Chapter 6 - Career breaks
Please note that this chapter is currently under review. For further information, please refer to HR Directorate.
Appendices
- Application for a career break (not currently available)
- Model minute - Approving a career break
- A career break is a period of unpaid leave which may be granted to staff who, for domestic reasons, might otherwise resign. Domestic reasons include dependent care responsibilities, for example, the care of young or newly adopted children or a sick or elderly dependant/relative, or to accompany a partner on the latter's transfer to a new location. A career break provides an opportunity for staff to take time away from work in order to fulfil domestic commitments without resigning and without losing contact with the Department. The aim is to enable the Department to retain the services of skilled and experienced staff and to ensure that staff regain their career momentum.
- The normal period for a career break will be between 12 months and three years. An extension may be requested during the final 6 months of the career break. The maximum period of any career break, including any extension, will be five years. Staff may apply for more than one career break during the course of their career. However, if the full five years is taken staff must return to work for a minimum of 12 months before another career break is approved. Staff granted a career break will be included automatically on the Keeping in Touch Scheme (Chapter 8 of this Volume).
- Career breaks are discretionary. Factors to be taken into account when considering an application include:
- whether there is a reasonable prospect of a post being available at the end of the career break (see paragraph 20);
- a satisfactory performance record - i.e. a box 3 or above in the most recent appraisal report;
- a satisfactory attendance and health record.
- Staff who apply for a career break must:
- have completed 12 months' service;
- have satisfactorily completed their probationary period;
- state an intention to return to the Department.
- An application for a career break should be made on the form provided at Appendix 1. Applications should be made as early as possible and preferably two months before the proposed start date. Staff should give a detailed explanation of the reasons for requesting a career break, together with the date they intend to return to work.
- A career break may not commence until maternity/adoption leave entitlement has expired.
- Area staff should send completed application forms to their Area Business Manager (ABM) via line management. Applications from HQ staff should be sent through their Head of Directorate to the Employee Management Unit in Corporate HR Services. In such cases, the Head of Directorate will recommend whether the application should be approved or refused.
- ABMs/Corporate HR Services will consider each application on its merits, but the overriding needs of the Department will be paramount. It may be necessary to seek further information or discuss alternative ways of combining career and domestic responsibilities - e.g. part-time working.
- Where an applicant indicates at the outset their wish to return to work in a different Area, the existing Area should liaise with the proposed Area who in turn will decide whether a career break may be granted. Where, whilst on a career break, a member of staff moves home to another Area, the Area granting the career break retains responsibility for that individual. If the member of staff wishes to return to work in the Area in which they now live, they must apply for a transfer. The application should be sent to the Area which granted the career break and the procedures set out in Volume 3 Chapter 7 will apply.
- Once approval has been given, the member of staff will be issued with a minute detailing the main terms and conditions which apply to, and during, a career break (Appendix 2). Areas/HQ Directorates, as appropriate, should make arrangements to transfer staff to the central staffing pool in accordance with procedures set out in Chapter 7 of this Volume.
- A career break, as with any period of special leave without pay, does not amount to termination of employment. Accordingly, the Department is under an obligation to deploy the returning employee.
- Staff should keep in touch with the ABM/HQ Directorate and notify them of any change that might affect their plans to return to work.
- The ABM/HQ Directorate should maintain contact with staff on a career break, as an integral part of the Keeping in Touch Scheme, to discuss issues such as the appropriateness and availability of short periods of work and any necessary training and development needs.
- Where a member of staff moves during the course of their career break, they must notify the ABM/Corporate HR Services for HQ staff of the new address.
- Staff who fail to keep in touch with the Department, and attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful, will be notified in writing to their last known address that their appointment will be terminated on the expiry of their career break. Staff who fail to return to work at the end of the agreed career break period will be notified in writing, to their last known address, that the Department will instigate proceedings to terminate employment.
- Authorities for terminating appointments are set out in Volume 2 Chapter 4 Appendix 12.
- Staff who wish to take up outside employment during a career break must first obtain approval from the ABM/Corporate HR Services. The employment sought must be unrelated to the applicant's work in the department. A P45 will be issued if requested.
- Staff who wish to return to work earlier than expected must give at least 3 months' notice in writing. No guarantees will be given that the Department will be able to accommodate them but the ABM/HQ Directorate will keep them informed of any developments.
- Staff returning to work retain the level (and pay band) held prior to the career break and will be placed on the equivalent position within the pay range to that which they were on at the time the break commenced. They will also return to the same conditioned hours as worked previously. However, there can be no guarantee of a return to a post at the same level/pay band - or a particular location. Staff posted to a different location on their return to work will not be eligible for financial assistance from the Department unless the posting is necessitated by organisational change - e.g. the office in which they previously worked has closed - and would have qualified for financial assistance had the individual concerned not been on a career break.
- Staff who have not agreed any variation in hours at the beginning of their career break do not have an automatic right to work different hours on return. However, any application to work part-time will be considered in accordance with Chapter 10 of this Volume.
Introduction
Eligibility
Procedure
Responsibilities of management and staff
Returning to work
Back to Staff absence and welfare, including annual, special and sickness leave index
