Guidance for staff

A redeployee is an employee who is afforded priority consideration during the recruitment process if they meet the essential requirements set out in the job description and person specification, or can do so with reasonable training.

This means that if a redeployee demonstrates that they meet the essential criteria within their application, or could do so with reasonable training, then they will be offered an interview. If, at interview, they meet the essential criteria for the role (or would do so with reasonable training) then they will be offered the position in priority over other candidates that are not redeployees.

Staff are identified as redeployees by the University either because they have been issued formal notice of redundancy or because they are unable to continue working in their current role as a result of a disability. Employees must have two years’ continuous service (on or before their intended date of dismissal) at the University in order to become a redeployee.

As a redeployee it is your responsibility to regularly review the University’s jobs website; apply for suitable vacancies at the earliest opportunity, consider reasonable changes in working arrangements, pay and responsibilities, prepare for interviews and not unreasonably turn down offers of suitable alternative employment.

When applying for vacancies at the University redeployees must use their University log in details to be recognised by the Recruitment Team as a redeployee. There is a variety of support available to you if you are a redeployee - more information is available on our support for redeployees webpage.

The University will support redeployees in accordance with the Redeployment Procedure. As a redeployee you can expect reasonable support from your line manager, recruiting managers and the HR Service.

University vacancies are advertised on the University jobs website and on Twitter following @uoe_jobs. The jobs website is updated regularly and we encourage all redeployees to keep checking for the appearance of new vacancies. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that any suitable vacancies will arise during the period of your redeployment and it is only possible to consider you for vacancies that have been fully approved and advertised.

Details about how to set up regular job alerts can be found on the support for redeployees webpage.

If you are a redeployee because you have been issued formal notice of redundancy then you will be able to take reasonable time off to look for another job outside of the University of Exeter or arrange training to help you find another job. How long you can take will depend on your circumstances, but for example if you attend an interview or two and do not take excessive amounts of travelling time then this is likely to be reasonable.

You must request time-off in advance by writing to your line manager. Your line manager will confirm whether the time-off will be paid for by the University.

The procedure is intended to support redeployees to obtain a suitable alternative appointment either at their substantive grade or where there is a job match one grade lower.

Where an employee is redeployed to a lower graded position, the University may provide protection for a period of 12 months of basic pay plus any contractual allowances. Full details of which are explained within the  pay protection policy.

Redeployees will be offered a trial period for any vacancy that is offered under the terms of the procedure. If you are a redeployee because you have been issued formal notice of redundancy then the trial period must include a statutory 4 week trial period (described as a formal trial period below) which commences immediately after your former role has ceased. In some cases, when it is operationally possible to release you from your current role, you may also be able to trial the position before your notice has completed, this is known as an informal trial period.

The Recruiting Manager will confirm the terms of the trial(s) to you in the offer letter for the new position.

Informal Trial Period (if applicable)

During an informal trial period, you and your new line manager will have the opportunity to assess the suitability of the offered position. During the period you will remain on the redeployment register and continue to be considered a priority candidate under the terms of the procedure if you choose to apply for other vacancies at the University. If, during the informal trial period, either you or your new line manager decides that the position is not suitable then you will return to your substantive position.

If at the end of the informal trial period the role is agreed to be a suitable offer of redeployment then a formal trial period will commence.

Formal Trial Period (also known as a Statutory Trial Period for employees who have been issued notice of redundancy)

A formal trial period will be for 4 weeks. An extended trial period can be agreed with the Recruiting Manager in advance of the trial commencing but only where reasonable training needs are required for the position or identified during the recruitment process.

During a formal trial period, both you and your line manager will have the opportunity to assess your suitability for the position through regular reviews. If, during the trial period, either you or your manager decides that the post is not suitable then you may return to your substantive post if your notice period has not expired or your employment may be terminated at that point by either party. If your employment is terminated and your dismissal is a redundancy then you will receive a redundancy payment unless an offer of suitable alternative employment has been made to you and you have declined this.

Subject to performance, and with the agreement of both parties, the appointment will be confirmed at the end of the formal trial period.

If you do not secure an alternative role with the University your employment will end and you will no longer be eligible for redeployment. If your employment is terminated and your dismissal is a redundancy then you will receive a redundancy payment unless an offer of suitable alternative employment has been made to you and you have declined this. These arrangements will be set out in writing when the University confirms that you are a redeployee, if you are unsure of any details then please contact Human Resources. 

A redeployment period lasts from the first day you are issued notice until your last day of employment at the University (i.e. your termination date). During an informal trial period a redeployee will continue to be considered a redeployee throughout the trial period. However, if you start a formal trial then you will no longer be considered as a redeployee unless the trial fails when you may return to your substantive position and a further period of redeployment.

The procedure for issuing notice will vary dependent on the circumstances involved i.e. the end of a fixed term contract or compulsory redundancy as a result of organisational change or capability proceedings. Please contact your line manager for further details about when you would be issued contractual notice if any of these circumstances apply and you think that you would be eligible for redeployment.

Details about the length of notice periods can be seen in the University’s guidance on duration and termination of appointments.

