FTA conversion in civil service

Smile21

I could really do with some help on this, came in CS on agency as an EO for 18 months then got a 2 year FTA in same role. Let me and all the team go apart from 1 of my team members. I’m trying to raise a grievance but they’re just trying to brush it off saying they can’t discuss with me why they kept 1 of my team on. They’re also saying EO’s on FTAs can’t be made permanent. Why would that be?

Emmia

Smile21 said:

I could really do with some help on this, came in CS on agency as an EO for 18 months then got a 2 year FTA in same role. Let me and all the team go apart from 1 of my team members. I’m trying to raise a grievance but they’re just trying to brush it off saying they can’t discuss with me why they kept 1 of my team on. They’re also saying EO’s on FTAs can’t be made permanent. Why would that be?

Were you subject to a formal recruitment and interview process? Or did you come from an agency?

You were ultimately hired on a fixed term contract which has ended, so I wouldn't be expecting a perm CS role at the end - and your contract for that post was probably clear on that point. FTA adverts often state the fixed term role doesn't convert automatically into a perm CS position.

The CS is contracting at the moment, so I can understand why from their perspective you're not being retained. There needs to be a headcount reduction and you're cheaper/easier to remove through not renewing your contract, versus making a perm CS redundant. 

It is possible your colleague applied for a job at the grade, and either got it, or was merit listed and was appointed off the back of the merit list...

Smile21

Emmia said:

Smile21 said:

I could really do with some help on this, came in CS on agency as an EO for 18 months then got a 2 year FTA in same role. Let me and all the team go apart from 1 of my team members. I’m trying to raise a grievance but they’re just trying to brush it off saying they can’t discuss with me why they kept 1 of my team on. They’re also saying EO’s on FTAs can’t be made permanent. Why would that be?

Were you subject to a formal recruitment and interview process? Or did you come from an agency?

You were ultimately hired on a fixed term contract which has ended, so I wouldn't be expecting a perm CS role at the end - and your contract for that post was probably clear on that point. FTA adverts often state the fixed term role doesn't convert automatically into a perm CS position.

The CS is contracting at the moment, so I can understand why from their perspective you're not being retained. There needs to be a headcount reduction and you're cheaper/easier to remove through not renewing your contract, versus making a perm CS redundant. 

It is possible your colleague applied for a job at the grade, and either got it, or was merit listed and was appointed off the back of the merit list...

Thanks for your quick response. My colleague applied for a CS job in a different department before we were given the 2 year FTA, when we were awarded the FTA she declined the job offer as she wanted to stay where she was & WFH. Also to note, they have just advertised 240 AO jobs which is more than likely in our department. 

I have been given a perm CS role as an EO & passed the interview stage prior to my FTA ending. So from my point of view, we’ve both passed the recruitment stage for different jobs. So why couldn’t I be transferred back into my old team if they can take on colleagues? 

Emmia

Smile21 said:

Emmia said:

Smile21 said:

I could really do with some help on this, came in CS on agency as an EO for 18 months then got a 2 year FTA in same role. Let me and all the team go apart from 1 of my team members. I’m trying to raise a grievance but they’re just trying to brush it off saying they can’t discuss with me why they kept 1 of my team on. They’re also saying EO’s on FTAs can’t be made permanent. Why would that be?

Were you subject to a formal recruitment and interview process? Or did you come from an agency?

You were ultimately hired on a fixed term contract which has ended, so I wouldn't be expecting a perm CS role at the end - and your contract for that post was probably clear on that point. FTA adverts often state the fixed term role doesn't convert automatically into a perm CS position.

The CS is contracting at the moment, so I can understand why from their perspective you're not being retained. There needs to be a headcount reduction and you're cheaper/easier to remove through not renewing your contract, versus making a perm CS redundant. 

It is possible your colleague applied for a job at the grade, and either got it, or was merit listed and was appointed off the back of the merit list...

Thanks for your quick response. My colleague applied for a CS job in a different department before we were given the 2 year FTA, when we were awarded the FTA she declined the job offer as she wanted to stay where she was & WFH. Also to note, they have just advertised 240 AO jobs which is more than likely in our department. 

I have been given a perm CS role as an EO & passed the interview stage prior to my FTA ending. So from my point of view, we’ve both passed the recruitment stage for different jobs. So why couldn’t I be transferred back into my old team if they can take on colleagues? 

Maybe your old team is at it's maximum headcount already, perhaps they've closed posts in the team so there are fewer positions available.

lincroft1710

It may be that the powers that be believe your talents would be more suited to another department.


When I applied to join CS many decades ago , I was appointed to a different department than the one I was interviewed for. The local head of that dept thought I was more suited for his dept.