Secondments to external bodies may be considered on an individual basis and can offer advantages both to the individual and Falkirk Council. It is important for you to consider any secondment request in conjunction with the requirement to ensure continuation of a high standard of service delivery and any consequential recruitment costs.

Secondments are at your discretion, as the employee's manager, and is not an automatic entitlement. A request can be declined if you feel that this will have an adverse impact on service delivery. You should consult with your Chief Officer/Head of Service before confirming a decision to second the employee. Any applicant should therefore seek agreement prior to applying for any post and this should be detailed in their application.

During the period of the secondment the employee will report to the 'host’ manager (receiving manager) rather than their ‘original’ manager.

If you are the ‘original’ manager of the employee and you have agreed to release the employee, you are also responsible for ensuring that you keep in contact with them, including keeping them updated on any changes within their team. This would include any review or restructuring which could potentially affect the secondee’s substantive post, and they should be included in any consultation exercise.

If you have an employee who has approached you to ask if they can apply for a seconded post, and after consideration you have decided you cannot accommodate this, you must confirm this to the employee explaining your decision. If the employee opts to accept the offer, then you require to explain that they would require to resign from their post if taking up appointment. Their appointment would be treated as a temporary appointment and, once the period of secondment comes to an end, they would therefore have no right to return to their post or to the council.

The terms of agreement and the aims and objectives of secondments to external organisations must be agreed between Falkirk Council and the receiving organisation.

The secondment objectives agreed should consider the personal development needs of the secondee and the needs of both Falkirk Council and the receiving organisation. It is essential that all parties are clear about their obligations, expectations, accountabilities and performance objectives. A sample agreement is attached as appendix 1.

Any external secondment agreement should be discussed and agreed in consultation with Human Resources and Governance, particularly where organisations have their own secondment agreements.

During the period of secondment, the "host" organisation will be responsible for all costs associated with the secondee's salary and other employment costs.

Any individual seconded externally to other organisations will continue to remain an employee of Falkirk Council and will receive the salary of their seconded post, any costs and expenses, subject to normal tax, pension and NI deductions, from Falkirk Council. Falkirk Council will then invoice the host organisation on a monthly or quarterly basis for reimbursement of all costs incurred. It is your responsibility to ensure, in consultation with Finance, that the appropriate administrative procedures are in place for re-charging. The time spent on secondment with an external organisation will count towards the calculation of continuous service and, where applicable, reckonable service with Falkirk Council.

Secondees may be required to sign a confidentiality agreement with the receiving organisation, which protects the misuse of information considered to be of a sensitive or confidential nature.

In normal circumstances the employee will return to their substantive post at the end of the agreed period. If there is the possibility of an extension to the secondment, you should make it clear at the outset that there is no commitment or guarantee that it will be considered. Any request for an extension must be made a minimum of 3 months prior to the date of expiry. If you are unable to accommodate the request, then you should seek advice from Human Resources. Consideration must be given to the backfill arrangements and whether this is able to continue alongside the secondment, particularly in respect of employment rights relating to any temporary backfill.

If the secondee wishes to end their secondment early then you should try and accommodate this, however you are not obliged to agree. If this can be accommodated, the appropriate notice, or a minimum of four weeks' notice, must be given.

If the host manager requires to end the secondment before the end date, the appropriate notice, or a minimum of four weeks’ notice, must be given.

The employee will be entitled to return to their substantive post or equivalent.

It is recognised that an employee may find any return difficult therefore a few weeks prior to the end of the secondment you should meet with your employee to make arrangements for their re-introduction to their own or, where relevant, an alternate- post. It is, however, also good practice to keep in touch with your employee whilst they are on secondment. On an employee's return to their substantive post or equivalent, you should ensure that they are included in any consultation process should there be any re-structuring within your team. Dependent on the length of the secondment, re-training and/or induction may be required.