Receiving an application

During a recruitment campaign, you may receive an application from a member of staff registered for redeployment. If this happens, it will be in the first seven days of the campaign. You and your shortlisting panel must consider any such applications first, before applications from external job applicants. At this point the process will pause for external applicants.

It's possible you will receive an application beyond the first seven days. In this case, these applications will be treated in the same way as any other application.

You will know it's a redeployment application as this will be highlighted on the application form.

Assessing the application

The shortlisting panel will need to consider the application(s) against the essential criteria as set out within the person specification.

As with any assessment process, you must be able to objectively justify your decision and back it up with notes.

Deciding to shortlist

If the applicant meets the essential criteria or could do so with reasonable training, you will need to interview them before shortlisting other internal or external candidates.

Please notify the Human Resources Recruitment Team that the applicant will be interviewed, and the Recruitment Team will advise them accordingly.

The recruitment process will be frozen until the assessment process is completed.

Deciding not to shortlist

If the shortlisting panel have assessed that the applicant is not suitable for shortlisting, you must discuss the reasons why with the relevant Human Resources Recruitment Team.

Human Resources will notify the candidate, and the recruitment process can be re-opened from this point.

Appointing a redeployee

If you decide to appoint the redeployee, the recruitment process will not be open at any point to other applicants.

Trial period

The trial period for anyone coming through redeployment is four weeks. The purpose of the trial period is to give you and the jobholder an opportunity to assess whether the new job is suitable.

Before they start the trial period, you must clearly communicate clear and reasonable performance standards. During the trial period you'll need to meet with the jobholder on at least a weekly basis to review and discuss progress and keep a record of that meeting. This will help you both to determine whether this job is suitable.

If you both agree to a longer trial period to facilitate retraining, you must ensure this is confirmed in writing before the jobholder starts work under the new contract. You can do this by liaising with the Human Resources Recruitment Team.

In exceptional circumstances, you may choose to extend the trial period for a maximum of four weeks by mutual agreement. This is because you agree that the jobholder's progress needs further assessment.

After the trial period

It's possible either you or the jobholder may decide the redeployment has been unsuccessful. If it's your decision, you must give full and clear written feedback on the reasons.

If the jobholder is still within their notice period, they will be entitled to re-enter the redeployment process for the remainder of that notice period.

Pay protection

If the jobholder's previous job is one grade higher than the job they have been redeployed to, their pay is protected for 12 months on a mark basis. This means they will not receive an increment or the annual national pay award. The pay protection starts on the date on which they start their new job.

After 12 months, their pay will drop to the standard grade maximum of the lower grade, and they will receive the national pay award.

If the jobholder's previous job is more than one grade higher than the job they have been redeployed to, they are not entitled to pay protection.