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Procedure #NP413.0 Secondments

The Board supports staff members who seek opportunities for secondment. This procedure outlines the process associated with approving secondment opportunities to outside organizations for staff members.

1. Responsibilities

1.1 The Director of Education shall:

1. allocate staff and resources to support the Secondments procedure; and

2. authorize secondment agreements reviewed by Human Resource Services and Finance Services.

1.2 Coordinating Council of Superintendents (CCS) shall:

1. consider the following factors when making decisions on secondment requests;

   • system impact,

   • compliance with the timeline provisions outlined in the Secondments procedure;

   • the full reimbursement of salary, benefits and other related costs by the seconding organization; and

   • the duration of the secondment; and

   • review all secondments annually.

1.3 The Chief Financial Officer shall:

1. ensure all secondment requests and financial calculations have been approved by the appropriate Finance Services staff members.

1.4 Superintendent, Human Resources shall:

1. review all secondment requests and ensure the Chief Financial Officer and any other impacted senior staff members are aware of secondment requests; and

2. bring secondment requests to Coordinating Council of Superintendents for consideration.

1.5 Superintendents, Principals and Managers shall:

• consider secondment requests submitted as a Long Term Leave Request at various stages of the approval process, where applicable;

• forward all secondment requests and/or agreements received from the Ontario Ministry of Education to Human Resource Services for processing;

• ensure the position held by the staff member is filled in accordance with applicable Board policies, procedures and collective agreements;

• provide a position to returning staff members for which they are qualified in the same school or department, if such a position is available;

• ensure that the usage of sick and vacation days by seconded staff members is reported to Human Resource and Payroll Services, as required; and

• ensure the appropriate staff appointment or change form is completed three months prior to the return date and sent to Human Resource Services.

1.6 Human Resource Services shall:

1. for each secondment request;

   • provide guidance to staff members,

   • assist staff members in completing the required documentation,

   • work with Finance Services to obtain costing on salary, benefits and other related costs,

   • forward all completed documentation and recommendations to the Superintendent, Human Resources for review and presentation to the Coordinating Council of Superintendents,

   • communicate Coordinating Council of Superintendents’ decision to appropriate staff member and supervisor(s),

   • obtain, review and finalize the secondment agreement,

   • prepare communication letters to the seconded staff member and the seconding organization,

   • submit the final secondment agreement and supporting documents to Director’s Services for signature by the Director of Education,

   • when applicable, send,

     • an approval letter to the staff member,

     • a copy of the approval letter to the staff member’s supervisor(s), Finance Services and the seconding organization,

     • a letter explaining the benefits, sick leave plan and vacation reporting to the staff member and his/her supervisor(s),

     • three original copies of the secondment agreement, signed by the Director of Education, to the seconding organization for signature by the staff member and the seconding organization, with a request to issue a copy signed by all parties to the staff member and return one copy signed by all parties to Human Resource Services,

     • the approximate salary, benefits and other related costs to the seconding organization,

     • a copy of the final, signed secondment agreement to Finance Services,

   • administer the salary, benefits, pension, sick leave and the return to work process, and

   • ensure Ministry of Education reporting requirements are met.

1.7 Finance Services shall:

1. provide Human Resource Services with salary, benefits and other related costs for staff members on secondment;

2. review the secondment agreement for financial implications before it is sent to the Director of Education for signature; and

3. invoice the seconding organization for the cost of salary, benefits and other related costs, at agreed intervals, as outlined in the secondment agreement.

1.8 Payroll Services shall:

1. process pay and related payroll transactions.

1.9 Staff members shall:

1. discuss the secondment opportunity with the appropriate associate director, superintendent, principal, manager or supervisor before applying for the position;

2. ensure the seconding organization is willing to reimburse the Board for their full salary, benefits and any other related costs for the duration of the secondment;

3. if there is a shortfall between the actual Board’s cost of secondment and the amount the seconding organization has agreed to reimburse, the Board will not be responsible for covering the difference;

4. provide details of the secondment opportunity to the appropriate associate director, superintendent, principal, manager or supervisor and Human Resource Services before a secondment opportunity has been finalized;

5. in order to minimize system impact, plan for the upcoming school year and allow for internal review processes and approvals to be completed, Long Term Leave Request for a new secondment or extension of an existing secondment commencing September 1 must;

   • be submitted by March 1; or

   • be submitted after March 1 but no later than 90 days prior to September 1 outlining the extenuating circumstances for late submission;

6. understand that Long Term Leave Requests for secondment submitted after March 1 but less than 90 days before September 1 may not be approved;

7. understand that for school and/or program based staff, requests for secondments to commence after September 1 will not be approved;

8. follow-up with Human Resource Services with regard to the status of their Long Term Leave Request;

9. annually complete and submit a Long Term Leave Request for every year of a multi-year secondment in accordance with the timelines;

10. report the use of sick leave and vacation days to the appropriate supervisor, Human Resource and Payroll Services;

11. submit all appropriate forms to Human Resource Services by the identified deadline(s);

12. access Board email on a regular basis; and

13. communicate their intention to return to work to the appropriate associate director, superintendent, principal, manager or supervisor as follows;

    • by March 1 for return to work dates of September 1, or

    • at least 90 business days prior to the return to work dates that are not September 1.

2. Department

Human Resource Services Finance Services

3. Supporting Documents

Secondment Flowchart

Secondment Flowchart for Renewals

Estimated Financial Statement for Secondment Calculation Template

4. Procedure History

Approved January 2007

Working Document 2015

Revised October 2016