Secondments June 2015
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Where to find things. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Who’s this policy for? .................................................................................................................. 3 What’s a secondment? ................................................................................................................. 3 How long is a secondment? ......................................................................................................... 3 Does my pay change when I’m on a secondment? ................................................................... 3 Do my benefits change when I’m on a secondment? ............................................................... 4 How do I find out about secondment opportunities? .............................................................. 4 What happens if the secondment is in a different part of the country? ................................. 4 Who’s my manager while I’m on a secondment? ...................................................................... 5 What happens at the end of the secondment? .......................................................................... 5 Related reading ......................................................................................................................... 5 Secondment letters .............................................................................................................................. 5 Policy info.............................................................................................................................................. 5 Ownership and confidentiality ........................................................................................................... 5
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Introduction Secondments can provide an opportunity for you to develop and gain experience in a different area of the business. They also help us develop our people, fill a temporary vacancy or find expert skills. This policy and our processes support the needs of the business, ensures that you are treated fairly, and that your contribution is recognised while minimising uncertainty (giving you a clear career path).
Who’s this policy for? This policy applies to all Tesco colleagues who are considering a temporary move to a different role. This policy doesn’t form part of your contract and may be amended at any time. The specific terms of your secondment will be confirmed to you in writing before it starts.
Secondments are temporary jobs (jobs that have an end date) that you might carry out while you work at Tesco. Secondments can provide you with the opportunity to learn a new skill, try something different or fill a skills gap for a fixed period of time where you either return to your original role or another role at the end. We also use secondments to cover projects or maternity leave etc. Deputising for your manager when they are not at work/on holiday is not a secondment. Secondments are supported and arranged when we:
Have agreed to support you in a specific area of your development; or Need your skills in a different area of the business.
Your current manager and potential new manager, along with the People Team from both stores/DC’s/business areas will need to agree that the move is a secondment in order for this policy to apply to you. This policy also covers secondments known as:
Stepping up; Placements; and Development moves.
How long is a secondment? Your seconded role will be for a maximum of 18 months with a review at this point. In exceptional circumstances e.g. you’re working on a project which will complete a few weeks later, the secondment can be extended. If you work in a store then any secondment over 12 months must be approved by your Store Director and Group People Partner. If you move from one secondment to another, you will need to discuss what this means for your permanent role with your original manager, as they may need to fill this on a permanent basis.
Does my pay change when I’m on a secondment?
What’s a secondment?
Your current manager may temporarily fill your role (with another secondee or a colleague on a temporary contract) while you are on a secondment (so it is available for you to return to) or have an agreed plan upfront to place you in a different role on your return.
If you are moving into a secondment then we aim to ensure that you’re not financially worse off. We will not increase your base salary for a secondment however, any salary review that takes place during your secondment will be based on your permanent role review timescales, and will take into account your performance over the full year in both jobs. In some circumstances a wage supplement may be paid to you e.g. if the secondment role has increased responsibilities or if you had overtime payments or premium payments in your permanent role. Any supplement will be a fixed (£) amount, and not a % of your salary. Wage supplements will have tax and NI deductions taken and are not considered when determining your pension contributions or determining any bonus payment. Wage supplements can only be agreed by the relevant Director and will be agreed before the start of the secondment period. If you are off work during your secondment e.g. sickness or on holiday, any supplements that are paid will continue.
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Do my benefits change when I’m on a secondment?
What happens if the secondment is in a different part of the country?
You’ll still be entitled to any benefits linked to your permanent job.
As secondments are limited to an 18 month maximum length, any travel costs which are more than you were paying in your role before the secondment, can be claimed in line with the Travel and Expenses Policy.
If applicable, a decision will be made at the beginning of your secondment as to which bonus plan you will be eligible for. If you currently have a need or market car allowance, you will continue to receive this during your secondment but if you don’t qualify for a High Business Mileage Supplement (e.g. because you’re now based on one site and not travelling) then this will stop. If your secondment is going to be longer than 6 months, and will involve you driving more than 15,000 miles a year (average of 1,250 miles a month) then we will provide you with a ‘need cash allowance’, if you don’t already receive a car allowance, for the length of your secondment.
How do I find out about secondment opportunities? We have different recruitment processes across the business, and many secondments are filled informally. With this in mind, make sure your manager is fully aware of your career ambitions and that you would be willing to carry out temporary roles. The formal time to do this is during your review meetings (you can add it to your Progress Review Form) or your Career Discussion. If you work in a store or distribution centre then your manager will need to nominate you for a secondment by contacting the Retail Talent and Resourcing team
[email protected] Remember to ask your manager regularly what opportunities are available within your location/a different function.
For example, you used to catch the train to work and it cost you £50 a week but in your seconded role you have to drive and this will cost you £70 a week plus £30 parking – you can claim for the difference in your travel costs (£20) and the £30 parking. All claims must be supported with a receipt. If being on secondment means you have to travel to work by public transport, this should always be booked through HRG in line with the Travel and Expenses Policy, at no cost to yourself. Simply log onto https://isuite2.hrgworldwide.com/tesco/Home.aspx book your travel and select “secondment” as the tax justification code. We know that some projects will take longer than 24 months from the outset. From the point that we know a project/secondment will run over 24 months, then any associated expenses are taxable. This is why our aim is to limit secondments to 18 months. If the move is likely to be for longer than 18 months or covering a permanent role, then we will consider how to move you into the role on appropriate Terms and Conditions rather than second you, or pay you a supplement to cover any additional expenses you incur. Secondment length Under 24 months In very rare cases when a secondment is extended to over 24 months
Your expenses claims should be claimed as: Business Business up to the point the secondment is extended to over 24 months – at the point the secondment is extended to over 24 months contact the UK mobility team
There is no limit to the amount of secondments you can carry out. Accommodation assistance You wouldn’t normally be offered a secondment opportunity if your current performance is at an Amber or Red level, or if you have a live disciplinary warning, unless a new role would be of benefit to both you and the company.
If your secondment location is 50 or more miles from your current home address, please take a look at the UK Mobility Policy: Secondment moves
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Who’s my manager while I’m on a secondment?
What happens at the end of the secondment?
You will have a temporary manager in your new role and they’re responsible for you during your secondment and will take over full line management responsibilities i.e. absence management, performance reviews and personal development conversations.
Once your secondment ends, you are expected to return to your original or other role (or function/store/DC).
However, as this is a temporary move, your permanent People Director (People Manager in Stores/DC’s) will continue to monitor all colleagues seconded out of their store/DC/function and include you in all relevant communications, structure charts and for talent management discussions. Both managers will input into your half year and end of year Progress Reviews where you have worked across two areas.
Before the end of your secondment, your temporary manager will discuss with you whether it may be extended (and if you are interested in continuing your work) or whether it will come to an end and you are to return to your previous (or similar) role. If your original role was filled on a permanent basis, you should have an agreed plan upfront to place you in a different role once your secondment ends. If you wish to apply for a different role whilst you are seconded, the normal recruitment and transfer principles apply. Any wage supplement or need cash allowance you have received while on a secondment will stop. If your secondment becomes permanent and you are offered this position then your salary and terms and conditions will be reviewed and amended in line with the role.
Related reading Secondment letters
Policy info. Version No.
Date of change
Summary of change
1
01 June 2015
New policy Updated ‘Accommodation assistance’ section to link colleagues to UK Mobility policy on OurTesco
2
th
8 April 2016
Policy owner: employment/
[email protected] Ownership and confidentiality This document shouldn’t be shared with anyone externally without permission from your Director. This policy and any associated documentation remains the property of Tesco and should be returned if requested.
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