Keeping in touch scheme
This instruction applies to: / Reference:
National Probation Service / PI 36/2014
Issue Date / Effective Date
Implementation Date / Expiry Date
1 June 2014 / 1 June 2014 / 31 May 2015
Issued on the authority of / NOMS Agency Board
For action by / All staff responsible for the development and publication of policy and instructions
National Probation Service (NPS) Directorate
Instruction type / HR function
For information / All staff
Provide a summary of the policy aim and the reason for its development/revision / The aim of the policy isto ensure that members of staff employed in the NPS Directorate of NOMS who are absent from work for significant periods are kept fully informed of developments and opportunities at their local workplace and nationally about current vacancies, training opportunities and other major developments within NOMS.
Contact / Shared Services HR Contact Centre
 0845 010 3504
Associated documents / Guidance on undertaking all the requirements contained in this Instruction can be found on the My Services website.
Replaces the following documents which are hereby cancelled: None
Audit/monitoring:Chief Officer Grades Staff Pay Bands A-D will ensure local records are kept and monitored to demonstrate compliance with the mandatory actions set out in this instruction
Compliance with this Instruction will be monitored by Deputy Directors (DDs) within their Division.
Introduces amendments to the following documents: None
Notes: All Mandatory Actions throughout this instruction are in italics and must be strictly adhered to.

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CONTENTS

Section / Title / Applicable to
1 / Executive summary / All staff
2 / Keeping In Touch Scheme
2.1 / Eligibility criteria
2.3 / Personal local contact
2.5 / Access to corporate news and NOMS internally advertised vacancies

1.Executive Summary

Background

1.1This Instruction sets out policy on Keeping in Touch with staff who are absent from work for significant periods. It applies to all those directly employed in the NPS Directorate of NOMS.

1.2The purpose of this policy is to ensure that members of staff who are absent from work for significant periods are kept fully informed of developments and opportunities at their local workplace and organisation wide about current vacancies, training opportunities and other major developments within NOMS. The objective is to ensure that staffmaintain contact with the organisation to assist with their eventual return to work.

Desired outcomes

1.3This Instruction aims to ensure that:

  • common minimum standards for Keeping In Touch with absent staff are maintained across the NOMS Agency; and
  • decisions are based on the merits of the individual case and are free from any unlawful bias. All Keeping in Touch Scheme arrangements must be legally compliant and applied fairly and consistently to all staff. This applies to all stages of the process including entitlement, application, decision making and implementation.

Application

1.4All staff must be familiar with all sections of the Keeping in Touch Scheme.

1.5All line managers with responsibility for Keeping in Touch Scheme processes are required to read and follow all sections of the Keeping in Touch Scheme policy as required.

Mandatory actions

1.6All actions in this Instruction are mandatory unless otherwise specified and are shown in italics. All levels of management and all employees must ensure that they are aware of these mandatory actions and ensure this policy is implemented and adhered to.

Resource Impact

1.7It is not anticipated that there will be any direct resource impact resulting from this Instruction.

Contacts

1.8Shared Services HR Contact Centre

0845 010 3504 (VPN 7190 3504)

(Approved for publication)

Carol Carpenter

Director of Human Resources, NOMS

2.KEEPING IN TOUCH SCHEME

Eligibility Criteria

2.1The Scheme covers all staff who are on a career break, maternity leave, adoption leave, secondment to an external organisation, loan to another Government Department or are on suspension. The scheme also covers staff on sick absence or granted special or parental leave for a period of four weeks or longer, although this does not alter the requirement to maintain appropriate contact while staff are absent for shorter periods.

2.2The elements of the scheme are:

  • Personal local contact with the place of work;
  • Being provided with access to corporate news and NOMS internally advertised vacancies.

Personal Local Contact

2.3In all cases it is important that regular contact is maintained between the member of staff and his / her line manager.The line manager will generally be the most appropriate person for this task. If the person responsible for contact moves on, then new contact arrangements must be organised. As appropriate,absent staff should be invited to attend relevant training events and conferences. The provision of regular training opportunities is particularly important when working practices or regulations change. Line managers are encouraged to invite absent staff to visit work from time to time to maintain contact.

2.4Shared Services holds a record of staff personal information such as home address and telephone number and staff are required to keep this information up to date. Staff are required to maintain appropriate contact whilst absent from work, and comply with specific contact requirements detailed in the policy areas set out in paragraph 2.1 above, and any locally agreed absence procedures.

Access to corporate news and NOMS internally advertised vacancies

2.5Staff can keep up to date with the main corporate news items via the NOMS website This website also contains internal job vacancies which can be viewed by entering a password. Line managers are responsible for ensuring that staff are made aware that they can view corporate news items and internally advertised vacancies via the NOMS website. Line managers are also responsible for providing staff with password details.

2.6Where a member of staff does not have internet access outside work and wants to be provided with corporate news information and internally advertised vacancies then it is the responsibility of line management to provide this to them by hard copy.

Further information

2.7 Guidance on undertaking all the requirements contained in this Instruction can be found on the My Services website.

2.8Line managers are the initial point of contact for queries about this Instruction. However if they are unable to deal with the query Shared Services should be contacted.

HR Contact Centre inShared Services-0845 010 3504

PI 36/2014ISSUE DATE 01/06/2014