Yes, but the Redeployment Procedure is intended to support redeployees to obtain a suitable alternative appointment at their substantive grade or, where there is a job match, one grade lower. The University will not support requests for redeployment to a higher graded position (although employees who are being considered for redeployment as a reasonable adjustment in accordance with the disability provisions of the Equality Act may be considered for redeployment to a higher graded position). Redeployees may, however, submit applications for higher graded positions in the normal way, in open competition with other applicants.

Providing your application demonstrates that you meet the essential requirements, or could do so with reasonable training, then you will be guaranteed an interview unless there is a legal requirement for the University to prioritise a different redeployee for the role.

When identifying and applying for suitable vacancies please be aware that a different job may be classed as a change of employment from a UKVI perspective and may require a new Tier 2 visa.

If you are currently an Associate Research Fellow or Research Fellow and apply for other roles at this professional level, you can continue working under your current visa.

If you are currently a Research Fellow and apply for a role as an Associate Lecturer or Lecturer this would be classed as a change of employment. As this is a different job it would require a new Tier 2 visa and would be subject to the University demonstrating that it has met the Resident Labour Market Test to obtain a certificate of sponsorship.

Please also be aware that you cannot have a gap in paid employment, you should be redeployed from your current role to your new role without a break in service.
If you have any questions or concerns about which roles are suitable please contact your HR Representative or the International Employment Officer. Please also refer to the UKVI guidance regarding change of employment.

Whether a job is suitable depends on:

• how similar the work is to your current job
• the terms of the job being offered
• your skills, abilities and circumstances in relation to the job
• the pay (including benefits), status, hours and location

None of these factors on its own is definitive and therefore suitability for a post will be determined on a case by case basis.

No, however, a redeployee is responsible for not unreasonably turning down an offer of suitable alternative employment. If you unreasonably refuse an offer of suitable employment you may forfeit your right to any redundancy payment if your employment would have ended due to a redundancy situation.

If you feel a job represents unsuitable alternative employment, you should provide full details to management, as to allow the facts to be fully considered. Factors that may require further consideration include:

• Travel distance
• Amount of hours
• Lower grade/pay
• Different duties/responsibilities

The Recruiting Manager and Human Resources would seek appropriate advice and support from Occupational Health regarding your health and, in particular, the suitability of any roles and the reasonable adjustments that you might need during a trial period and in the future.

Please contact the University’s Pension Advisor to discuss any individual pension queries.

Employees on maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave have an express statutory right to be offered of any possible redeployment post where they meet all the essential criteria for that post (following reasonable training if necessary). Where an appropriate vacancy exists you will be offered the alternative role under a new contract that begins on the day immediately following the day on which your previous contract comes to an end. The new position must be suitable alternative employment. If there is only one job and more than one redeployee on maternity leave, the University will have to consider for whom it is most suitable.

Expressing an interest in vacancies as a redeployee does not affect your entitlement to a redundancy payment.

If you are redeployed then you will not receive a redundancy payment.

The end of a fixed term contract will be managed in line with the University’s Procedure for termination/non-renewal of fixed term contracts. If, at the end of the contract the reason for non-renewal of the fixed-term contract is redundancy then it is likely that the redeployee will be afforded another redeployment period prior to the expiry of the fixed term contract.

Redeployees will be given a priority interview before other applicants are considered. (Note: Since interview dates are generally fixed in advance around the diaries of busy managers, it may not be possible to arrange an interview for redeployees before other candidates are interviewed or on a separate day. Recruiting managers are encouraged, wherever practicable, to interview redeployees at the earliest opportunity and before considering and making decisions about offering the role to other candidates.)

If there are a number of redeployees who are identified at the shortlisting stage as matching the essential criteria, all should be interviewed in competition with one another, unless there is a legal requirement for the University to prioritise one of the redeployees for the role.

During a formal trial period, both you and your line manager will have the opportunity to assess your suitability for the position through regular reviews. If, during the trial period, either you or your manager decides that this post is not suitable then you may return to your substantive position and a further period of redeployment or your employment may be terminated at that point by either party.

The University of Exeter is committed to supporting your career now and in the future. All staff can access a dedicated online resource centre You eDevelop which contains thousands of bite-size articles, checklists, presentations, audio and video clips, elearning materials, exercises and links to further reading on a huge range of topics from managing your career to motivating others.

The Learning and Development team also support staff to develop Personal Effectiveness and Career development in a number of ways. To find out more visit the Learning and Development webpages.

If you identify any relevant training opportunities or courses please discuss attendance and approval with your line manager.

In addition if you are a redeployee because you have been issued formal notice of redundancy then you will be able to take reasonable time off to look for another job outside of the University of Exeter or arrange training to help you find another job. This time off may be paid for by the University.

Please contact the Recruitment Team if this happens to you so that Human Resources can manage the situation appropriately. In these circumstances and at the discretion of the University, your contract will may not terminate until the outcome of the selection process is known. You will be expected to continue working in your substantive role until the selection process is complete. Please note that, you will not be classed as a redeployee should you apply for additional vacancies while waiting for the selection process to be completed.

If you are not offered the position then your contract will end immediately. If you are offered the position then it is expected that you commence the formal trial period as soon as practically possible for the recruiting department.