The Difference Between a Fixed Term Contract (FTC) and Secondment
Fixed Term Contract (FTC)
Secondment
Definition:
A FTC will end on a specific date and can be used to cover a
particular project or task. This may be to assist during a busy
period or to cover for someone on a period of
leave/secondment.
A secondment is when an existing member of staff is temporarily
assigned to work in a different role at the University or even at
another organisation. At the end of the secondment the member
of staff returns to their substantive role, which will be held open
for them.
Applicable to:
UoB employees and external candidates.
UoB employees only.
There is no minimum length of contract, however it is normally
no longer than a 4 year period.
A secondment usually lasts between six months to a year. Any
extension will require the consent of all parties to the
secondment. Where the substantive department is unable to
support an extension but the secondee wishes to continue
working in the receiving department, a FTC may be offered.
Please note that at this point the secondee is relinquishing their
right to return to the substantive post and would be accepting
the new terms of employment.
Duration:
FTC’s should be restricted to situations where their use can be
objectively justified and must fall within one of the following
situations:
-
When they could
be used:
-
-
Where the post requires specialist expertise or recent
experience not available in the institution in the short
term
To cover for staff absence as appropriate (parental
leave / long-term sickness/ secondments) – note that
redundancy is unlikely to apply in these cases as the job
is still continuing following the end of the FTC
To provide a career development opportunity
To respond to uncertainty in student or other business
demand
Where there is no reasonable foreseeable prospect of
short-term funding being renewed /becoming available
-
The career development of a particular employee
The chance for an employee to gain some new skills or
gain some further experience
Providing staff with the chance to work on short term
projects
Providing potential cover for short/long term absences
The Difference Between a Fixed Term Contract (FTC) and Secondment
One of the key benefits of hiring an employee on a FTC is that:
- The hiring managers will be able to bring them in as and
when they are needed, for example to assist with a
project
- Employers can benefit from the specific skills the
employee has without the cost of a longer-term
commitment
- It can be used as a trial period for a new initiative
A secondment opportunity can enable employees to:
- Enhance or develop skills and their understanding of
particular areas of work that are relevant to their current
or future role
- Prepare for future opportunities for promotion
- Obtain new skills and add an extra dimension to their CV
- Gain a wider outlook in different parts of the University
- Access new opportunities and experiences that they
wouldn’t get within their current role
- Transfer the expertise gained from their secondment
back to their substantive role
Secondment opportunities are also beneficial to the University
as:
- They may help develop valuable relationships between
departments/budget centres
- They can be used as an alternative option of employment
to avoid redundancy
- They can maintain career progression for employees
- They will be seen to be encouraging the development of
skills and experience, therefore will create a supportive
environment
- They may boost the morale, motivation and retention of
the workforce.
- They can be a good method of succession planning
The employee will need to be consulted with at an early stage
with a view to exploring opportunities within the university for
redeployment. If further funding or redeployment is not
feasible then the end of the FTC will be classed and treated as a
dismissal.
At the end of a secondment the employee will return to their
previous role, which will be held open for them. Their continuous
service will not be affected throughout this period.
Where the substantive role is confirmed as redundant during the
secondment, the employee may remain in the seconded role on a
fixed term basis until the end of the secondment. The University
will then seek to redeploy the secondee in the usual way.
Benefits:
Process at the end
of the contract
period:
Further
information:


Policy (insert link)
Procedure (insert link)


Secondments factsheet (insert link)
Guidelines (insert link)