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The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust

Employment Policies and Procedures

Staff Leaving the Trust or Moving within the Trust Procedure

Version No.: 5.6

Effective Date: 13 December 2017

Expiry Date: 31 August 2018

Date ratified: 13 December 2017

Ratified by: Employment Policies & Procedures Consultative Group

1 Introduction

This procedure sets out the actions required by staff, managers and the Human Resources Department. 2 Scope This procedure applies to all leaver situations, including voluntary resignation; end of temporary/fixed term contract; retirement; ill health; dismissal; redundancy and staff moving to another post within the Trust. 3 Aims The key purposes of this procedure are:

To avoid overpayments

Ensure a leaver’s pay and other matters are finalised before their leaving date

To provide an opportunity to monitor and review staff turnover

To provide an opportunity to allow staff to have an exit interview and/or complete an exit questionnaire

4 Duties and Responsibilities 4.1 The Executive Team is accountable to the Trust Board for ensuring Trust-wide

compliance with policy/procedure. 4.2 Directorate Managers and Heads of Service are responsible to the Executive

Team for ensuring policy/procedure implementation. 4.3 Managers are responsible for ensuring policy/procedure implementation and

compliance in their area(s). 4.4 All employees are responsible for complying with this procedure. 4.5 Staff are responsible for ensuring they fulfil their duties as outlined in this

policy, for example, ensuring the adequate amount of notice is given for resignations, completing and returning an exit questionnaire and ensuring all property is returned, as required.

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5 Procedure for Leaving the Trust or Moving within the Trust

5.1 Leaving the Trust

5.1.1 STAFF

a) Staff who resign from their post must give notice in accordance with their contract of employment. Usually, once notice is given, an employee

cannot rescind/withdraw it – the Trust is under no obligation to accept a request to rescind/withdraw notice. However where this request could be accommodated, the manager should always seek

advice from the HR Department before making any decision.

b) The resignation should include the following:

Date of leaving and proposed last working day

Reason for leaving

Destination on leaving

Forwarding address

Whether or not they have subscribed to any salary sacrifice scheme

Whether or not they have a Contract Business Lease Car arrangement

Whether or not they have a car parking permit

Whether or not they have received any other benefit from the Trust in the last two years (e.g. funded study leave, relocation expenses).

Whether they want the opportunity of an Exit Interview

An example resignation letter is available in Appendix 2 should staff wish to use it. It is useful for the Trust to have this information for monitoring and for future workforce planning.

c) After April 2018, payslips and P60s will be available electronically on the

electronic staff record (ESR). Leavers of the Trust will not have access to this system and must therefore download all payslips and P60s prior to their date of leaving.

5.1.2 MANAGER

a) The manager must:

Forward the employee’s resignation letter to the HR Department immediately on receipt.

Provide the HR Department with a completed Leaver Checklist no later than 6 weeks prior to the leaving date. This should be emailed (with title: Leavers full name, assignment number, directorate,

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termination date) to: ‘Human Resources – Leavers’. (Note: Send only one checklist per email)

Ensure the employee is advised to contact the Staff Benefits team on Ext: 20735 to arrange return or final payment of any outstanding salary sacrifice if applicable. Failure to do so will result in the Trust pursuing the outstanding debt and may also incur an admin fee.

Arrange with the employee when they should return any Trust property/equipment such as: computer equipment; keys; ID Badge (manager to destroy); uniform; mobile/Dect telephone; pager; lease car. If the employee has a separate NHS Care Records Service Smartcard and they are remaining in NHS employment, the card should be retained by them. If they are leaving the NHS completely the Smartcard should be destroyed.

Offer the individual an exit interview. This can be held with the manager, or if preferred, the HR Department.

Ask the employee to complete and return a confidential exit questionnaire.

Remind NMC registered staff to ensure they have retained evidence of their practice hours and CPD to enable them to evidence (in their new employment) 450 practice hours within their revalidation period. Further details on evidence for revalidation that staff may require can be found here or within the Professional Registration Policy.

Make arrangements for retaining knowledge from the employee. This can include identifying a list of key contacts, relevant emails or paperwork, useful resources, regular meetings the individual attends, ensuring Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are in place for any key work undertaken by the individual and arranging any training sessions/1:1s with other staff.

Ensure that employees leaving the Trust are aware of their on-going responsibilities regarding confidentiality upon leaving the Trust.

