Sample secondment assignment policy

Note: This sample policy has been provided by Imagine Canada.

Purpose

Imagine Canada is committed to the values of Courage and Teamwork. The investment that Imagine Canada makes in partnership with employees in their continuing career development allows the organization to achieve maximum flexibility in meeting its current and future skills requirements. Imagine Canada is committed to creating and fostering an environment that facilitates and enhances the skills training and career development of its employees, in line with existing and anticipated business needs. To the extent practical, employees will be provided with opportunities so that they may maintain and develop their skills, adapt to changing workplace needs, and fulfill their employment and career/professional potential while working at Imagine Canada.

The goals of the Secondment Assignment Policy include:

• Enhancing employees’ careers through continual learning, expanded experiences, and exposure to other departments and/or workplaces.
• Improving the industry and knowledge of employees to further support the goals of Imagine Canada.
• Providing our departments and partner organizations with skilled expertise for short periods to complete projects and key initiatives, build relationships with other organizations, and gain exposure to diverse viewpoints.

Policy

Imagine Canada will support employee secondment to other departments or organizations to further careers, share industry knowledge, get exposure to other knowledge areas, use different skill sets, and partner with outside organizations, so long as the arrangement substantially aligns with the organization’s business goals and objectives.

To apply for a Secondment Assignment, employees must generally have at least 2 years experience at Imagine Canada, with acceptable performance.

Employees who would like to apply for a Secondment Assignment, must speak to their supervisor about the opportunity, including the work and the location.

Supervisors will work with the employee to determine:

• Will the assignment provide additional career experience not available in the employee’s current role?
• What is the operational impact of having the employee absent from Imagine Canada (if applicable)?
• What is known about the host organization; will this Secondment Assignment bring value and increase partnership for both the host and Imagine Canada?

Once reviewed, the Supervisor will present the assignment opportunity to the Impact Team for review. The Decision Squad, or delegate, will make the final approval.

Responsibilities

Leadership Council

The Leadership Council champions people so they can thrive, grow, develop and contribute to our collective success.

Impact Team & Decision Squad

The Impact Team will review secondment opportunities and provide guidance to the Decision Squad for approval.

Imagine Canada Supervisors (Home Manager)

• Supervisors support the growth and development of employees through cooperation with outside organizations during an employee’s secondment.
• Supervisors will seek approval from the Impact Team and Decision Squad on Secondment Assignments for their employees.
• It is the responsibility of the supervisor, in collaboration with the host manager and the employee, to ensure the secondment reflects the vision and values of Imagine Canada.
• The Home Manager is responsible for completing the employee’s performance review and managing any changes to pay.
• The Home Manager will initiate regular time to meet with the employee during the Secondment Assignment and provide any updates, important announcements, or other work-related information as needed.
• The Home Manager is also responsible for integrating the employee once they return from the Secondment Assignment.

Secondment Manager (Host Manager)

• The Host Manager will ensure the host organization provides clear direction on the secondment, updates the Home Manager on performance, and follows the employment and benefits provided to the Imagine Canada employee.
• The Host Manager will sign off the requirements of the secondment agreement.
• Any additional employment costs (eg. office space, computer, travel, etc.) will generally be the responsibility of the host organization.

Employees

• Once approved, seconded employees will work under the direction of the Host Manager, and stay updated with their Home Manager.
• While working on secondment, the employee is expected to remain committed to the vision and values of Imagine Canada, including a commitment to the Code of Conduct.
• If the employee is unsure about a particular part of this policy while they are on or off a Secondment Assignment, they should contact their Home Manager.

Definitions

Secondment

A period of work when an employee reports to or is under the direction of a business or organization outside Imagine Canada for longer than a 2-week period.

Host Manager

The person to whom the Imagine Canada employee reports during the secondment.

Host Organization

The company or organization in which the Imagine Canada employee works during the secondment period.

Home Manager

The employee’s current manager at Imagine Canada.

Home Organization

This refers to Imagine Canada, or any of its offices.

Secondment Agreement

The agreement signed by the employee, Home Manager and Host Manager outlining the terms of the secondment.

Questions

Identify the person or position employees can approach if they have questions.

References

Reference any other policies, documents, or legislation that support the interpretation of this policy.

Effective Date

Indicate the date the policy came into effect and the date of any revisions.

Review Date

Indicate the date the policy is due to be reviewed. This will vary based upon the policy.

Approval

Indicate who approved the policy and the date of approval (for example, the board, the human resources policy committee, the executive director).

Disclaimer

Important: This document is an example of a policy for a small to medium-size nonprofit organization operating in Canada. While certain assumptions have been made in the creation of this policy, it is your responsibility to adapt, modify, and customize the document to suit the particular needs of your organization.

The content of this sample policy is provided for information purposes only. No legal liability or other responsibility is accepted by or on behalf of HR Intervals, Imagine Canada, or its partners for any errors, omissions, or statements made within this document. HR Intervals, Imagine Canada, and its partners accept no responsibility for any loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of reliance on such information.