Secondment and Acting up Policy

About this Policy

The Society is committed to developing our colleagues and supporting them to move into different roles within the Society, where possible. Internal movement can be an effective way of ensuring that colleagues skill sets are fully utilised across the Society. They can also be an effective way of developing colleague skills.

A secondment is the temporary transfer of a colleague to another position within the Society. Colleagues will usually return to their substantive position on completion of the secondment, unless otherwise agreed and/or discussed. 

Acting up is where a colleague acts up for a short period of time into the full or majority of the duties for a job role at a higher grade within their team. Acting up arrangements should only be used in exceptional circumstances, where without it, management cover in the site would be compromised. 

An internal transfer isa permanent move into another role within the Society. Colleagues who want to move to a new role within the Society should apply for the vacancy from the Society’s internal vacancies page on Colleagues Connect. For further guidance on the Society’s recruitment process, please refer to the Recruitment Policy.

This policy applies to all employees (whether employed on a full-time, part-time, fixed term or permanent basis). It does not apply to agency workers or self-employed contractors.

Secondments

Putting a secondment in place

Secondments will normally only be used for those colleagues who have successfully completed probation in their substantive post.

Secondments will normally be advertised on the Society’s internal vacancies page.  Colleagues wishing to apply for a secondment should discuss the opportunity with their manager in the first instance. Approval of the colleague's current line manager is required before confirming a secondment.

The duration of a secondment will vary depending on the circumstances (for example, the likely duration of the project supported). Secondments will not normally exceed 12 months, although that may become necessary in some circumstances.

The terms of the secondment will be agreed and set out in the secondment agreement letter, which should be signed by all parties. During the secondment period, the colleague’s terms and conditions of employment will remain the same unless the colleague has agreed to any contractual changes (as set out in the secondment letter). 

For the duration of the secondment the receiving manager is responsible for the day to day management of any secondee in their team. The receiving manager should ensure the secondee completes an induction in their temporary position (where appropriate) and hold regular review meetings to monitor progress and highlight any issues arising during the secondment.

Where appropriate, the colleague’s current line manager may keep in contact with the colleague during the secondment period. That may include to keep the colleague informed about any developments within the department and consulting about any changes to their substantive post.

Extending or ending a secondment

Requests to extend the period of secondment beyond the initial term, will require approval from the colleague’s substantive line manager. The updated terms of the secondment should be confirmed in a secondment agreement letter.

In most circumstances on completion of the secondment the colleague will return to their substantive post. That may not always be possible. For example, where redundancy of the colleague’s substantive post. Where that happens, the affected colleague will be consulted with, including exploring alternative employment where appropriate.

Where a secondment period may be extended beyond 12 months or becomes a permanent vacancy, the receiving manager should consult with their HR advisor before any action is agreed.

Expenses

It is the Society’s policy to compensate colleagues for reasonable additional costs incurred when they are required to undertake a secondment away from their normal place of work and/or normal residence. Colleagues should discuss such expenses with their secondment line manager. All approved expenses should be submitted and will be paid in accordance with the Society’s expenses guidelines and travel and bookings policy. 

Acting up

Acting up arrangements should last no longer than 13 weeks, it should only be used in exceptional circumstances, such as sickness and unplanned absence where without it management cover in the site would be compromised. If the arrangement is likely to go on for longer the Society will look at longer term options for example advertising the role as a secondment or as a permanent vacancy. 

All suitable employees should be identified and made aware of the acting up opportunity. In some circumstances, there may be a “natural” acting up arrangement identified, line managers must consult with the HR advisor for their business group in this case, before proceeding with the arrangement.

Prior to the commencement of an acting up arrangement, written authorisation must be obtained from the relevant district or operations manager.

Responsibility Payment

In some circumstances, the Society may agree that a colleague should be paid a responsibility payment. That is usually where the colleague is required by the Society to undertake additional duties and responsibilities to support the business. For example, in a Food store a Customer Service Assistant, who has successfully completed the relevant training, may take on part of a Duty Manager role to support the store and will receive a responsibility payment for the time spent doing so.

Unlike an acting up arrangement, those additional responsibilities may be on an ad hoc basis, for example a few hours of a shift. Responsibility pay is a payment which reflects the additional responsibility being undertaken for those hours where that additional responsibility is applied.

Line managers must add the agreed responsibility pay onto the colleague’s timecard on Kronos. For further guidance on how to do this please refer to the Society’s time and attendance user guide.

Additional Support

If colleagues have any questions regarding this policy or require additional support, you should speak to your line manager. Alternatively, you can contact the HR advisor for your business group, or email HR.advice@midcounties.coop.