Civil Service Woes

Marker_2

[FONT=CG Times (W1)]My husband had been posted to the West Midlands area. I was a Civil Servant in Wales, I wanted to remain a civil servant and so applied for jobs with the civil service in the West Midlands. Majority of vacancies being with MOD, but all those vacancies only allow residents or people who currently work in West Midlands apply.

Course I am not yet a resident, even though I have an address or at least a posting order. But am ineligible to apply.

I wrote to MOD to ask them if they are aware that because of this clause in the vacancies they are making all forces wives who are also civil servants ineligible to apply, if they are moving from one end of the country to the other. I thought that was very unfair, and as a result have had to leave my job until I actually move to the area, but leaving my job means resigning, thus making me no longer a civil servant and again ineligible to apply.

I hope I explained all that well, I just thought it was very unfair. The MOD move your husbands and families from one place to the next (which I have no problem with) but little things like this, when they are supposed to be on your side takes the mick!
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tinkerbell84

Take a career break from your current job, and then when you move you are still a civil servant

People do it all the time.

Andy_L

Marker wrote: »

[FONT=CG Times (W1)]My husband had been posted to the West Midlands area. I was a Civil Servant in Wales, I wanted to remain a civil servant and so applied for jobs with the civil service in the West Midlands. Majority of vacancies being with MOD, but all those vacancies only allow residents or people who currently work in West Midlands apply.
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Are you perhaps looking at "internal" vacancies rather than "external" ones, they are sometimes restricted to local applicants only as they don't want to pay relocation costs. A quick look on https://www.civilianjobs.mod.uk gives 6 posts in the W.Midlands, none of which have any sort of "this is a local job, for local people" restriction

Marker_2

Yeh have tried the external ones to, but majority that come up are the internal ones that ive found on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway. Pain in the rear. I have applied for a career break so hopefully will get that, shouldnt have to though. Seems really unfair to discriminate against Forces Wives in this instance.

Its having a knock on affect with lots of things now to. Cant apply for those jobs until I get to WMids, but if I get any interviews wont have anyone to look after the little one now as the babysitters (Grandparents) wont be there. Obviously OH cant have her cos hes home and away like a yo yo. Grrrr - dont half make your life difficult.

Andy_L

hmm interesting. A look at the main CS recruitment site https://www.careers.civil-service.gov.uk/ does have a "locals only" restriction. However the 2 sites have different vacancies.

Looks like this "civil service west midlands programme" lot are throwing their weight about and the MoD, as a national department, doesn't care.

I'd say go for an application through the MoD site & see what happens

louiseharries

I'm a civil servant & I work for Department for Work & Pensions. I have never struggled to get transfer. Even wehn I moved from Scotland to Northern Ireland I was able to get transfer. Also Department for Work & Pension have loads of jobs at the moment due to the current state of the economy

jacand

I am a civil servant on a career break at the moment after maternity leave. During this time we will have moved twice, therefore there is no way I will be able to return to the area I previously worked for. When my 4 year career break is up I hope I will just be able to apply in my new area and transfer. I also work for MOD civil service.
I would think your career break should be approved no probs, just enjoy the time off!

Also if you are looking for promotion in your new area, you can get travelling expenses paid if you need to attend interviews. I heard of one lady that use to travel to Germany visit relatives and have an interview whilst she was there all paid for by the CS.

Trying_to_be_good

There is a new commitment in the Nation's Commitment Command Paper http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm74/7424/7424.pdf at paragraph 2.40:

2.40 Support to Employment of Service Families.

When a Service person moves location, their family often moves too. This causes unemployment for partners and children beyond full-time education but still at home. We will help Service families to change their public sector jobs when Service life obliges them to move. Scottish Ministers and the Welsh Assembly Government have agreed their Administrations will do likewise.

So you should be able to be declared surplus/redeployment pool (RDP) and be eligible for CSVacs and other RDP jobs - and find a way to hack into teh West Midlands project. Ask your HR Business Partner, phone the PPPA (MOD-speak for those whoa re confused) - this is new commitment and designed EXACTLY for your situation. Quote the commitment at them.

I'm a MOD civvie/Service wife, too. So let me know how you get on.

Marker_2

Been down the CSVacs route, even then I couldnt' apply. I explained the situation again to MOD (they are the only ones who had a problem with it and wouldnt accept my applications).

My work couldnt declare me surplus as I wasnt, so lost that channel of employment opportunities. Some of the best vacancies were on that site to.

Again on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway I have wrote many times to a couple of people working in PPPA and they make no exception for Forces Wives moving from post to post. I was going to draft a letter to head of PPPA about my issues applying because of my personal circumstance out of my control and see what they say. Thanks for that section though, I will add that.

Marker_2

jacand wrote: »

Also if you are looking for promotion in your new area, you can get travelling expenses paid if you need to attend interviews. I heard of one lady that use to travel to Germany visit relatives and have an interview whilst she was there all paid for by the CS.

Haha if only, only the local councils I applied for will pay travelling expenses. I have attended about 6 interviews with other places, mainly MOD and they won't pay my expenses. Travelling from Wales to WMids has been very expensive, 190 miles one way! Plus hotels when the OH was away!

Louise - I am on a waiting list with DWP so thats a bit of positive.

My work used to help you look for transfers to other CIVIL Service departments but when I enquired about it they said they didnt do it anymore.

Current climate the way it is on the job front im finding it harder and harder, never used to have any problems.

Really thought MOD would have been more helpful in these sorts of situations but I'm getting slammed back by them (or at least the people who have been dealing with me) all the time.

Sorry bout my rant, but the last 3 months I have been filling out application after application and at least 40 of my applications have been rejected by CSVacs or CSWM scheme by a little technicality, grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Trying_to_be_good

Marker - have PM'd you.