5.1.3 HR DEPARTMENT

a) On receipt of the email notification and Leavers Checklist, the HR

Department will:

Place a copy of the email notification and Leavers Checklist on the employee’s personal file

Take appropriate action to terminate the employee on ESR for payroll purposes

Complete the termination section of the leaver checklist and send to Payroll, notifying of any annual leave outstanding/overtaken and other payments due or to be recovered

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Acknowledge to the employee receipt of their resignation/termination and send them an exit questionnaire to complete.

Offer the employee the opportunity of an exit interview if they wish, either with a member of HR or with the employee’s manager

Run a monthly Leavers report which is sent to departments to update their records (the report includes deaths in service) – see Appendix 1

Notify UK Visas and Immigration of the resignation/termination of any employee which the Trust has sponsored to work.

As soon as the termination is actioned on ESR, an automatic electronic workflow notification is generated and sent for information to Staff Benefits and the Education and Training Department (see Appendix 1).

5.2 Moving within the Trust (Staff who are recruited to a new position within the Trust)

5.2.1 STAFF

Staff should submit a letter in line with 5.1.1(b) above

5.2.2 MANAGER

a) The manager must:

Forward the employee’s resignation letter to the HR Department immediately upon receipt of the letter.

Offer the individual an exit interview. This can be held with the manager, or if preferred, the HR Department

Request the individual to complete a confidential exit questionnaire.

Ensure that the annual leave entitlement accrued before the date of move is taken in full before the change is effected in accordance with section 8.2 of the Trust’s Annual Leave Policy.

Make arrangements for retaining knowledge from the employee. This can include identifying a list of key contacts, useful resources, regular meetings the individual attends, ensuring SOPs are in place for any key work undertaken by the individual and arranging any training sessions/1 to 1s with other staff.

5.2.3 HR DEPARTMENT a) On receipt of the resignation letter, the HR Department will:

Place a copy of the resignation letter on the employee’s personal file

Liaise with Staff Benefits, if appropriate, to ensure any salary sacrifice arrangements are still valid and current.

Acknowledge to the employee receipt of their resignation and send them an exit questionnaire to complete.

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Offer the employee the opportunity of an exit interview if they wish, either with a member of HR or with the employee’s manager

6 Death in Service 6.1 A death in service should be notified immediately to the HR Department. 6.2 The HR Department will:

a) Record the death in ESR b) Contact Payroll to stop pay and establish any final pay and/or pension

entitlement c) Arrange for a letter of condolence to be sent out d) Handle the process for releasing any final pay and pension entitlement in

conjunction with Payroll and the next of kin 7 Training Key changes to policies and procedures will be communicated to managers. Training will be provided upon request by the HR Department. 8 Equality and Diversity The Trust is committed to ensuring that, as far as is reasonably practicable, the way we provide services to the public and the way we treat our staff reflects their individual needs and does not unlawfully discriminate against individuals or groups on any grounds. This procedure has been properly assessed. 9 Monitoring Compliance with the Procedure

Standard/ Process/ Issue

Monitoring and Audit

Method By Committee Frequency

Monitor overpayments

Review of overpayments provide in monthly electronic report by Payroll

Head of Human Resource Services

Payroll/Finance/HR meeting

Monthly

10 Consultation and review of this policy This procedure has been reviewed in consultation with the Employment Policies and Procedures Consultative Group

11 Implementation of the policy (including raising awareness) A summary of the key changes will be notified to managers following implementation. Further advice and guidance will be available from the Human Resource Department.

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12 Additional documents

Annual Leave and General Public Holidays Policy

Notice Periods Policy

Professional Registration Policy 13 References

NMC How to revalidate booklet

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Appendix 1

Notification of Leavers

Department Reason

Communicated

via

Financial

Management

Information for audit purposes ESR report

Staff Social Club Gym membership/SMILE lottery ESR report

Hotel Services Uniform/locker/accommodation

purposes

ESR report

Library Library membership ESR report

Occupational Health Update staff records ESR report

Portering Winpak/PAT Systems ESR report

Radiology PACS ESR report

Radiology Radiology Protection ESR Report

Trust Secretary Foundation membership ESR report

UNISON TU membership ESR report

Staff Benefits Salary sacrifice ESR notification

Education and

Training

Funded study leave ESR notification

Staff Engagement Ensure appropriate

storage/archiving of Leaver’s HR

files

ESR report (on

request)

Estates Transport ESR notification

& ESR report

Blood Sciences Pathology Computing system ESR report

Information Services Clinical systems e.g. eRecord ESR report

Medical Physics Medical Devices ESR report

Staff Bank Staff Bank system ESR report

Patient Services Distribution lists (senior nurses only) ESR report

Medicines

Management

Systems Manager

Chemocare and JAC (pharmacy stock control system) accounts.

