Why should I hire a Service Leaver?

Benefits to Network Rail

We admire so many of the attributes that someone from the forces can bring to any role –

• discipline
• teamwork
• leadership
• ability to stay calm under pressure and change
• comfortable in a fast paced environment
• decision making with a high level of ambiguity
• determination
• flexible in an evolving environment
   

All these qualities, which are essential in the Military, are also highly sought-after within our safety critical environment at Network Rail.

Case studies

“I took a placement at Network Rail,
which was organised through the military engagement team and led to full-time employment. It gave me chance to experience the role and the company,
and for Network Rail to get an insight
into my skills.”

“My proudest moment was gaining the respect from Senior Management. It made me realise that I had achieved what
I set out to by transferring careers.”

Dan Kelk – Project Leader (Change)

“I feel the skills gained in my previous roles help
in how I adapt to certain situations at work with a calm approach, better than others who haven’t experienced what you do in the military.”

Emily Thompson – Project Management Assistant

Why should I hire a Service Leaver?

Hiring from the Military

Hire a Band 4 and above – About the Officers Association

The OA is an independent charity
which supports officers from all three
Services into second careers in management and executive roles (equivalent to
Band 4 & above).

The OA also work closely with employers to
share best practice and offer an advisory service to plan and implement military programmes.
 

Contact OA: www.officersassociation.org.uk

or the central email address:
client.admin@officersassociation.org.uk
0117 906 3580

​How to advertise with the OA:

• Email your advert wording send to
  recruitment@officersassociation.org.uk – 0207 808 4178
• The OA will share your advert on LinkedIn & other social media channels
• We issue 2 weekly newsletters – a job focused newsletter
  on Mondays, and an event focussed one on Fridays
• Advertise Band 1 – 4  with the OA
• There are 2 annual employment symposiums each year – contact  Leanne Wood
  if you wish to attend either of these
• Best practice for engaging with Service leavers available
  from the Military is Good for Business page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/13184808/
• The OA can arrange a Military internal insight (full or half day) for you, inviting anything from 10-150 service leavers.

Hiring from the Military

Hire all Bands & Maintenance roles – About Career Transition Partnership

The CTP provides resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces can benefit from CTP support when leaving Service.

The CTP provides resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces can benefit from CTP support when leaving Service.

Contact CTP:
www.ctp.org.uk/employers/why-employ-ex-military

Main Contact

James Moore – Employer Relationship Manager JMoore@ctp.org.uk 

07815 585221

How to advertise with CTP:

Whether you’re looking for skilled and experienced personnel in Engineering, Logistics, Projects Management, Accounts, Administration or General Management, we are likely to have candidates with the skills associated with these roles.

Plus...as well as their highly sought after vocational skills, Service leavers also possess a wide range of transferrable soft skills. These include:

• Communication skills practised with internal and external stakeholders
• Organisational skills
• Leadership & management skills
• High degree of professionalism
• Problem solving
• Health & Safety, Security awareness and best practice
• Team working

The CTP can arrange a Military internal insight (full or half day) for you, inviting anything from 10-150 service leavers.

Hiring from the Military

Hire all Bands & Maintenance roles – About Recruit for Spouses

Recruit for Spouses is an award-winning social enterprise that helps companies access a talent pool of wives and partners of our Armed Forces.

We’re looking to grow our network of employers who are committed to their employees and who identify with our guiding principles of fair opportunity, career development, flexible working practices and openness.

We can connect you with quality candidates across the UK from an otherwise unseen pool. We have around 5,000 spouses registered with us to work and the number grows daily. As a social enterprise, we’re focused on the success of our candidates, so we can offer an excellent service at competitive rates. Advertising on our website is free for all Covenant signatories.

Contact: https://www.recruitforspouses.co.uk/for-employers/

Main contact

Victoria Lovick – Office Manager
enquiries@recruitforspouses.co.uk
0333 2020 996

How to advertise with Recruit for Spouses:

• Email or call Victoria Lovick with all job details and these will be uploaded to their website.

• Recruit for Spouses can arrange an internal insight day inviting 10-20 spouses to Network Rail, there would be a small cost for arranging this.

Hiring from the Military

Hire all Bands & Maintenance roles – About Walking With the Wounded

Established in 2010, Walking With The Wounded supports a pathway for vulnerable veterans to re-integrate back into society and sustain their independence. At the
heart of this journey is employment.

