Discussions
Regular discussions form part of the University's Staff Review and Development Scheme and should be conducted with all employees. Such discussions provide an opportunity for the Head of Institution to ask open questions about an employee's aims, aspirations, and plans for the short, medium, and long term and to discuss the individual's performance, developmental, and training needs. These discussions are informal and confidential and employees should be encouraged to participate fully. A record of the discussion should be made using form RP3.
Heads of Institutions or their deputies are encouraged to undertake discussions annually as part of the Staff Review and Development Scheme (or more frequently where an individual requests it or where it is required), to enable both the Institution and the employee to plan jointly for the future.
The Head of Institution should also discuss with the employee the Institution's future plans and future staffing needs, so that employees are aware of the Institution's future needs.
Performance Review
The staff review and development process provides a regular opportunity for a two-way review of work progress and a discussion of development needs. It also provides a forum for a discussion of any difficulties or obstacles to an employee's effective performance in the role. Where there are more immediate or significant concerns about an employee's performance or capability, these should be addressed separately though a process of systematic performance review. Institutions are advised to speak to their HR School team for further advice when managing specific cases of underperformance.
Re-employment or re-engagement of retired staff
The following sets out the rules relating to the re-employment or re-engagement (e.g. as a TES temporary worker) of employees who have retired, based on the pension that they are receiving:
CPS
There are no restrictions on re-employment/re-engagement of retired staff in receipt of a CPS pension.
USS
The USS pension rules set conditions around re-employment/re-engagement after retirement. Within the first month, a pensioner cannot be employed in any capacity by the employer from which the retirement took place. After the first month, re-employment is possible providing that:
- At the point of retirement there was no intention on the part of the University to re-engage the member of staff.
- The member of staff has not taken early retirement and drawn their USS pension as part of a redundancy package.
It cannot be agreed with an individual in advance that they may return to work at the University at a later date. This would be against the spirit of the USS rules which define retirement as ‘ceasing employment which give eligibility for membership of USS with no expectation of taking up another employment which would give the member an entitlement to join USS’. Individuals who are retiring complete a declaration to this effect.
NHS
Please seek advice from the Clinical School HR team. As part of auto-enrolment provisions, any retired member of staff re-engaged will be auto-enrolled into the relevant pension scheme for their new post and will subsequently be able to opt out of those arrangements if they wish.