HR Retirement and Reengagement
Version 1.0
Last amended: 15/07/12
Retirement, Flexible Retirement & Late Career Planning Procedure
1. Introduction
With the removal of the statutory retirement age and changes in USS pension arrangements
(flexible retirement) the University faces significant challenges in proactively workforce
planning. With this in mind it is critical that managers have regular career discussions with
their staff which may include departmental and employee’s future plans in the short, medium
and long-term, including plans relating to retirement. Such discussions will not prejudice the
employee’s future employment or the perception of the employee’s commitment to the
University.
The University is committed to supporting its employees throughout their working lives and
assisting them with the transition to retirement. Employees are encouraged to discuss their
intentions relating to retirement with their manager as early as possible to allow for succession
planning and effective impact analysis on workforce plans.
This document serves to inform the potential options available to staff and managers when
considering late career planning and provides guidance on the wider considerations needed
when making appropriate decisions.
The University offers support for staff considering or embarking upon retirement, including pre
retirement courses.
The University values the diversity of its people and is committed to promoting equal
opportunities and eliminating discrimination. Therefore managers should apply this guidance
fairly, and, in doing so ensure that there is no discrimination on the grounds of gender, race,
disability, age, religious or political belief, sexual orientation, trade union membership/activity
or marital status.
2. Impact of the Abolition of the Default Retirement Age
Legislative changes removing the default retirement age from 1 October 2011 means that the
University will no longer be operating a mandatory retirement age policy.
As a result, any specified contractual retirement arrangements will not be automatically
applied and employees will not be given notice of retirement by the University even if their
contract refers to specific retirement arrangements being in place.
In implementing this change there is an expectation that all staff regardless of age fulfil their
contractual obligations, perform to the high standards set by the University within its
performance management processes and continue to meet the full requirement of the role.
In order to support the management of all staff the University provides the following processes
and tools:

Personal Development and Performance Review (PDPR)

workload allocation models

staff development and training

management information through the MI Hub
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3. Retirement options
Employees considering retirement resignation or flexible retirement options are encouraged to
discuss their plans with their line manager as early as possible.
The flowchart in Appendix 1 summarises the options.
a) Taking full retirement
Employees who decide to resign (retire) should provide his/her line manager with formal,
written notification of their intentions, giving the minimum correct period of notice following
the normal resignation guidelines. The contract of employment will provide details of the
required notice period.
The manager or appropriate delegate should arrange to meet with the employee to discuss
arrangements for retirement including any succession and handover plans.
If the employee is in a pension scheme they should note that it can take up to three months
for pension payments to be processed. As such it is advised that an employee provides as
much notice as possible in order to avoid possible delays in the pension payment.
b) Flexible Retirement
Changes to the USS pension scheme (1st October 2011), enable active USS members to apply
to the University for permission to flexibly retire. Flexible retirement allows the member to
draw a proportion of their pension and tax-free cash benefits and to continue working at
reduced hours and salary.
Note: currently other pension schemes do not allow for flexible retirement options, however
they do allow for staff to leave the University when they reach pensionable age and rejoin
making additional contributions into a new pension pot whilst receiving their full pension
entitlement from their previous period of employment.
i) Flexible retirement process and guidance
Employees who wish to be considered for flexible retirement are required to make a formal
request through the flexible retirement application form (Appendix 2) detailing the desire to
reduce working hours based on flexible retirement.
A request to flexibly retire is not a statutory flexible working request and therefore there is no
legal obligation for the University to consider it. In addition, although the USS pension scheme
permits flexible retirement, the University is not obliged to agree to such requests made by
employees.
All requests should be for no less that 0.2 FTE to ensure qualification for REF and in compliance
with USS flexible retirement rules.
The request will normally only be considered for employees continuing in their existing role
and capacity (other than hours).
A request from an individual wishing to flexibly retire in a different role or reduced capacity
(other than hours) e.g. in a teaching only or research only role, requests will, in the main be
rejected. Where, as an exception, this is considered and agreed this would need to be in line
with the School/Department’s requirements. The member of staff should be made aware that
salary paid after agreeing such an arrangement would reflect the level of pay received by
others undertaking and delivering similar roles. Staff should be made aware of this as part of
the process in reviewing requests for flexible retirement and the manager should also
encourage the member of staff to contact the pension provider to ensure that there is no
detrimental or unexpected impact on their pension.
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A maximum of two flexible retirement requests can be agreed before full retirement of the
member of staff, in line with USS rules.
If the manager can accommodate the request and is supportive, a business case should be
submitted to the appropriate Head of School, Dean, Pro Vice Chancellor and Director of HR
using the appropriate business case template, Appendices 3a and 3b.
For academic staff, (Appendix 3a), the business case should consider and give details
relating to:

