7. Procedure for University Officers to Continue Employment

7.1 Applications to Continue Employment

7.1.1 A University officer who wishes to continue their employment for a limited period of time beyond the retirement age should discuss their intentions with the relevant Head of Institution at the earliest opportunity. If they wish to proceed, they will need to complete Part 1 of form RP2A: Request For University Officer To Continue Working Beyond The Retirement Age and Part 1 of form RP2B: Details Of Funding[1]. The completed forms should be submitted to the individual’s Head of Institution, together with a Curriculum Vitae in accordance with the timelines as detailed in section 7.3.3.

7.1.2 The Head of Institution will meet with the University officer to discuss the details of the requested continuation of employment.The request will be considered against the evaluative criteria set out below and having regard to the University’s guidance on fixed-term contracts, including the need for such contracts to be objectively justified.

7.1.3 Following consideration of the request, the Head of Institution will complete Part 2 of forms RP2A and RP2B confirming whether or not the institution supports the individual’s continued employment, taking into account whether the application meets the evaluative criteria. The completed form should be submitted to the relevant HR Business Manager, along with the applicant’s CV.

7.1.4 The HR Business Manager will arrange for the application to be considered by the relevant School body.  For example, the Needs Committee (or equivalent) and the Head of School if the applicant is in a School Institution or the Registrary if the applicant is in a Non-School Institution. The HR Business Manager will collate the appropriate documentation confirming the position of the institution then submit the completed application pack to the Secretary of the Retirements Committee for its consideration by the Retirements Committee in accordance with the timescales detailed in section 7.3.3.

7.1.5 The application pack submitted to the Secretary of the Retirements committee must include the following documents:

• RP2: Application To Continue Working Beyond The Retirement Age (Parts A and B).[2]

• Curriculum Vitae (4 sides of A4 maximum, including publications).

• Minutes of the relevant School body for example, the Needs Committee (or equivalent).

• A letter of support from the Head of School (or equivalent).

• RP4: Application For Flexible Retirement (where appropriate).

7.1.6 The individual will be advised of the outcome of the application in writing which will include the reasons for the Committee’s decision.

7.1.7 Subject to meeting the evaluative criteria, only one extension of employment will be granted to a University officer.

7.1.8 Where the employment of a University officer is extended beyond the retirement age, that employment will be in a fixed-term capacity and the individual will move from an established to an unestablished position. A new contract of employment will be issued reflecting the title and terms of the new fixed-term appointment. The new contract end date will be the individual’s extended employment end date.

7.1.9 The University will continue to rely on retirement as a reason for ending the employment relationship at the end of this fixed period or employment, including where there have been successive extensions. Similarly, University officers who have retired but are seeking re- employment in any capacity will remain in scope of the retirement age and their re-employment will be subject to the same approvals process as a request to continue employment beyond the retirement age.

7.1.10 During the period of extended employment, Heads of Institution should continue to meet annually with members of staff whose employment has been extended to discuss their ongoing plans. The meetings will allow a discussion of the individual’s wishes together with the institution’s plans, including potential variations in existing arrangements, and enable due process in advance of the extended employment end date.

7.1.11 A University officer will be permitted to choose whether a period of extended employment is paid or unpaid. If paid, any salary progression will be managed in line with the relevant reward scheme.

7.1.12 A University officer may apply to continue working beyond the retirement age on a part- time or full-time basis.  If they intend to work in a part-time capacity then they may wish to draw part of their pension benefit to supplement the part-time salary.  In such circumstances, the individual will be required to submit an application to continue employment (see section 7.1 above) and any approval of that application would be treated as Flexible Retirement under the rules of the USS.  For further information, please refer to Section 6.1: ‘Flexible Retirement’

7.2 Criteria for Evaluating Requests

7.2.1 An extension of employment may only be granted in very exceptional circumstances, where:

• The individual concerned is the most appropriate person able to complete a specific project or task that is already underway; and/or
• The individual concerned is the most appropriate person able to secure the full benefit of a project already completed; and/or
• The individual concerned is the only person able to attract specific and significant funding; and/or
• It would enable effective planning for departure and recruitment.

7.2.2 In all cases, an extension must not undermine the aims of the EJRA and must be aligned to the strategic aims of the relevant institution.

7.3 The Retirements Committee

7.3.1 The Retirements Committee will meet on a quarterly basis to consider all cases for extensions of employment.

7.3.2 The Committee shall consist of:

• the Pro-Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for Human Resources, ex officio (Chair);
• two persons appointed by the University Council;
• one person appointed by the General Board;
• one Head of School appointed by the General Board;
• the Registrary ex officio (or a nominated Deputy); and
• the Academic Secretary ex officio

with the Director of Human Resources as Secretary

Members in classes (b) and (c) shall serve for three years from 1 January. The member in class (d) shall serve for three years, or as long as they remain Head of School, whichever is the shorter.

Members may be reappointed; normally no member shall serve for more than six consecutive years.

7.3.3 The annual timetable for the submission of applications to extend employment can be found on the HR website.

7.4 Appeal Procedure

7.4.1 Where a University officer is dissatisfied with the outcome of a request to continue their employment beyond the retirement age, they will have a right of appeal. Any appeal should be made in writing to the Director of Human Resources within 14 days of the outcome of the request being communicated to the employee and should set out the grounds of appeal.

7.4.2 Appeals will be heard by an Appeal Committee appointed by the Council consisting of a Chair and two University officers. The Appeal Committee will meet within 14 days of its establishment to hear the appeal, or as soon as is reasonably practicable. The appeal will be determined following an oral hearing attended by the appellant and the responsible person. The responsible person shall be the Head of Institution, Head of Division or their nominated deputy. The appellant and the responsible person will be entitled to make a statement and to address the Appeal Committee.

7.4.3 Following the hearing of the appeal, the Appeal Committee will consider the facts of the case and may allow or dismiss an appeal, in whole or in part. The decision of the Appeal Committee will be notified to the appellant in writing within seven days of the hearing.

7.4.4 The Appeal Committee may decide to vary the above procedure as it deems appropriate.The decision of the Committee will be final.

[2] The Curriculum Vitae should be a maximum two pages/four sides of A4 in length, including publications