human Resources of employees seeking Voluntary Early Retirement or Voluntary Redundancy, but who cannot be released because they are not surplus to requirements. It will then be possible to identify whether they could be released to allow for the placement of available employees. (See Appendix D for notification of employees seeking Voluntary Early Retirement or Voluntary Redundancy).
4. Available employees on the Redeployment Register will, if suitably qualified, have priority over other internal candidates for referral and placement in suitable vacancies in accordance with Appendix Aii. Where an interview board consists of a Line Manager from the gaining department and a Human Resources Officer, if there is a disagreement as to the suitability of the available employee, the view of the Human Resources Officer will prevail. Where an interview board consists of a Line Manager, a Human Resources Officer and an independent Officer from another Department and there is not unanimity, the view of the Human Resources Officer and the independent Officer will prevail. In either of these situations the gaining department will have the right to appeal against a decision to an independent body whose membership will include a senior manager from Human Resources and two further senior managers from within the States of Jersey but who are not employed in the employees current employing/administering department.
5. Until such time as suitable, permanent, vacancies are found for available employees, they will remain the responsibility of the employing departments, both from a financial point of view and for keeping them in useful and suitable employment. (Guidance notes on finding suitable work for available employees to do until they are redeployed are contained in Appendix B)

10. Suitable Jobs

10.1. Offers of suitable alternative employment will be made as closely as possible to the following characteristics of available employees' current jobs:-

• grade and remuneration
• function and job skills (e.g. marketing, secretarial)
• hours of work
• Location (if critical to the content of employment)

10.1 Suitable employment will also include those jobs which require skills that available employees do not currently possess, but which can be reasonably acquired through training.

11. Trial periods

1. States Training will fast-track Training Nomination Forms for those employees on the redeployment register who wish to attend States courses. The Training team will be informed by the Human Resources Officer of all employees currently applying for redeployment.
2. All offers of redeployment will be confirmed to the available employee in writing from the Human Resources Officer and will be subject to trial periods of four weeks or longer if required during which time the available employees will be given appropriate training. Trial periods can be extended by mutual agreement between management, Human Resources and employees concerned. Only where there is clear and unequivocal evidence of the unsuitability of a placement for an available employee and only after an appropriate extension to the trial period has been completed, will the available employee be withdrawn.
3. Following unsuccessful placements the employees will be interviewed to ensure as far as possible, that subsequent placements will offer suitable alternative employment opportunities. At this stage discussions, to include the employees, will take place to decide whether employees should:-

• return to their previous departments
• be placed in suitable temporary vacancies

4. If available employees seriously obstruct searches for suitable alternative vacancies it may be necessary to invoke the disciplinary procedures. (Guidance notes on finding work until redeployment is achieved are given in Appendix B).

12. Earnings Protection

12.1 Earnings protection will be in line with Guidelines. Any protection will need to be met out of the funds of the "losing" department. Departments should contact Human Resources for advice.

Ai Natural Wastage

There are circumstances where managers should plan for and anticipate vacancies occurring. They could be as a result of:

• normal retirement
• end of any existing contract of employment e.g. temps, J' Category etc.
• notice of resignation

Before initiating the recruitment process, departments should critically consider amongst other things, whether the jobs should be continued in their present form or whether the duties of the post may be amalgamated with others. If there is significant change to job descriptions then the normal job evaluation procedures should follow.

Aii Restricting Recruitment

Redeployment Register

A Redeployment Register will be maintained by Human Resources listing all available employees. Recruitment to vacancies cannot proceed until the Human Resources have checked to see if there are employees on the Redeployment Register who match the requirements of the vacant positions. Potential suitable areas of employment will be identified for the registered employees and they will be matched against arising vacancies. If the skills and experience of available employees seemingly match the job requirements of existing vacancies, the available employees will then be interviewed in the normal way in order to confirm suitability. Composition of the interview panel should be in line with normal procedures but will always include a Human Resources Officer. There should also be agreement between Human Resources and the gaining department on the choice of any independent member on the interview panel. Employees on the Redeployment Register will, if suitably qualified, have priority over other internal and external candidates for referral and placement in suitable vacancies. Even when vacancies have already been circulated to departments, or the media, Human Resources may intervene if a suitably qualified employee is identified prior to appointment.

Aiii Employees over normal retirement age:

No employee should be retained beyond normal retirement age.  In exceptional circumstances, permission must be sought from Human Resources to retain employees beyond normal retirement age.

Redeployment Procedure

The redeployment process is made up of three stages:

Step One:

Dealing with the postholders concerned and preparing them for the procedure. This would involve:

• Line Managers and Human Resources Managers if required informing employees of the restructuring/organisation change and the implications and options available to them;
• Human Resources Manager providing advice, guidance, assistance and counselling where appropriate;
• Human Resources Managers completing the Application Form for Redeployments and identifying training needs;
• Human Resources Managers and Line Managers addressing those training and development needs identified;

Step Two:

Identify suitable jobs to offer, this involves:

• The Human Resources Manager and Line Manager identifying suitable vacancies within employees' own departments. If this is not possible, to formally register the available employee on the redeployment register so that a suitable alternative position may be found elsewhere in the Public Sector. A copy of the Application Form for Redeployment and other required information should be enclosed;
• The Human Resources Officer will match available employees to vacancies;
• The Human Resources Manager will speak to the individual on the register to discuss the potential job opportunity.

Step Three:

Filling vacant posts with available employees:

• Human Resources Manager liaises directly with the individual about visiting the recruiting department prior to any interviews taking place.
• Interview takes place prior to any advertisement being sent out. Interview panel must include a member of staff from Human Resources in all cases.
• If the recruiting department wishes to offer the individual the job it's subject to a trial period of four weeks (or longer if required).
• The individual should have an induction and during the trial period the situation should be reviewed by the department together with a Human Resources

Manager.

Meeting with the available employees:

Redeployment, unless dealt with sensitively, can prove to be stressful and confusing. Once employees have been identified for redeployment, interviews will be arranged with the Human Resources Manager. Interviews should take place as soon as possible after receipt of the formal notification of redeployment. Line Managers will not normally be present.

The purpose of meeting with the available employees is to:-

• explain the redeployment process
• give employees the opportunity to ask any questions
• alleviate fears
• ensure that the Application Form for Redeployment is complete
• identify training requirements
• arrange for professional counselling where appropriate

Following interviews there will be continuous feedback on progress in finding suitable alternative vacancies.

Finding work for available employees to do until they are redeployed:

It is the responsibility of the employees' departments to identify the impending need to redeploy employees at the earliest possible opportunity. At this stage employees will be placed on the Central Redeployment Register which will be administered by a Human Resources Officer.

Redeployment within the available employees' own departments:

Initially, responsibility rests with employees' departments to consider opportunities within their own areas. If there are vacancies of the same grade and skills then employees, after appropriate discussion, should be transferred to these vacancies and Human Resources and Employee representatives should be informed. If there are any vacancies of the same grade but different skills, then consideration should be given to whether employees can be re-skilled before or in post.

Human Resources will support and assist in keeping available employees in suitable and useful employment by informing departments of temporary work available elsewhere in the Public Sector.

The co-operation of employees will be expected and employees will remain the responsibility of their employing departments, albeit temporarily removed from that payroll.