impact on research outputs;

impact on grant income;

impact on delivery of specialist teaching;

financial position of School and/or cost to accommodate change;

request in context of School strategy;

longer term plan including succession planning and how the University will manage
with the individual fulfilling their role on reduced hours as well as a succession plan
once the member of staff requests full retirement.

the risk of not accepting the request - should they fully retire rather than remain on
their current terms and conditions?

any other relevant consideration.
For non-academic roles, (Appendix 3b) the business case should consider and give details
relating to:

University strategic importance;

impact on delivery;

business continuity risk;

longer term plan including succession planning and how the University will manage
with the individual completing their role on reduced hours as well as a succession
plan once the member of staff requests full retirement.

risk of not accepting the request -should they fully retire rather than remain on their
current terms and conditions?

any other relevant consideration.
Supported cases will be submitted to Management Board by the Pro Vice Chancellor for final
approval. Only full and complete cases following the standard template will be considered.
All requests agreed will result in a contractual change to the hours of work as per the agreed
outcome of the request and consistent with USS guidance.
4. Full Retirement and Reengagement
In exceptional circumstances it may be in the University’s interests to reengage a member of
staff post full retirement. Such requests for reengagement can only be made by a manager
and University, not the individual.
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Management requests can be made for any staff group. However, it is anticipated that only
academic staff requests would meet the requirements of a full business case based on impact
on funding and business continuity, unless the support role is of vital strategic importance or is
related to the short term retention of critical skills.
All requests should be for no less that 0.2 FTE to ensure qualification for REF and taking into
consideration long term value and continued contribution to the University.
All requests should be on a fixed term contract for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum
of 24 months, subject to annual review against the original business case and clearly state the
expected deliverables required from the appointment in line with performance management
principles.
Requests will normally only be considered for individuals continuing in their existing position
and capacity, other than hours.
Where the case is for an individual returning in a different position or reduced capacity, other
than hours, the FTE salary will be reduced from their salary on retirement to reflect this
change e.g. returning in a teaching or research only role they will be paid at the same rate as
other staff undertaking and delivering similar roles.
Management requests should be made via the standard business case template and submitted
to the appropriate Head of School, Dean, Pro Vice Chancellor and Director of HR, see Appendix
3. The case should consider and include details as per Section 3 above.
Supported cases will be submitted to Management Board by the Pro Vice Chancellor for final
approval. Only full and complete cases following the standard template will be accepted.
Any appointment made would be subject to a minimum of one month break in service.
a) Exceptional scenarios for very short managerial request for reengagement
post full retirement
Where a manager identifies a specific short term need for reengaging a retired member of staff
e.g. completing a specific/specialised piece of work, which is likely to be completed in less than
one month time frame within a given year (less than 0.1 FTE) cases can be submitted in very
exceptional circumstances for review by the Pro Vice Chancellor and the HR Director.
The case should consider and give details relating to:

why this specific need is required;

why it cannot be delivered by existing resource or more appropriate resource;

any other relevant consideration;

