Chapter 6 - Career breaks
Appendix 2 - Model minute - Approving a career break
CAREER BREAK
- Your application for a career break of [ ]months/years has been approved and, subject to your acceptance of the terms and conditions referred to or summarised below, your career break will begin on (date).
- The terms and conditions of your career break are:
- Maternity/adoption Leave
- Performance Appraisal Reports
- Performance related pay - Effects of sick absence and special leave
- Performance pay - Effects of maternity/adoption leave
- Superannuation
- your pension rights accrued up to the point at which your career break begins are preserved;
- you will add to these accrued pension rights on return.
- Sickness absence
- Annual leave
- Promotion/progression
- Additional Housing Cost Allowance (AHCA) - now replaced by DHCA
- Differential Housing Cost Allowance (DHCA)
- Mobility
- Outside employment
- Personal details
- Return to work
- Redundancy
- Acceptance
Staff on career breaks are not eligible for paid maternity/adoption leave.
Employees who serve a minimum of 6 months in an appraisal year prior to, or on return from, a career break are eligible for a performance appraisal report completed under the standard arrangements.
All staff must have attended work for at least 3 months during the relevant reporting period in order to be eligible for an award. The performance award will be paid on a pro-rata basis. This will be calculated according to the sum of the length of the period of paid and unpaid maternity/adoption leave, sick absence, special paid leave and special unpaid leave for periods of less than 12 months during the reporting period.
If the period of attendance is too short to provide a realistic and objective assessment of performance (normally less than 6 months or 182 days), the mark from the previous reporting period may be used to inform the performance award.
Where an individual does not have 3 months' attendance in a main appraisal cycle (with exception of maternity/adoption leave absence) they will not be eligible for an award following that appraisal period. The sum of the actual attendance, paid and unpaid maternity/adoption leave, sick absence, special paid leave and special unpaid leave for periods of less than 12 months during the reporting period will be carried forward for amalgamation with attendance, paid and unpaid maternity/adoption leave, sick absence, special paid leave and special unpaid leave of less than 12 months in the subsequent main or mid-cycle reporting period. The individual will qualify for eligibility for an award in that period.
Any period of special unpaid leave or unpaid maternity/adoption leave/career break beyond the statutory entitlement of employees taking maternity/adoption leave will not be reckonable for eligibility for performance awards. On return from a career break, or period of unpaid special leave exceeding 12 months, an individual's basic pay will be adjusted, where necessary, to provide re-entry at an equivalent point within the pay band to that reached before the absence commenced.
Staff commencing a period of maternity/adoption leave do not require the 3 months' (90 days) qualifying attendance during the relevant reporting period. This effectively means that once a period of maternity/adoption leave starts, all paid maternity/adoption leave will count towards actual attendance. When the individual goes on to no pay, the absence will be treated in the same way as other absences not exceeding 12 months.
On return from maternity/adoption leave and unpaid special leave and/or career break exceeding 12 months, the individual's basic pay will be adjusted, where necessary, to provide re-entry at an equivalent point within the pay band to that reached before the absence commenced. Any entitlement to performance related pay will then be assessed and basic pay increased as appropriate.
Career breaks neither qualify nor reckon for pension purposes. However, if you have at least 2 years' qualifying service:
Staff may also improve their pension rights on return by making additional voluntary contributions. Staff with less than 2 years' qualifying service are advised to consult the Payroll and Allowances Unit about their pension entitlements.
Career breaks do not count towards re-qualifying for paid sickness absence under the '1 year in 4' rule. The maximum amount of paid absence allowed is 12 months in any period of 4 years. If you have exhausted this maximum paid sickness absence before commencing your career break you will have to re-qualify on return to work.
Career breaks do not count as qualifying for a higher annual leave allowance, but qualifying years served before a career break are added to those served on return.
Staff on career breaks are eligible to be considered for promotion/progression.
AHCA is not paid during a career break. Payments are resumed on return at the point which would have been reached had payment continued.
A proportion of DHCA may need to be repaid to the Department depending on the length of the career break. This is assessed on an individual basis.
Staff on career breaks who are in levels/pay bands with a mobility requirement continue to be considered as mobile during the period of absence. Where an office is relocating, staff who are on a career break will be consulted about their preferences in the same way as all other staff.
Should you wish to take up outside employment during the period of your career break, you must first obtain the approval of your Area Business Manager (ABM/Corporate HR Services for HQ staff and the work must be unrelated to your employment in the Department. Your P45 will be issued if a request is made for it.
If your personal circumstances (e.g. address) change during your career break, you must notify your ABM/Corporate HR Services for HQ staff as soon as possible.
If you wish to return earlier than the date agreed you must give at least 3 months' notice in writing. No guarantee is given that the Department will be able to place you before the agreed date. You should note that when you return it may not be possible for you to return to your present job or even in the office in which you are currently working, although all available options will be considered and discussed.
Staff who are on a career break and who are made redundant, either voluntarily or compulsorily, will receive compensation based on their pensionable pay before the start of their career break and calculated in the same way as for staff in post.
If you are willing to accept a career break on the basis of the terms contained or referred to above please sign and return this minute to me as quickly as possible. A further copy is attached for your retention.
Signature ........................................................
Name (please print) ........................................
Date ................................................................
