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Monash University > HR > Workplace-policy > Workforce-management

Workforce Management Procedure - Secondments and Transfers

Parent Policy

Preamble

The University recognises that internal secondments and transfers provide professional development opportunities, foster cross-organisational knowledge and collaboration, and address resourcing issues by drawing on the broad skills and expertise within the University's existing workforce.

The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidance and clarity to all staff in the facilitation and management of internal secondments and transfers.

This procedure applies to all fixed-term and continuing staff at the University. It does not apply to casual or sessional staff or adjunct or conjoint appointees.

Definitions

Dean or Divisional Director: means the dean of the faculty or director of the division (or equivalent) or his or her nominee in any case where the dean or director has formally nominated a person to act as his or her nominee for the purpose.

Head of unit: is a head of an academic or organisational work unit, for example head of school, head of department or where applicable, a person acting as his or her nominee.

Higher duties: occurs when a staff member is required to act in a position of higher classification than that which the staff member occupies for a period of three months or less. Refer to clause 79 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009.

Hiring manager: is the manager responsible for filling the vacancy, usually the supervisor of the position.

HR Business Partner: is a member of Monash HR who operates as a strategic partner responsible for providing a range of human resources services for an assigned Faculty or administrative Division. HR Business Partners are located within a HR Service Hub.

HR Service Hub: is the centre for human resources services and activities within a Faculty or Divisional cluster.

Job Request: is the screen in Rex where all necessary information relating to a particular position is recorded.

Lead HR Business Partner: is a member of the Monash HR management team who operates as a senior HR Business Partner responsible for the strategic and operational management of the human resources services and activities in a HR Services Hub.

Relevant Enterprise Agreement: means the Enterprise Agreement that applies to a particular staff member. The Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009 will apply to academic and professional staff at the University, except for those staff on Australian Workplace Agreements.

Rex: is Recruitment Express, the University's online recruitment system, which administers requests to advertise, selections and appointments and generates employment contracts.

Secondment: for the purposes of this procedure, occurs when a professional staff member fills a temporary vacancy at the same or a higher HEW level (refer to clause 20 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009). At the conclusion of the secondment the staff member will return to their substantive position. Secondment does not apply to an academic staff member.

Staff: A person employed by the University who has an ongoing or fixed term contract under the terms of the Monash University enterprise Agreement.

Transfer: occurs when a professional or academic staff member is transferred to a permanent or temporary position at the same level (refer to clause 20 of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009). The staff member leaves their substantive position to transfer into the new position. The transfer may be temporary or permanent, at the discretion of the University.

Step 1: Supervisor enters relevant information into Job Request Form in Rex

Where a vacancy arises as a result of a resignation, period of extended leave, secondment, project or other reason, the supervisor will:

ensure that the position is still required and if so, that it has been established by the appropriate delegated authority;
ensure that funding is available;
liaise with their HR Business Partner to determine whether there are any current recruitment restrictions or related issues that the supervisor will need to consider in filling the position; and
enter basic information into the Job Request Form in Rex (using Appointment Type - Secondment/Transfer).

If necessary, the HR Business Partner will complete further detailed information in Rex as outlined in the Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedure, Recruitment of fixed-term and continuing staff.

Step 2: The supervisor and HR Business Partner consider a suitable internal candidate

A secondment or transfer may arise when:

an eligible existing staff member has already been identified for the role; or
the position is advertised and an eligible existing staff member is selected to fill the role.

In order to proceed with the proposal, the hiring manager and the HR Business Partner must be satisfied that the proposal meets the definition of a secondment or transfer. If it does not, an appointment can only be made in accordance with the relevant recruitment procedure.

A secondment:

applies to professional staff only;
involves a staff member moving into the same or higher HEW level role for a minimum of three months and a maximum of 12 months (for a period of less than three months the arrangement is higher duties);
can occur through an advertised or non-advertised recruitment process;
is temporary; and
requires the staff member to return to his/her substantive role at the agreed conclusion of the secondment; and
is normally regarded as personal and professional development opportunities and should therefore match the staff member's development goals as identified in his/her performance development plan.

During a secondment the staff member's substantive role becomes temporarily vacant.

A transfer:

applies to professional and academic staff;
involves a staff member moving to the same-grade position at the same fraction (as per clause 20.2 of the Enterprise Agreement);
may be permanent or temporary at the discretion of the University;
does not extend a fixed-term contract (if a staff member moves into a position with a longer fixed-term duration the process is a new appointment).

For a permanent transfer, the new position becomes the staff member's substantive position and his/her original position becomes vacant.

If the proposal meets the above definition of a secondment or transfer and staff member is a trades and services staff, refer to Workplace Relations.