Information must be provided detailing the immediate succession plan as to not
perpetuate the need and how the University will manage without the member of
staff after completion of the specific piece of work.
Agreement to such cases will only be made in exceptional circumstances and it would be
expected that a request relating to a single individual would not be made more than once.
This type of work would be delivered through a casual contract and payment of work should be
based on the daily rate of the appropriate job family level that the work determines and not
based on the old salary prior to retirement.
Any appointment made would be subject to a minimum of 1 month break in service.
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Appendix 1
Appendix 1
Retirement /Resignation Options
Retirement/Resignation Options
Flexible Retirement
Full Retirement &
Re-Engagement
Individual completes
flexible working
application form
Manager assesses need
for re-engagement
Full Retirement
Request from employee
via resignation process
(Link to HR site)
(Link to HR site)
Manager reviews request
Manager completes
Business Case via
standard template
Submit to Head of
School, Dean, PVC and
HRD
Send to Management
Board for approval
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Appendix 2
Flexible Retirement Application Form
I would like to apply for flexible retirement
Changes to the USS pension scheme enable active members to apply to the University for
permission to retire flexibly. Flexible retirement allows members to draw a proportion of
their pension and tax free cash benefits but to continue working at reduced hours and
salary.
1. Personal Details
Name:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Job title:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Job Family and Level:……………………………………………………………………………………………………
School/Department: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2a. Describe your current role, capacity and working pattern:
2b. Please confirm whether your existing position and capacity will continue and
describe the working pattern you would like to work in future: (you may continue
on a separate sheet if necessary). All requests should be for no less than 0.2 FTE per
annum.
2c. I would like this working pattern to commence from (date):
(Please be aware that it can take up to 3 months for pension payments to be processed.)
3. Impact of the new working pattern
I think this change in my working pattern will affect the school/Department and colleagues
as follows:
4. Have you previously applied for flexible retirement?............
If yes on how many occasions?...............
(A maximum of two flexible retirement requests may be considered before full retirement
in line with USS rules.)
5. Accommodating the new working pattern/other suggestions made
I think the effect on the University and my colleagues can be dealt with as follows:
6. Declaration
I understand that if this request is accepted this will involve a permanent change to my
terms and conditions of employment and will affect my pension and there is no right to
revert back to the previous working pattern.
Name: …………………………………………………………………… Date: ………………………………………
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Appendix 3a
Business case template for Retirement Reengagement and Flexible Retirement
requests for Academic roles
The key to any case should focus on there being a benefit to the University of the request
being granted against objective criteria as follows: the research outputs, grant income,
School’s financial position, the request in the context of the School Strategy and any other
relevant consideration.
1. Personal Details
Name:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Job title:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Job Family and Level:……………………………………………………………………………………………………
School/Department: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Research Outputs
Grant Income
Delivery of Specialist Teaching
Financial Position of School/Cost of Post
See attached spreadsheet for completion in
conjunction with Finance
Request in context of School Strategy
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Longer term plan including succession
planning and how the University will manage
with the individual fulfilling their role on
reduced hours as well as a succession plan
once the member of staff requests full
retirement.
The risk of not accepting the request - should
they fully retire rather than remain on their
current terms and conditions?
Any other relevant consideration
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Appendix 3b
Business case template for Retirement Reengagement and Flexible Retirement
requests for Non- Academic roles
The key to any case should focus on there being a benefit to the University of the request
being granted against objective criteria as follows: University strategic importance, impact on
delivery and business continuity risk.
1. Personal Details
Name:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Job title:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Job Family and Level:……………………………………………………………………………………………………
School/Department: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
University strategic importance
Impact on delivery
Business continuity risk
Financial Position of School/Cost of Post
See attached spreadsheet, Appendix 3, for
completion in conjunction with Finance
Longer term plan including succession
planning and how the University will manage
with the individual completing their role on
reduced hours as well as a succession plan
once the member of staff requests full
retirement.
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The risk of not accepting the request - should
they fully retire rather than remain on their
current terms and conditions?
Any other relevant consideration
Appendix 4
Financial template to support Business case
Financial Case
template.xlsx
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