The Education Authority (EA) is the employer of all teaching and non-teaching support staff in Controlled Schools and the employer of non-teaching support staff in Maintained Schools.
The Education Authority has developed policies, procedures and guidelines to assist Boards of Governors to avoid compulsory redundancies and to assist Governors when a redundancy cannot be avoided.
Policies and Procedures
Select your preferred option below for more info
Teaching Staff
Advice and guidance on teaching Redeployments & Redundancies
Transferred Redundancy Process
The EA operates a Transferred Redundancy process for teaching staff.
Transferred redundancy is voluntary process used to reduce compulsory redundancies through redeployment to another school with a volunteer wishing to “exit”.
Transferred redundancy initially operates within Employing Authority then on Northern Ireland wide basis through an EA centralised process managed through the EA HR, Dundonald.
Non-Teaching School Based Staff
Redundancy Policy and Procedure – Non-teaching staff (Schools with fully delegated budgets).
Advice and guidance on non-teaching redundancies is available from EA HR.
Transferred Redundancy Process
The EA operates a Transferred Redundancy process for non-teaching staff.
Transferred redundancy is voluntary process used to reduce compulsory redundancies through redeployment to another school with a volunteer wishing to “exit”.
Transferred redundancy initially operates within Employing Authority then on Northern Ireland wide basis through an EA centralised process managed through the EA HR, Dundonald.
Non-Teaching Corporate Staff
Non-Teaching Redundancy Scheme (ELB Scheme for Redundancy)
Advice and guidance on non-teaching redundancies is available from EA HR.
A voluntary exit scheme (VES) for non-teaching corporate staff has been operated in EA for voluntary exits in accordance with scheme requirements set by the Department of Finance (DoF) and the Department of Education (DE) and subject to the availability of funding from DE.
Since VES is one of a number of mechanisms to support the ongoing transformation process within EA expressions of interest in VES are only sought in relation to proposals relating to a specific scheme on a service by service basis.
Continuity of Service (‘Modification Order’)
The Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc.) Modification Order NI 1999 (referred to as the ‘Modification Order’) provides for continuity of service across a wide range of local government and related employers that are listed in full in Part 2 Schedule 2 of the Order available using the link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/1999/409/contents/made
The effect of the Order is to make local authorities associated employers for the purposes of the redundancy provisions of the Employment Rights NI Order 1996.
It is important for employees to note that if they accept an offer of voluntary severance and obtain employment with the Education Authority or with an ‘associated employer’ prior to or within 4 weeks of their termination date there will be no dismissal for redundancy payment purposes and the offer of voluntary severance will be withdrawn and any monies advanced will be recouped. In order to safeguard public funds and to ensure compliance with the ‘Modification Order’ any employee leaving employment as a result of voluntary severance will be required to advise EA if they obtain employment with an ‘associated employer’ prior to or within 4 weeks of their termination date. Employees considering acceptance of an offer of voluntary severance are advised that the term ‘associated employer’ as defined within the Modification Order is wider than education bodies and therefore they must refer to the full list of organisations involved.
If an employee unreasonably refuses an offer of suitable alternative employment from a Modification Order body, then he/she will not be entitled to a redundancy payment.
Toolkits
Toolkits related to this area are currently under development.
Contact Details:
Line managers will consult and communicate directly with staff in relation to any potential redundancy or redeployment situations however general information in relation to redundancy and redeployment processes is also available as follows:
- Teaching and Non-Teaching School Based Staff:
Advice and guidance is available from the relevant School Business Partner Team according to locality / geographical area.
Teaching & Non-Teaching Transferred Redundancy Scheme – Contact Redundancy and Severance Unit – Telephone: 028 9056 4127
- Non-Teaching Corporate Staff:
Contact Mervyn Cooke – Telephone: 028 9056 4307 Email: mervyn.cooke@eani.org.uk