exit procedure

7/29/2019 Exit Procedure

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Employee exit procedure

This procedure applies to all employees leaving the OFT on a permanent basis

apart from those who have been dismissed after disciplinary action and agency

staff (temps). Any queries about the exit procedure should be addressed to the

HRSC.

If you are employed on a short term appointment lasting for six months or less,

are going on loan to another government department, or going on maternity

leave or another period of special leave, you will not normally be expected to

attend an exit interview, although you should complete the other forms

associated with leaving with your staff manager1.This will enable HR to process

the arrangements for your departure as effectively as possible. See also policieson maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, career break and special

leave.

Notification of intention to leave or resign

If you wish to leave the OFT, whether permanently or otherwise, you must

provide written notice to your staff manager. This is not intended to replace any

initial verbal notification, but it is required to confirm the decision.

If you are resigning from your employment you must give at least the amount of

contractual notice required by your contract of employment (one month for staff

up to and including SEO, three months for staff at Grade 7 and above). There is,

of course, no obligation for you to state the reasons for your resignation,

although it may be in your own interests, and those of the OFT, for you to do to

so.

Your staff manager must forward a copy of the letter of resignation to the HR

support centre, together with the completed leaver notification form, to ensure

commencement of leaver processes.

In the event that a shorter notice period is agreed your staff manager must

inform the HR support centre by telephone with subsequent written confirmation

within 2 working days. HRSC will then ensure that any payroll adjustments are

effected as soon as possible.

1 You or your manager should also complete the Staff leaver form on the intranet


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Exit interview procedure

The exit interview procedure is designed to enable the OFT to monitor the

reasons for people leaving the organisation, and the effectiveness of HR policies

and procedures in providing a good working environment. Information gathered

from exit interviews is provided to senior management on a quarterly basis,

analysed in such a way as to identify trends in staff turnover, highlighting any

areas of good practice or concern, whilst being non attributable to any particular

individual.

Once your leaving date has been confirmed, you should review the staff leaver

survey which can be found on the Intranet. Whether or not you decide to have a

one to one exit interview, you should complete the survey and return it to HR.

Exit Interviews may be conducted by your staff manager, your countersigning

manager, or one of the HR team. You have the option to decide who you would

like your interview to be with. The aim is to give you an opportunity to discuss

your experience of working for the OFT in a confidential and objective manner.

Whilst not compulsory, we would encourage everyone to take up the opportunity

to have a one to one exit interview. If you choose to have an exit interview with

HR this will be arranged once you have submitted your written resignation.

Feedback may be passed onto your staff manager with your agreement. If you

would prefer to have the exit interview with your staff manager or

countersigning manager, the arrangements for this will be left to the two parties.

Once the exit interview is complete, the interviewer will review all notes taken

with you, and you will both sign the form to indicate agreement that the

assessment and comments are an accurate reflection of the discussion. If the

interview has been with someone outside HR, it will be their responsibility to

return the form to HR.

Information obtained will also be used to compile regular reports to the OFT

Board summarising leaver information. Whilst we cannot guarantee that it will

not be possible to identify individuals in these reports, because of the numbers

involved, we will normally produce information on an anonymous basis.

If you do not wish to attend a formal exit Interview with HR, your staff manager

should nevertheless encourage you to complete the exit survey and send this

directly to the HRSC marked 'Restricted Personal'. In these circumstances, you


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should advise HR that you do not wish to attend an exit interview by indicating

this on the slip attached to the letter acknowledging your resignation.

Knowledge capture/handover

The staff manager should also make time to go through the leaver knowledge

capture checklist with the employee. This is intended to support the handover

and knowledge transfer process. The form does not need to be sent to HR, but

should be kept within the relevant team(s) for reference as required.

Conditions during the notice period

After you have submitted your resignation or other intention to leave to your

manager you are expected to co-operate with the sensible planning of handover

or work and planning of work schedules within your area/team, and

arrangements for you to take any outstanding annual leave entitlement.

Either party may request that the notice period be waived by mutual agreement.

If you subsequently wish to withdraw your resignation, this may only be done by

a written request. It will be up to your staff manager, budget holder and HR to

discuss and agree if this can be accepted. Once you have handed in your

resignation there is no guarantee that the OFT will agree to its withdrawal.

Payment In lieu of notice

The OFT may make payment in lieu of notice at its discretion. In this event the

date of termination of employment will be the last day worked. The payment will

take into account any salary due plus payments for outstanding annual leave,

less any monies due to the OFT for season ticket loans etc.

Return of OFT property

You are responsible for returning all equipment, tools, resources and materials

belonging to the OFT (including laptops, Blackberrys, corporate credit cards etc)

on or before your last day with the OFT. You must complete the checklist

confirming that this has been done, and it must be signed off by your staff


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manager and returned to HR on your final day at work. It is your responsibility to

ensure that the checklist is completed and returned, since payment of final

salary will be delayed until the signed off checklist is returned to HR.

Failure to return any OFT property, will entitle the OFT to withhold final payment

due to you until this has been done. If property is not returned within two weeks

of the leaving date the OFT will be entitled to deduct the cost of replacement

items from any monies due and payable to you. If this becomes necessary, you

will be advised that this is being done.

References

The OFT is committed to the provision of accurate and timely references for past

employees. As the wording used in any reference letter or reference request

form has to be carefully considered to avoid committing the OFT or the individual

referee to contractual obligations and the risk of personal litigation, all references

on behalf of the OFT must be given by HR. On no account should any person

outside the HR department give references either over the telephone or in writing

on behalf of the OFT. There is no restriction on individuals providing personal

references for colleagues, provided it is made clear that they are given on a

personal basis and are not being made on behalf of OFT, and they are not

written on official headed paper. A breach of this rule may lead to disciplinary

action.

Pension arrangements on leaving

If you leave with two years or more of reckonable service, you are entitled to a

preserved pension and lump sum, at age 60. If it is your intention to take up

further pensionable employment, it may be possible to transfer the benefits

accrued to the new pension scheme, provided it is approved for this purpose by

the Inland Revenue and a transfer value payment can be accepted. Further

details of what happens to your pension when you leave or resign are available

from the civil service pensions website at www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk

exit procedure

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