Recruitment Policy

July 2012

Ofqual/12/5204

Recruitment Policy

Ofqual 2012 1

Contents

Policy statement ......................................................................................................... 2

1. Purpose ............................................................................................................... 2

2. Scope .................................................................................................................. 2

3. Key principles ...................................................................................................... 2

Accountability ............................................................................................................. 4

4. Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 4

5. Review ................................................................................................................ 5

Overview of the recruitment and selection process .................................................... 6

Recruitment procedures ............................................................................................. 6

Stage 1: Identifying a job opportunity and getting approval to recruit ...................... 7

Stage 2: Promoting job opportunities ...................................................................... 8

Stage 3: Sifting arrangements (longlisting and shortlisting) .................................... 9

Stage 4: Interviewing arrangements ..................................................................... 11

Stage 5: Offer and pre-employment ...................................................................... 14

Specific situations ..................................................................................................... 16

1. Reappointment and reinstatement .................................................................... 16

2. Exceptions to selection via open and fair competition ....................................... 16

3. Secondments .................................................................................................... 17

4. Appointment of temporary staff (agency workers, consultants or

contractors/temps) ................................................................................................ 19

5. Relationship to other policies and procedures .................................................. 20

6. Complaints procedure ....................................................................................... 20

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Ofqual 2012 2

Policy statement

The success of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) is

dependent on ensuring that we have people with the right balance of skills and

experience to help us shape and deliver our business objectives. Attracting and

recruiting the right people requires an understanding of our current and future

business needs, an understanding of the key requirements to carry out each job and

an ability to make decisions based on merit.

Our recruitment policy will help us to build a high-performing and flexible workforce of

people who take personal responsibility for the jobs they do, provide challenge,

support colleagues, and who will enhance our reputation.

This recruitment policy and these procedures comply with current employment

legislation, the Civil Service Management Code, the Civil Service Commission and

the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice. This

policy is also underpinned by our commitment to equality and diversity.

Unless otherwise indicated in your contract of employment, this policy and these

procedures do not form part of your contract of employment and may be amended

from time to time, or adapted to the particular circumstances prevailing at the time.

1. Purpose

The purpose of the recruitment policy is to provide a clear framework for an effective,

efficient and fair approach to recruitment and selection for all jobs (internal, external,

permanent or temporary) in order to recruit highly capable people for each available

job within a reasonable timescale.

2. Scope

The recruitment policy applies to all appointments (internal and external). It does not

cover contractors engaged under a contract for services; they are dealt with via the

procurement team.

3. Key principles

No recruitment will take place without authorisation from the Chief Executive or

another member of the Executive Board authorised by the Chief Executive.

The recruitment and selection process is appropriate and fit for purpose.

Job opportunities will be publicised internally and externally, as appropriate.

Prospective applicants will be given equal and reasonable access to adequate

information about the job and its requirements, and the selection process.

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All stages of the selection process (shortlisting/testing/interviews) will be based

on relevant, objective and impartial criteria applied consistently to all

candidates.

The appointment process will be fair and applied consistently in an open and

transparent way that is well documented.

Appointments will usually be based on fair and open competition and merit, and

any exemptions will be in exceptional circumstances and in line with those

provided for by the Civil Service Commission.

Current staff who have been displaced and are at risk of redundancy will be

given an opportunity to be considered for any suitable vacancy before it is

advertised beyond us.

No employee, potential employee or applicant will be unlawfully disadvantaged

on one or more of the following ‘protected characteristics’: sex; race; disability;

marriage and civil partnership; sexual orientation; religion or belief; pregnancy

and maternity; gender reassignment; age; and for Northern Ireland: political

opinion; people with dependents; and marital status.

Where it is appropriate to do so, we may offer encouragement to any under-

represented groups to apply.

All staff involved in recruitment and selection activities will have received

training and be given reasonable support to assist them in following the

procedures.

A selection panel for recruiting an Ofqual employee will usually comprise three

people, one of whom will usually be a member of human resources (HR). In the

case of a short-term agency worker there will be a minimum of two panel

members.

Feedback to unsuccessful candidates will be provided on request.