If the proposal meets the above definition of a secondment or transfer and the staff member is from a different work unit, go to Step 3: Heads of unit agree to the terms of the secondment or transfer.

If the proposal meets the above definition of a secondment or transfer and the staff member is from the same work unit, the supervisors of the receiving and releasing areas should negotiate the terms of the arrangement in consultation with their HR Business Partners. The communication principles outlined at Step 3: Heads of unit agree to the terms of the secondment or transfer apply.

If the proposal does not meet the above definition of a secondment or transfer, the process becomes a new appointment.

If no eligible existing staff members have been identified, the position should be advertised in accordance with the Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedure, Recruitment of fixed-term and continuing staff.

Step 3: Heads of unit agree to the terms of the secondment/transfer

3.1 Initial Communication

Reflective of the University's ethical values and principles, it is recommended that all staff initiate conversations regarding potential secondments as soon as possible.

Staff members considering a secondment opportunity, should communicate their intentions to their supervisor as soon as possible. This conversation may also involve the head of unit.

3.2 Communication between heads of unit

When a head of unit becomes aware of a potential secondment or transfer to or from the work area he/she should initiate a conversation with their counterpart in the other relevant work area as soon as possible to discuss:

the feasibility of the secondment or transfer;
agreement regarding a release date, within at least four weeks of confirmation of the arrangement;
agreement regarding the end date of a secondment; and
any additional matters.

A head of unit may seek advice from their HR Business Partner in regards to the above matters as appropriate. The terms of the secondment or transfer must be agreed to by both heads of unit. In some instances, if agreement cannot be reached, management prerogative will prevail in allocating resources and ensuring that the operational requirements are met.

It is a condition of a secondment or temporary transfer that at its conclusion, the staff member will return to his/her substantive position on the agreed date. The commencement date and end date of a secondment will form part of the agreement between the heads of unit. Any request to extend a secondment arrangement will require the heads of unit to repeat the above discussion.

During the period of the secondment or temporary transfer, the head of unit for the substantive position is responsible for continuing to adhere to any change notification and consultation requirements regarding that substantive position.

If a request for a secondment is not accepted, a staff member may seek further advice from his/her HR Business Partner.

3.3 Heads of unit notify the HR Business Partner

Once the above terms have been agreed to, the head of unit of the receiving area will notify their HR Business Partner of the details by email.

Step 4: The head of unit and HR Business Partner complete the appointment process in Rex

The head of unit of the receiving area must approve the secondment or transfer in Rex.

The HR Business Partner will then issue a secondment or transfer letter to the staff member electronically through Rex.

Step 5. The staff member accepts/acknowledges the appropriate letter

The staff member will then accept the offer for secondment or acknowledge the transfer electronically by clicking ‘Accept' in Rex.

The HR Business Partner will be notified by email.

Responsibility

Individual staff members

Individual staff members are responsible for communicating their intentions regarding a proposed secondment or transfer to their supervisor as soon as possible.

Supervisors

Supervisors are responsible for:

complying with relevant recruitment procedures and approval requirements;
liaising with their HR Business Partner to current recruitment restrictions or related issues;
entering basic information into the Job Request Form in Rex (using Appointment Type - Secondment/Transfer); and
in conjunction with their HR Business Partner, ensuring proposals to appoint a suitable internal candidate meet the definition of a secondment or transfer as outlined in this procedure.

Heads of unit

Heads of unit are responsible for initiating communication with their counterpart in the other work unit as soon as they aware of a potential secondment/transfer and discussing the terms of the arrangement.

Heads of unit of a receiving area are also responsible for notifying their HR Business Partner of the terms and details of the arrangement via email.

HR Business Partner

The HR Business Partner is responsible for:

in conjunction with the supervisor, ensuring proposals to appoint a suitable internal candidate meet the definition of a secondment or transfer as outlined in this procedure;
referring proposed secondments or transfers of trades and services staff to Workplace Relations ;

attaching the candidate to the Job Appointment Card in Rex and assigning the appropriate code for a secondment or transfer;
using the appropriate template to generate a secondment/transfer letter in Rex; and
accepting a transfer in Rex.

HR Operations, Monash HR

HR Operations is responsible for processing the information into the University's payroll system.

Related Procedures

Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedure - Recruitment of fixed term and continuing staff

Related Enterprise Agreement Clauses

Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009 - Clause 20

Related Forms

Secondment Template Letter
Transfer Template Letter

Version number:	1.0
Effective date:	24 October 2012
Procedure author:	Director, Workplace Relations
Procedure owner:	Executive Director, Monash HR
Contact:	ask.monash or phone Human Resources on 990 20400