ESR report

** notification for car parking purposes is through the ESR notifications

functionality

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Appendix 2

Draft resignation letter for employees who are leaving the Trust or Moving within the Trust

[Your Name]

[Address] [Today’s Date] [Name of Manager] [Address of Manager] This letter is to formally tender my resignation as [Job Title], effective from [effective date of leaving]. This is in accordance with the [period of time] period agreed at my time of employment. My last working day will be [date of last working day]. My reason for leaving is [please detail your reasons for leaving]. (If applicable): I have been offered and have accepted a position with [name of company]. OR I have been offered and have accepted a position within the Trust as [Job title, Directorate, Department]. My last working day in the department will be [date of last working day]. My reason for leaving is [please detail your reasons for leaving]. I would/would not (delete as appropriate) like to request an exit interview with (delete as appropriate) yourself/ a representative from the Human Resources Department. I confirm that I have completed/will complete and returned/will return the confidential exit questionnaire. Tick all that apply

I have a salary sacrifice arrangement (please define) □ _________________

I have a contract business car lease arrangement □

I have been granted funded study leave in the last two years □

I have been in receipt of relocation expenses in the last two years □

I have a car parking permit □

Yours sincerely [Name] [Job title]

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Equality Analysis Form A

This form must be completed and attached to any procedural document when submitted to the appropriate committee for consideration and approval.

PART 1 1. Assessment Date: 2. Name of policy / strategy / service:

Staff Leaving the Trust

3. Name and designation of Author:

Karen Pearce, Senior HR Manager (projects)

4. Names & designations of those involved in the impact analysis screening process:

Natalie Barkwill, HR Manager (Projects)

5. Is this a: Policy X Strategy Service

Is this: New Revised X

Who is affected Employees X Service Users Wider Community

6. What are the main aims, objectives of the policy, strategy, or service and the intended outcomes? (These can be cut and pasted from your policy)

The key purposes of this procedure are:

To avoid overpayments

Ensure a leaver’s pay and other matters are finalised before their leaving date

To provide an opportunity to monitor and review staff turnover

To provide an opportunity to allow staff to have an exit interview and complete and exit questionnaire

7. Does this policy, strategy, or service have any equality implications? Yes No X

4/2/2015

If No, state reasons and the information used to make this decision, please refer to paragraph 2.3 of the Equality Analysis Guidance before providing reasons:

See below

8. Summary of evidence related to protected characteristics Protected Characteristic Evidence, i.e. What evidence do you have

that the Trust is meeting the needs of people in various protected Groups

Does evidence/engagement highlight areas of direct or indirect discrimination? If yes describe steps to be taken to address (by whom, completion date and review date)

Does the evidence highlight any areas to advance opportunities or foster good relations. If yes what steps will be taken? (by whom, completion date and review date)

Race / Ethnic origin (including gypsies and travellers)

The policy is clear that it does not discriminate on the grounds of race/ethnic origin, sex, religion and belief, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership or maternity/pregnancy. Workforce data does not show any evidence of discimination

No

Sex (male/ female) As above No

Religion and Belief As above No

Sexual orientation including lesbian, gay and bisexual people

As above No

Age As above No

Disability – learning difficulties, physical disability, sensory impairment and mental health. Consider the needs of carers in this section

As above No

Gender Re-assignment As above No

Marriage and Civil Partnership As above No

Maternity / Pregnancy As above No

9. Are there any gaps in the evidence outlined above? If ‘yes’ how will these be rectified?

No

10. Engagement has taken place with people who have protected characteristics and will continue through the Equality Delivery

System and the Equality Diversity and Human Rights Group. Please note you may require further engagement in respect of any significant changes to policies, new developments and or changes to service delivery. In such circumstances please contact the Equality and Diversity Lead or the Involvement and Equalities Officer.

Do you require further engagement? Yes No X

11. Could the policy, strategy or service have a negative impact on human rights? (E.g. the right to respect for private and family life, the right to a fair hearing and the right to education?

No

PART 2 Name:

Natalie Barkwill

Date of completion:

4/2/2015

(If any reader of this procedural document identifies a potential discriminatory impact that has not been identified, please refer to the Policy Author identified above, together with any suggestions for action required to avoid/reduce the impact.)