All candidates will be vetted prior to commencing employment, and all

appointments will be conditional on a satisfactory result being obtained. The

level of vetting required may be reduced for internal applicants.

All disabled applicants who request it will receive a guaranteed interview if they

meet the minimum criteria for an advertised post.

Reasonable adjustments will be put in place to assist any applicant who has a

disability to participate fully in the recruitment and selection procedures.

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Accountability

The key areas of accountability for managers and HR generally, within the context of

this recruitment policy, are as follows:

Managers:

Own and lead recruitment and selection exercises and the outcomes, including

drafting initial job descriptions and person specifications, shortlisting,

interviewing and providing feedback

Maintain strict confidentiality around the process

Ensure that any questions asked of applicants are not in any way discriminatory

or unnecessarily intrusive

Maintain an awareness that encouragement or support offered to particular

candidates may lead to perceptions of favoritism or bias

Attend required recruitment and selection training and subsequent refresher

courses to maintain and develop skill levels

Must base their decisions, at each stage of the process, on available evidence

only.

Human resources:

Provide advice and guidance to managers on all aspects of recruitment and

selection

Promote all job opportunities in a timely way to attract a suitably diverse field of

candidates

Provide administrative support at all stages of the recruitment and selection

process

Carry out shortlisting and attend interviews, as required

Review and monitor the application of the policy and procedures.

4. Monitoring

The Head of HR is responsible for the confidential monitoring of the application of

this policy. Monitoring will also include looking at information that will help us to

assess the policy’s impact for equality purposes.

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HR will maintain records of all recruitment campaigns, including any correspondence

and outcomes and any subsequent developments.

All records processed or collected in relation to recruitment exercises will be kept

confidential and in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act

1998. They will be used solely for the purposes of monitoring the effectiveness of the

recruitment and selection process, and for the purposes set out in paragraph 6 of this

policy.

All recruitment data will be retained for two years.

5. Review

This policy will be kept under review and will be formally reviewed every three years.

Any changes to the policy or procedures may be made sooner for legal compliance,

where factual clarification is required or changes to operational practices take place.

The next review will take place on or before 1st April 2015 or as soon as possible

thereafter.

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Overview of the recruitment and selection process

Identify vacancy Following assessment of current and future needs

Gain authorisation to recruit Complete recruitment requisition form

Agree details of recruitment campaign with HR Timetable

Design/review/update job description and produce person specification

Advertise Internally/Civil Service job portal and/or externally (where approval has been given)

Shortlist Consider guaranteed interview scheme applicants

Identify vacancy ree

shortlist

HR log all applications received and update monitoring information

No appointment made Make conditional job offer

Interview/test candidates Assess against specification Rank in order of merit

HR update candidates and records Invites/regret letters Update E&D information

HR update candidates and records Regret letters Update equality and diversity information

Agree start date and issue contract

Employee vetting References Security

Given the time it can take to go through each of these steps, temporary staff may be sought to mitigate the consequential business and individual impacts that could otherwise arise. Temporary staff may be sought internally or through the Civil Service Jobs Portal or through agencies. Staff sourced through agencies are not employed by us, though they are required to comply with our policies and procedures.

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Recruitment procedures

Stage 1: Identifying a job opportunity and getting approval to recruit

1. Identifying a new job

A new job opportunity will usually arise as a result of the following: someone leaving

us; a long-term absence; an internal promotion or move; organisational growth; or

organisational change. This will present you with an important opportunity to take

stock of your existing team, your operational practices and your current and future

business and strategic objectives, before deciding whether or not you wish to recruit.

2. Job description and person specification

If you decide to recruit, you should, in conjunction with HR, review/prepare a new job

description that sets out the main duties and responsibilities of the post and a person

specification that lists essential and desirable criteria required for the role. The

person specification covers the following areas:

Qualifications and training

Knowledge and experience

Skills and abilities required for the role.

The person specification is critical to the whole process, as it will form a consistent

and appropriate basis for the recruitment and selection process. All staff/panel

members who are involved in the recruitment process should be aware that the

criteria listed in the person specification must be:

Relevant to the job

Fair and justifiable

Consistently applied

Clearly stated

Properly defined and expressed using appropriate terminology

Measurable at some stage of the recruitment process.

HR will provide advice to ensure that job descriptions and person specifications are

properly defined and expressed, use appropriate terminology and do not directly or

indirectly discriminate against any applicant.

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If you wish to discuss possible recruitment opportunities you should contact HR as

soon as possible so they can discuss the range of available options with you.

3. Recruitment requisition form

A recruitment requisition form must be completed for each request to recruit; this

includes permanent, fixed-term, agency, secondment or any other

appointment/engagement. Budget funds must be confirmed with Finance before the

form can be authorised by the relevant director and the Chief Executive. Authorised

forms should be sent to HR, who will contact you to discuss the proposed recruitment

and agree the recruitment plan, which sets out the agreed approach, timelines and

any special considerations. This recruitment plan forms the basis of the agreement

between the recruiting manager and HR or procurement (where the procurement

route is selected).

Stage 2: Promoting job opportunities

1. Advertising roles

1.1 The way in which job opportunities are promoted will depend upon the role being

filled. However, in any event, it must be done in a way that will attract a strong field of

applicants. Job opportunities may be advertised:

Within Ofqual only: Usually for temporary promotion, development and

secondment opportunities or to give our employees at risk of redundancy an

opportunity to be considered for a suitable alternative position before posts are

advertised more widely. Permanent posts may also be considered for Ofqual-

only recruitment on a case-by-case basis

Within Ofqual and across the wider Civil Service and to other government

departments using the Civil Service Jobs Portal: This is the most common

way to advertise permanent and fixed-term posts

Externally: The Chief Executive may approve recruiting externally, if internal

and Civil Service routes have not provided strong applicants.

1.2 Potential applicants will usually be given a minimum of two weeks to declare an

interest in a job opportunity. The exception to this will be for agency recruitment or for

short-term internal-only posts where there is an urgent requirement to fill.

1.3 HR will inform staff on maternity, paternity, adoption or parental leave of all new

job opportunities.

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2. Recruitment of temporary staff

Temporary staff may be recruited where:

There is an urgent need to fill a vacancy and resources cannot be found readily

internally

To fill a vacancy pending the appointment of a permanent or fixed-term

employee

To work on a specific project - usually small scale and ideally lasting less than

three months. Temporary staff are not our staff and are not paid through the

payroll.

Temporary staff may be recruited through agencies. Agencies will be selected in line

with our procurement procedures.

3. Use of executive search agencies

External search agencies may, if appropriate, be contracted to assist with a

recruitment campaign. Where this is the case, it will be authorised by the Chief

Executive or director. Any such agency will be selected in accordance with our

procurement procedures.

4. Applicant /candidate management

Application forms or expression of interest forms (for internal-only positions) will be

available online and will only be posted out to applicants in exceptional

circumstances. Applicants will be encouraged to submit their applications via email.

However, applications received by post, fax or by hand will still be accepted. HR will

acknowledge all applications received within 24 hours.

5. Late applications

It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that their applications are received by

HR before the specified closing date. Applications received after the specified closing

date will not usually be considered.

Stage 3: Sifting arrangements (longlisting and shortlisting)

1. Sifting panels

A sifting panel will usually:

Comprise a minimum of two managers (one of whom is the recruiting manager,

who will act as Chair) and a member of HR, who will oversee the sifting process

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Aim to be as diverse as possible with, at the very least, one person from each

gender group

Have received interview and selection training.

With the exception of the HR representative, the panel members must be at least one

grade higher than the post for which they are recruiting. Any exceptions to this must

be agreed by the Head of HR, who will record the reasons for the decision.

2. Multiple sifting panels

In cases where an advertisement is expected to generate/has generated a significant

number of applications, the Head of HR may authorise the use of multiple panels to

participate in sifting and interviewing. In these cases the Head of HR will oversee the

process to ensure consistency and the integrity of the recruitment and selection

process.

3. Sifting assessments and outcomes

3.1 HR will provide each panel member with a copy of each completed application

form and an individual sift record shortly after the closing date for a job. Panel

members will not be given access to any equality monitoring information. However,

HR will advise the panel of any candidates who have applied through the Guaranteed

Interview Scheme.

3.2 Each panel member will be expected to complete a confidential assessment of

each applicant on an Individual Sift Record, based on the selection criteria taken

from the person specification. The candidate will need to have provided evidence to

demonstrate competence for each selection criterion. The following rating system will

be used:

5 = very good – well above acceptable standard

4 = good – above acceptable standard

3 = acceptable standard

2 = below acceptable standard

1 = well below acceptable standard

4. Essential and desirable criteria

Candidates must be assessed in the first instance against essential criteria. If too

many candidates appear to meet the essential criteria, an assessment of desirable

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criteria can be used to determine which candidates move through to the next stage of

the selection process.

5. Outcomes

The score in each area will determine the shortlist.

Key points:

Panel members who have a personal relationship, for example partner or close

personal friend, with an applicant must declare this at the outset and may be

excluded from participating in the selection process.

The panel members will meet to discuss their individual assessments and agree

upon a final joint shortlist rating that ranks each candidate in order of merit.

The final shortlist individual panel shortlist record form must be signed off by the

Chair.

The individual panel shortlist record and copies of application forms will be

collected by HR.

HR will notify all applicants of the outcome.

Stage 4: Interviewing arrangements

1. Conducting interviews

The Chair of the interview panel is responsible for ensuring that the interviews are

conducted professionally, fairly and in line with this policy and these procedures.

2. Interview pack

HR will supply a recruitment interview pack to include:

Guidance on how to prepare for and conduct interviews

Copies of the individual candidate interview score sheet

The final interview record Form (completed by the panel’s Chair)

Management guidance on how to score candidates.

3. Interview preparation

Prior to the interview/s the panel members need to prepare a checklist of

competency based questions, which will test the degree to which the short-listed

candidates can meet the criteria outlined in the person specification.

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Panel members should agree which subject areas they will each concentrate on.

However, this need not be rigid: other panel members may contribute outside their

own subject areas.

The interview panel should plan questions around the person specification and the

job description. These questions should be consistent from one applicant to the next,

and interview panel members must take care not to use discriminatory language.

4. Invite to interview

HR will invite shortlisted candidates to an interview, usually giving at least one week’s

notice and providing any relevant additional information about the selection process.

This timescale may be varied for internal-only positions, where there is an urgent

need to fill the post. If a candidate is unable to attend an interview, the recruiting

manager may consider whether it is possible to agree an alternative date/time. If it is

not possible to reschedule, the candidate will be informed.

All candidates must attend an interview in order to be considered for a job role.

5. Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to equal opportunities, any applicant who requests to be

considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme and who meets the minimum

selection criteria will be guaranteed progression to the first stage of the selection

process. Depending on the process, the first stage could be an interview or a

practical test (or other assessment exercise), or both.

6. Selection testing and evaluation

6.1 Depending on the nature of the role, the recruiting manager may decide to use a

method of candidate assessment in addition to the panel interview. Forms of testing

or evaluation may include in-tray exercises, psychometric tests (verbal reasoning,

numerical reasoning, cognitive ability tests and/or personality profiles) or assessment

centres.

Recruiting managers who wish to use tests should discuss this in the first instance

with HR, who will advise on what might be appropriate.

7. Interview assessments

7.1 Panel members are expected to take suitable notes during each interview that

will assist them with the completion of their individual assessment score at the end of

the interview. Panel members must not discuss individual candidates between

interviews but must wait until after all the interviews have taken place.

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7.2 In cases where a large number of candidates are to be interviewed over more

than one day, the panel members may discuss candidates at the end of each day of

interviewing.

7.3 For the Interview Score Sheet, candidates will be scored against each criterion

using a five-point rating scale. The purpose of this is to score candidates for each

criterion that the questions have covered. Ratings are as follows:

5 = very good – well above acceptable standard

4 = good – above acceptable standard

3 = acceptable standard

2 = below acceptable standard

1 = well below acceptable standard

7.4 After the final candidate has been assessed, the panel members will discuss their

individual scores and agree a final score for each candidate, who must then be

ranked in order of merit. Each candidate should be discussed in turn, with clear

discussion regarding suitability for the position in relation to each selection criterion.

Where there are significant differences in evidence and the scores awarded, further

discussion will be undertaken to achieve consensus. The Chair will complete the

Final Interview Record together with an agreed commentary for each candidate. The

panel will provide clear evidence to demonstrate why each candidate received a

particular rating. These comments will be used for candidate feedback, so they will

need to be specific with detailed examples.

The final assessment should not just be based on reaching an overall score, but the

panel will need to look at each criterion rating to see whether there is a successful

mix of scores that would mean the candidate should be able to do the job.

The decision to select a candidate should be based on the actual information

available using the Interview Score Sheet and never on gut feelings. Such feelings

often arise from preconceived ideas or stereotyping, and should be recognised as

such.

The Chair of the panel is responsible for ensuring that a consensus is reached on the

selection decisions and that decisions are based upon the selection criteria and not

any other factors that are not relevant to the role.

7.5 The Chair of the panel will complete the final interview record for each candidate,

which lists each criterion assessed and its agreed panel score. The panel will then

discuss and agree the final assessment. The assessment ratings are:

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A - excellent

B - acceptable

C - marginal

D - poor

Guidance on assessing each candidate for these ratings is provided as part of the

interview pack. Details are as follows:

EXCELLENT ACCEPTABLE

If the candidate has achieved:

A maximum score of 5 or 4 in all

the criteria assessed

A score of 4 in all the essential

criteria and at least a score of 3 in

the desirable criteria.

If the candidate has achieved:

A minimum score of 3 in all the

criteria assessed.

MARGINAL POOR

If the candidate has achieved:

Scores of at least 3 or above with

one score of 2, which must be in

the desirable criteria.

If the candidate has achieved:

A score of 2 or below in any of the

criteria assessed.

A rating of excellent or acceptable would indicate that the candidate is appointable to

the post.

A rating of marginal would indicate that the candidate has some development needs

in relation to the post.

A rating of poor would indicate that the candidate is unappointable to the role.

The HR representative will collect all individual scores and comments and the final

agreed comments. These will be stored confidentially on the recruitment file for two

years.

Stage 5: Offer and pre-employment

1. Communicating the outcome

1.1 The successful candidate will usually be contacted by telephone in the first

instance and advised of the recruitment outcome. If the candidate is still interested in

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taking up the appointment, HR will confirm the details of the conditional offer in

writing.

In the event that the preferred candidate does not accept an offer, the job can be

offered to the other appointable candidates in merit order.

1.2 In cases where a large number of staff are to be recruited, it may not be practical

to wait until the end of interviews and offer jobs in a strict merit order. In such cases

the candidates to be offered appointments first must be towards the top of the likely

merit list. Those candidates who are likely to be further down the list will have to wait

until the end of the process before an offer can be made.

2. Starting salaries

New appointees will usually be offered salaries in line with the pay and grading policy

in operation at the time. This will usually be the starting point of the salary band

unless the post was advertised at or with the possibility of a higher starting point.

In exceptional cases, and on submission of a written justification, the Director of

Corporate and Business Services or the Chief Executive may approve a starting

salary above the minimum starting point, having due regard to issues of equal pay.

Examples of factors to be considered include existing salary, market rates and

business needs.

3. Baseline security checks

HR will carry out baseline personnel security checks on every new appointee. These

checks include identity, employment history, nationality and immigration status, and

unspent criminal records. A prospective employee who fails a baseline security check

will be informed and any offer of employment will be withdrawn.

4. References

HR will take up employment references for all new appointees, covering up to three

years of employment (depending whether the appointee is internal or external),

before they take up their new position or commence employment with us. After the

interview, references will be shared with the recruiting manager, who will decide

whether they are satisfactory. HR will provide advice on any issues of concern arising

from a reference. Where concerns remain unresolved, an offer of employment may

be withdrawn.

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Specific situations

1. Reappointment and reinstatement

Reappointment is a return to the Civil Service following a break in service of no more

than five years at the same level/grade as that which you held when you originally

resigned.

Reinstatement is a return to the Civil Service on any other terms.

There is no automatic right to either reinstatement or reappointment, and any

decision will take into account current business needs and the extent to which the

applicant meets the selection criteria. Any decision will be taken by the relevant

director as advised by the Head of HR.

Key points:

The candidate must have been originally recruited to the Civil Service on merit

through fair and open competition in accordance with the rules set out by the

Civil Service Commission.

The candidate must not have been dismissed for inefficiency (poor performance

or attendance) or misconduct.

If the candidate was previously retired on medical grounds, any reappointment

must be supported by our occupational health service provider.

The candidate must not have previously taken early retirement and given an

undertaking not to seek re-employment or reinstatement.

2. Exceptions to selection via open and fair competition

Recruitment will usually be by fair and open competition to select the best person for

the job, and to demonstrate transparency and openness and avoid perceptions of

favouritism or partiality. The Civil Service Commission provides for exceptions to this

in certain cases:

Short-term appointments up to a maximum of two years. Any proposals to

extend such appointments will require the approval of the Civil Service

Commission

For the appointment of individuals with highly specialised skills and experience

on a one-off job for up to two years. This is on the basis that a competitive

exercise would, in this case, be merely a formality. Any proposals to extend an

appointment beyond two years will require the approval of the Civil Service

Commission

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External secondments for up to a maximum of two years to facilitate

interchange between us and other employers. Any proposals to extend a

secondment beyond the two years or to convert it to a permanent appointment

without fair and open competition will require the approval of the Civil Service

Commission.

All exceptions have to be approved by the Chief Executive; advice should be sought

from HR.

3. Secondments

3.1 A distinction needs to be drawn between the formal secondments covered here

and informal cross-Ofqual project work and temporary support cover. There are

typically three types of formal secondment:

Internal secondments

They are used in cases where you work temporarily in another of our directorates or

departments with a view to returning to your substantive post at the end of the period.

In these cases HR will confirm the secondment arrangements by letter, which will act

as a temporary variation to your contract of employment.

External (outgoing loans and secondments)

They are used in cases where you are based in another Civil Service department

(loans) or exceptionally with an external organisation for a defined period with a view

to returning to your substantive post at the end of the period. During an external

secondment you will remain one of our employees and retain all your terms and

conditions of employment, including continuous service and existing payments and

pension arrangements. A secondment agreement will be put in place with the host

organisation that sets out the detailed arrangements, including financial

arrangements. If you are seconded to an organisation outside the Civil Service you

will continue to be a Civil Servant and the codes of conduct and standards of

behaviour, including information, will continue to apply to you.

External (incoming secondments)

They are used when individuals come to work with us from another organisation for a

defined period and maintain their contract of employment with their substantive

employer. At the end of the period, individuals return to their employer. The

individuals will not be eligible to receive the same terms and conditions of service as

our employees. A secondment agreement that includes financial arrangements must

be signed by the individual concerned, the individual’s employer and our receiving

director.

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3.2 If you wish to advertise a post on a secondment basis, the procedure to be

followed will be in line with the recruitment procedure for any other appointment.

3.3 If you wish to apply for a secondment opportunity you should discuss this in the

first instance with your line manager. This differs from the usual practice in

recruitment, because you will be expecting to return to your substantive post. Whilst

there is no obligation on your line manager to agree to your secondment, it is

expected that proper consideration is given to any request, particularly where such

an opportunity would help to meet a stated development opportunity or an employee

is at risk of redundancy. If your line manager does not support your request they

must explain the reasons for the refusal, which may include: your departure at this

time would have a significant impact on your current work priorities and the team; or

there are concerns about your ability to undertake the secondment successfully.

Key points:

A secondment may be on a part-time basis, for example one day a week to

work on a particular project.

A secondment opportunity may be for any length of time between three months

and two years.

There is no automatic right for a secondee to be appointed into a post on a

permanent basis, should the post become permanent.

Where the internal secondment is a promotion opportunity, you will be paid at

the minimum point of the salary scale for the new role.

There is no salary protection for secondment opportunities at a lower grade

than your substantive post. On return to your substantive post, your original

salary will be reinstated.

The secondment may be terminated at any time by either party, giving the

appropriate notice (as per the secondment agreement).

In the event that the substantive post becomes redundant following a period of

organisational change, the secondee may be at risk of redundancy and will

have the opportunity to be considered for suitable alternative posts in line with

the redeployment and redundancy policy.

Managers must release employees as soon as it is reasonably practicable or in

any event within eight weeks to take up secondment opportunities.

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4. Appointment of temporary staff (agency workers, consultants or contractors/temps)

4.1 Temporary staff are typically used where:

There is an urgent need to fill a vacancy and resources cannot be readily found

internally

To fill a vacancy pending the appointment of a permanent or fixed-term

employee

To work on a specific project - usually small scale and usually lasting less than

three months.

If appointed through an agency, temporary staff are not employed by us and are not

paid through the payroll.

4.2 If you wish to recruit temporary staff, you must complete a recruitment requisition

form as set out in stage 1, paragraph 3 above. On receipt of this, HR will progress

the appointment either directly with an agency or, if appropriate, pass the request to

the procurement team.

4.3 Key points:

Temporary staff must be assessed against the person specification in

accordance with stage 1, paragraph 2 above.

The minimum recruitment panel must consist of the recruiting manager and a

representative from HR.

References must be provided by the agency, together with any information on

any reasonable adjustments we may need to make in order for the worker to

undertake the role.

HR will ensure that baseline security checks are completed, wherever possible,

prior to any start date. This may delay an appointment, so recruiting managers

are advised to identify resource requirements as soon as possible.

4.4 If you wish to extend a temporary appointment, this must be approved in advance

by a director in good time to ensure continuity of the assignment.

4.5 An agency worker who has completed 12 weeks’ continuous service with us

becomes entitled to receive the same pay and benefits as our employees in a similar

role. HR must be consulted for all recruitments that could last more than three

months.

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5. Relationship to other policies and procedures

5.1 The recruitment procedures are linked to our other policies. Therefore, decisions

that are made during the process must be considered by reference to other policies,

which currently include:

Equality and Diversity Policy

Pay and Grading Policy

Redeployment and Redundancy Policy

Security Policy

Civil Service Management Code

Grievance Policy

6. Complaints procedure

6.1 Internal procedure

All applicants have the right to raise a complaint against a recruitment decision

regardless of whether they are one of our employees, provided they have taken part

in one of our recruitment campaigns.

All complaints must be sent in writing to the Head of HR, clearly setting out the

reason for the complaint and providing any evidence to support the reason for the

complaint.

For internal employees, the matter may be investigated using the grievance

procedure and/or disciplinary procedure.

For external applicants, the Head of HR may appoint a manager to investigate

the complaint, which may include reviewing all relevant documentation,

interviewing the panel and inviting the complainant to attend one or more

meetings/telephone conversations. The purpose of a meeting will be for

applicants to present their case, and/or clarify information, and/or discuss the

decision. An external applicant may be accompanied at any meeting by a friend

or relative but not by an individual acting in a professional legal capacity.

The manager dealing with the complaint will confirm the decision in writing, and the

decision will be final. Where a complaint is upheld, any action taken to address the

matter will depend on the circumstances of the case. In most cases the recruitment

campaign in question will have closed and we will not be in a position to offer

employment (or a change in post for internal applicants) for the complainant.

Recruitment Policy

Ofqual 2012 21

6.2 External procedure - Civil Service Commission

Any applicant who remains dissatisfied, after having exhausted the internal

complaints procedure as set out in section 6.1 above, may complain to the Civil

Service Commission that the requirement of appointment on merit on the basis of fair

and open competition and that the Commission’s recruitment principles have not

been met.

Complaints must be lodged within 12 months of the recruitment, although the

Commission will, in exceptional circumstances, consider complaints lodged out of

time. Further information can be found on the Commission’s website:

www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

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First published by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation in 2012

© Crown copyright 2012

You may re-use this publication (not including logos) free of charge in any format or

medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

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Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU; or email:

psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

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