From an email to line managers at Lancaster sent on 18th May 2020:
The University redeployment policy is in place to support staff to find alternative employment at the University when they are at risk of redundancy. This is in line with our normal process in the ending of fixed term and indefinite contracts. However, we have agreed some temporary revisions during the Covid-19 period to ensure we match people with vacant roles quickly which are as follows:
- All staff at risk of redundancy, irrespective of length of service, will have access to redeployment six months prior to their contract end date.
- All staff at risk of redundancy will be placed on the redeployment list automatically and can ask to be taken off if that is their preference.
- We will advertise all vacancies to redeployees for 5 working days and recruiting managers will review applications to determine whether to interview.
- Managers are reminded that there is the option to appoint on a trial period to enable both parties to assess suitability in role.
- We will enable a new function in our recruitment system Stonefish to facilitate the changes.
Departmental officers will be advised of these changes in more detail and we plan to go live with the new system on 18th May.
For further information please contact your HR Advisor.
The major change here is that staff will have access to the redeployment list six months prior to their end of contract/funding date. Previously this was three months.
For more info on the redundancy process at Lancaster, see our redundancy FAQ.