COVID-19 Temporary Redeployment Support
During the current COVID-19 pandemic institutions may be experiencing significant additional pressures and may therefore be seeking additional resources at this challenging time. In addition, some staff members are currently unable to carry out their normal duties but have valuable skills and experience that could be utilised to support other areas of the University. Through the COVID-19 Temporary Redeployment Support provision the skills of these staff are matched with the temporary needs of institutions across the University. This arrangement benefits the member of staff in gaining valuable experience, as well as benefitting the host institution and the University as a whole.
The FAQs below explain how the support provision operates and will be kept updated:
Departments should complete this online form with details of the role(s) they wish to fill, clearly stating that it is a “Request for Redeployed Staff”. The Temporary Employment Service (TES) team is managing this process and will try to match the request with potentially available staff who are currently furloughed.
The unfurloughed employee is able to return to their home Department as soon as they are needed, giving one week’s notice to the host Department. There is no expectation that an employee must remain in the redeployed role for the duration of the redeployment request. If an unfurloughed employee is asked to return to their home Department before the end of a redeployment request, the Redeployment team will look for another suitable candidate to be temporarily reassigned.
Yes, recruiting managers are asked to consider filling any vacancies for new posts on a temporary basis via the COVID-19 Temporary Redeployment Support first, before seeking exceptional permission to fill under the current Recruitment Pause protocol. Redeployments are expected to be no longer than a few months.
At the outset, an expected termination date will be agreed by all parties. The host institution, the individual or the home institution can end the arrangement prior to the termination date by giving at least one week’s notice.
For redeployments involving unfurloughed staff, the host Department will be expected to fund 100% of the staff costs for the whole redeployment period.
This service relies on being able to identify these individuals in order to match them to the needs of other areas. If you have a staff member who is unable to carry out their normal duties at the moment, but would be available to support other areas of the University please provide details to Redeployment@admin.cam.ac.uk. The individual is likely to gain valuable experience during this time that could be utilised once they return to their normal role.
The COVID-19 Temporary Redeployment Support team can be contacted at Redeployment@admin.cam.ac.uk.
You may also find the following related links helpful:
- Career advice for post-docs can be found on the Postdoc Academy website.
- Information on the University’s Redeployment procedure in relation to staff at risk of redundancy is available here. Please note, the redeployment arrangements set out above are in direct response to the COVID-19 situation.