Changes to Redeployee Policy

17 Dec 2020

A message from Karen Heaton, Director of Human Resources

Dear colleagues

The University’s Redeployment Policy has been updated following negotiation with, and agreement from, UNISON, Unite and the University and College Union (UCU).

Our existing policy has been in place since 2016 and includes some highly unusual provisions for any sector, specifically in allowing employees who are affected by organisational change and whose post is redundant to remain as redeployees on full salary for more than 12 months.

Under the updated policy, staff who are at risk of being made redundant due to organisational change, which is always a route of last resort, will be classed as a redeployee for up to six months after the first consultation meeting, or until the expiry of their notice period, whichever is longest, or until they are no longer at risk of redundancy. These colleagues will be able to apply for roles at the University as a redeployee during that six month period with many roles being advertised first to redeployees only before being opened up to other internal and external applicants.

Where colleagues are affected by organisational change, we want to offer the best possible support to help them either find another role at our University or with another employer, however we also need to have the flexibility to make any staffing changes required to deliver our strategic plan, Our Future, and recover from the current crisis.

There are no changes to the redeployment approach for staff who are on fixed-term contracts. The updated Redeployment Policy will be available on StaffNet in the New Year.

Best wishes

Karen Heaton

Director of Human Resources

Further information

Minutes from Monday negotiating meetings with trade unions:

Minutes from the COVID-19 update meetings held with the trade unions on Wednesdays. This group now meets fortnightly: