Example Secondment Guidelines

When thinking about what I'd like to find out through my research for the scholarship, the first thing that popped into my head was "how do other libraries offer secondments?" My conference paper discusses how Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Library: http://www.library.qut.edu.au/ offers secondments, but I think each library may do it in a different way. I know some libraries don't offer secondments at all as they may belong to a small organisation in which there is no scope for secondments.

Anyway, during my research for my conference paper, I decided it was necessary to discuss QULOC's (Qld University Libraries Office of Co-Operation) Inter-Organisational program of which secondments are a part of. Below is the QULOC Guiding Principles for Secondments:


QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES OFFICE OF CO-OPERATION (QULOC)
GUIDING PRICIPLES FOR SECONDMENTS

Staff who have been employed by their home institution for a minimum of 12 months are eligible to apply. Secondments will normally be of six months duration, but may vary from a minimum of three months to a maximum of twelve months.
Payment Arrangements

· Staff members will formally be on secondment to the institution in which they are placed (the host institution) but shall continue to receive their salary and other benefits from their employing institution (the home institution).

As a general principle, the secondee should not suffer any less favourable conditions of employment than at his/her home library.

If conditions of employment vary markedly between the home and host institutions, it might in exceptional circumstances be more desirable for a secondee to be granted leave without pay from his/her home library and engaged as a fixed-term employee by the host institution. However this would be envisaged as a rare solution to meet extra-ordinary circumstances.

· Staff shall continue to accrue leave entitlements, salary increments and all other benefits from their home institution whilst on secondment. Recreation leave may be applied for while on secondment, and it is expected that recreation leave accrued during the secondment will be taken before it terminates. Where possible, prospective secondees shall disclose on their application what leave they intend to request during the period of the secondment. All leave (recreation, sick, special) shall be approved by the home and host institutions.

· It is important that both home and host libraries, and the secondees, be quite clear what arrangements will apply in relation to weekend or evening work, particularly in relation to hours of work and the remuneration and allowances payable for such shift work, etc. The general rule is that the conditions applicable to the home library obtain, along with the appropriate allowances for them; but clearly some flexibility and compromise will be required in specific cases of difference. It is important that any inconsistencies be discovered before appointments are taken up, and agreement reached on their solution then.

· Home institutions will continue to make salary payments and to invoice host institutions (including overhead costs) quarterly.
Reviews

· It is anticipated that both the home and host institutions will review secondment placings and the effect thereof in accordance with their normal procedures.

· Secondees will be subject to the normal review processes of the host institution.

· Should it develop that continuation of a secondment is considered undesirable, by either the home or host institution, its termination should be negotiated between the two institutions. Secondees should be given two weeks notice of the termination of their secondment.


Staff Secondment Agreement

1. The secondment is according to the general principles of the QULOC Staff Secondment Agreement (Attached).

2. The period of secondment will be from (date) until (date) unless otherwise negotiated by the Libraries.

3. (name) remains an employee of (home institution), and will work under (home institution) conditions of appointment, except where variations are agreed upon by both institutions.

4. (name) will continue to be paid at her/his current salary of $0000.00 per fortnight until (date) when her/his increment to $0000.00 is due.

5. (Host institution) will reimburse (home institution) for salary and normal on-costs and shift allowances on a quarterly basis.

6. (name) will send her/his time sheets to (home institution) every fortnight after initialling from (host institution) supervisor.

7. Applications for recreation leave, sick leave etc. during the secondment should be submitted to (home institution), signed by the (host institution) supervisor.

8. X days recreation leave accrued by (name) during the period of the secondment should be taken during the secondment.

9. X days sick leave will be billable to the (host institution). Should there be more, it will be not be charged to the (host institution)

10. Costs of any training and staff development support during the secondment will be borne by the (host institution), unless otherwise agreed by (home institution).

http://www.quloc.org.au/ - click on the drop down menu beside "About QULOC" and select "Documents" and you will find further information about the QULOC Inter-Organisational Program.

If you know that your library has guidelines for offering secondments, can you please contact me. I would love to be able to obtain a copy but understand that some of these arrangements stay behind closed doors or don't even have any written guidelines which are followed. My contact details can be found here: http://alia.org.au/~suthmann/