Agenda item

To consider a report on the commitment to the recruitment of Armed Forces personnel. 

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to update its commitment to the recruitment of Armed Forces personnel.

In November 2017, Cabinet had agreed a recommendation to update the Authority’s recruitment policy to ensure that anyone who had served in the Armed Forces was offered an interview for a post if they met the requirements of the job specification.

The policy change was to support those leaving the regular forces and transitioning to civilian life as there seemed to be a particular problem with employers recognising the value of military experience and the only experience veterans from the regular forces had when they left the armed forces was military orientated. However, further work undertaken by the Authority’s Armed Forces Officer had found that current members of the Armed Forces who served as reservists also faced barriers to employment such as: 

•           Employers may believe the time needed to carry out the “reserve” commitment would impact on employment;

•           Employers may believe reservists would habitually ask to leave early for parade evenings or this would impact on their ability to attend work on Monday mornings after weekend deployments; and

•           There was a misconception that a reservist may often require extended periods of leave to carry out training or deploy on operations.

Many reservists were unsure if by stating they were a reservist it would be detrimental to any application for employment they may made.  Also, a lot of ex-regular armed forces personnel were now joining the reserves as they transitioned from military life to civilian life and therefore would also come across this same barrier into employment.

The Authority’s policy on special leave enabled reservists to take up to 2 weeks leave to attend training camps.  If a reservist was called up for active operational duties the Ministry of Defence (MOD) supported the civilian employer in the recruitment for a temporary post.

Reservists had the same skill sets as their regular counterparts and potential employers were not aware that on average £10,000 was invested in each reservist on developing transitional skills which a Reservist could use in both military and civilian work life.

The Authority’s current arrangements to support armed forces personnel achieve civilian employment only related to ex-armed forces personnel.  It was proposed this commitment was now extended to current serving personnel, including reservists as they faced the same barriers to employment.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report; or alternatively, to not accept the recommendations.

Resolved that, in addition to the recruitment arrangements relating ex-Armed Services personnel detailed above, it be agreed that the Authority will offer current serving Armed Forces personnel an interview for a vacant post with the Authority if they meet the requirements of the job description and person specification (essential and desirable criteria).

(Reason for decision: It allows the recruitment policy to be updated to guarantee an interview for a post to serving Armed Forces personnel if they meet the requirements of the job specification (essential and desirable) criteria.)