Redeployment
Public Service
Victorian Government redeployment policy recognises that surplus employees (referred to as unplaced employees in DEECD) have a priority to be placed in vacancies that occur within the public service.
To ensure that Departmental employees identified as unplaced are given every opportunity to be placed in a public service vacancy, General Managers who have unplaced employees in their divisions must ensure all vacancies or potential vacancies within both the Department and the wider public service are monitored with a view to referring suitable unplaced Departmental employees to such vacancies. General Managers must discuss with both the unplaced employee and the Corporate HR Services consultant nominated as the unplaced employee's case manager, the processes to facilitate the matching of the unplaced employee with public sector vacancies and any retraining required.
The aim will be to offer duties as close to the employee’s current level as is possible.
In using best endeavours to identify potential vacancies for unplaced employees, consideration should be given to the nature of the duties of the vacancy. Priority should be accorded to such duties in the following order:
- duties for which the employee is already qualified, or would become qualified as a result of incidental or top up training, and where the vacancy is within a reasonable geographical distance from the employee’s existing work location and the vacancy is not less than the employee’s current classification;
- duties at a different classification level (where this change of level is acceptable to the employee) and the vacancy is within a reasonable geographical distance from the employee’s existing work location;
- duties at a different classification and at a different geographical location (where this change of level and location is acceptable to the employee).
When filling vacancies, Departmental unplaced employees should be accorded first priority before considering redeployees from other government departments/agencies.
Unplaced employees are to commit to participate in the redeployment process in good faith.
It is expected that the unplaced employee should also monitor advertised vacancies both within the Department and the broader VPS and advise his/her case manager of potential suitable vacancies in order for a referral to the vacancy to be organised.
Where a referral to a vacancy is to proceed, the Corporate HR Services case manager will contact the vacancy contact person and make the necessary arrangements for the employee to be considered. The employee may choose to submit a written statement regarding suitability for the vacancy in addition to a personal resume.
If the redeployee does not wish to be referred to an identified vacancy her/his reasons for the refusal should be recorded along with appropriate details about the available vacancy. Referral to a vacancy should not proceed without the consent of the employee.
Unplaced employees may elect to be considered for redeployment to a vacancy at a lower classification level and if successful, the employee will be redeployed to that position at their current salary or the maximum of the lower classification level, whichever is the lesser.
In these circumstances there will be salary maintenance for up to 6 months.
All records prepared in respect to redeployment action should be signed by the manager and the employee. This will include comments by either or both parties where there is no agreement on suitability.
Where a vacancy is advertised, unplaced employees can be referred up to the closing date for applications. The General Manager/Regional Director should not consider any referred employee/s until after the closing date for applications. This ensures that all unplaced employees, for whom the vacancy may be suitable, have equal access to referral and assessment. Where referral occurs, applicants for the vacancy cannot be considered until the suitability of the referred unplaced employee/s has been assessed.
Where an unplaced employee is considered unsuitable for the vacancy by the General Manager/Regional Director, consideration of other applicants may proceed. No offer of employment can be made prior to the latest date on which the unplaced employee may lodge a review of action with the Merit Protection Boards.
After the closing date for a vacancy, an unplaced employee may apply as a late applicant without any priority status and subject to any policy applying to late applicants.
Consideration of unplaced employees
An unplaced employee who is referred to an advertised vacancy must be considered in isolation from, and not in competition with, other applicants. The unplaced employee must be considered solely on the basis of whether he/she satisfies the selection criteria of the position immediately or could do so within a reasonable period. A 'reasonable period' will usually be three months, if retraining is necessary. It is advisable to interview the employee.
Where the unplaced employee does not provide a written application for the vacancy, the General Manager/Regional Director must assess the person's suitability based on the information available, which may include resume, referee comments and information from past and present managers. The employee should be advised that such enquiries may be made.
Where an unplaced employee is considered for a vacancy the reporting requirements are as follows:
- Where the unplaced employee is considered suitable, a written report is not required.
- Where the unplaced employee is considered unsuitable, a written report must be prepared which identifies the reasons the employee is considered unsuitable for the vacancy specifically addressing the selection criteria.
- Where there is more than one unplaced employee referred to the same vacancy, the General Manager/Regional Director should conduct a merit selection process to determine the most suitable person and provide a written report indicating the preferred ranking of suitable unplaced employee.
Corporate HR Services will advise the unplaced employee, in writing, of the outcome of the referral and provide a copy of the report relating to her/him. The original copy of the report will be temporarily retained in the event of a grievance being lodged with the Merit Protection Boards.
Offer of Redeployment
Where a vacancy exists for which a redeployee is suitable and is the only candidate or the best candidate among redeployees, a valid offer will be made. A valid offer involves an offer of duties to a suitably qualified employee (which may be at the same or different level or status or the same or different general location as the employee’s previous employment).
Where an unplaced employee is found suitable for redeployment to a vacancy, he/she will be advised in writing of the offer. The employee must be given up to five working days to accept or reject the offer. During that period, the position cannot be offered to another person.
Where an employee accepts the offer, the assignment to an internal ongoing vacancy or transfer to an ongoing role in another agency completes the redeployment process.
Where the employee declines an offer of redeployment the reasons for her/his refusal should be recorded by Corporate HR Services. As with the referral process, professional counselling may be provided to the employee before any decision is finalised.
In some cases it may be appropriate to arrange a trial placement of the referred employee for a period of up to three months. If the employee is found suitable, an offer of employment is made at the conclusion of the trial period.
Redeployment to fixed-term positions
While the primary objective is to effect redeployment to an ongoing position, an unplaced employee will be considered for temporary transfer to a suitable fixed-term vacancy of 3 months or longer. Placement in a fixed-term vacancy temporarily stops the redeployment process
An assignment/secondment to a fixed term vacancy requires that the case manager and unplaced employee will continue to pursue ongoing vacancies during the placement.
An unplaced employee who is referred and selected into a fixed-term vacancy has temporary redeployment to that position. During this placement the employee may be referred to other vacancies at their request. At the conclusion of the fixed period, unless the unplaced employee has been redeployed to another vacancy, he/she will return to her/his original location as an unplaced employee.
Reimbursement of expenses
An employee who is required to travel in order to attend an interview as part of the redeployment process will have reasonable and necessary expenses reimbursed by the Division or Regional Office in accordance with Department policy.
An employee who is redeployed to a different locality, which requires the moving of his/her residence, is entitled to reasonable costs associated with that relocation subject to the circumstances. The approval for reimbursement of costs should be obtained from the manager of the unplaced employee prior to the employee accepting an offer of redeployment.
Documentation
A record of redeployment action taken in respect to an employee must be maintained. This should include all positions considered for possible redeployment. Any reasons given by an employee for refusing referral to a vacancy or an offer of redeployment must be recorded.
Details of action and the outcome of action taken during referral to a vacant position should be jointly signed by the employee and his/her manager. Where an employee disagrees with the detail provided on the record she/he should be given the opportunity to place on record his or her own view of the matter.
Records of redeployment action and other relevant documentation shall be retained by Corporate HR Services for six months following the placement of the employee.
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