We recognise the inherent skills of our armed service personnel and want to complement these qualities, as well as provide support to transfer their skills into the civilian workplace. We offer assistance through our programmes to those vulnerable veterans who have been physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged by their service and assist them in sustaining their independence through new sustainable careers outside of the military. This includes providing support to homeless veterans and veterans in the Criminal Justice System, areas which are too often ignored.

The outcome? Sustainable employment, and independence for them and their families.

Contact: https://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk

Contact our office on: 01263 863905

Simply email details of the opportunity to employment@wwtw.org.uk and we will respond as soon as we can.

The WWTW can arrange a Military internal insight (full or half day) for you, inviting anything from
5-40 service leavers.

Hiring from the Military

Hire all Bands & Maintenance roles – About White Ensign

The White Ensign Association is a registered charity founded jointly by the Royal Navy and the City of London in 1958.  

The Association provides assistance for all serving and retired personnel of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Queen Alexandra’s Naval Nursing Service,
the former Women’s Royal Naval Service, their respective Reserves and families, in the following key areas:

- Employment

- Personal Finance

- Resettlement and civilian transition

- Personal administration and general welfare matters.

The White Ensign Association offers a complete range of Employment Services
to help you with your job search.

The search includes access to our considerable range of Job Vacancies and the opportunity to receive help from Networking Advisers and skilled Employment Transition Advisers.

Contact: whiteensign.co.uk

0207 940 8133

How to advertise with White Ensign
association, please visit our website:

whiteensign.co.uk or call: 0207 940 8133

Hiring from the Military

Hire all Bands & Maintenance roles – Sappers Network

Contact: https://www.sappersnetwork.co.uk/employers/

Main contact:

Fiona Louch
SappersNetwork@RHQRE.CO.UK

07496 083483

Please get in touch to
discuss roles and how
to advertise.

Sappers Network offers exclusive access to a pool of talent that combines the discipline and commitment instilled by successful military careers with a wide range of commercially valuable trade and management skills. Our database includes skilled recent leavers, experienced members of the Reserve and former members of the Corps who have been successful in subsequent careers.

The Royal Engineers select and train some of the Army’s best-educated and most capable men and women. Highly qualified when they leave the service, Sappers are renowned for their adaptability, resourcefulness and willingness to tackle challenges, both as leaders and as team members. Recent conflicts have honed their experience in delivering large-scale and complex engineering projects in challenging environments.

Hiring from the Military

1-6 weeks Military work placement (Civilian Work Attachment)

Civilian Work Attachments (CWA), are opportunities for a Service Leaver to gain work experience and insight into organisations of potential interest whilst still employed and being paid by the Armed Forces.

CWAs vary in length, depending on what you are
able to offer – they can range from one week
up to 6 weeks.

Contact
Leanne Wood – Leanne.Wood@Networkrail.co.uk
for further information.

Tips for colleagues

• HR/Resourcing can arrange an internal Military insight day for you whilst working closely with one of a number of charities

• The Career Transition Partnership/ Officers Association/Walking with the Wounded/Recruit for Spouses & White Ensign will invite Service Leavers on your behalf once you have provided various details

• If you would like to collaborate with other companies then please contact Leanne.Wood@Networkrail.co.uk who will be happy to advise & support you.

Tips for colleagues

Network Rail Hiring Manager workshops

• HR & Resourcing will arrange

• Officers Association to present 'Military into
  Rail' programme

• We advise 2-3 hours – allowing time for
  questions and interaction throughout from
  your audience

• Choose the right location

• Leanne Wood, the Engagement Manager, will
  be happy to run through how the workshop
  should be structured and the benefits of
  recruiting from the Military.

Tips for colleagues

Network Rail Armed Forces reporting 

When setting up a new profile for job alerts all
applicants will be asked if they have a link
with the Armed Forces.

You can track the success of Armed Forces applicants on Business Analytics, this is an opportunity for your Business area to see
the success or learnings of this programme.

Tips for colleagues

Think about your job advert –
does it tell you what the job involves, the roles and responsibilities?

Consider keywords, so you get the right matches.

Could you change the job title so you get more matches?

Encourage the Hiring Manager
to arrange a 15 minute call, to understand the candidates transferable skills before
making a decision.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

Line Managers should do the following if a Reserve
is asked to Deploy

• Inform HR of impending deployment and first day of permanent military service, contained in the call out notice, so HR/payroll can adjust pay and benefits accordingly
   
• Complete consent form

• Meet with Reservist employee to discuss deployment – this should include:
  
  – Handover of work

        – Return of any equipment

        – Agree employee benefits entitlements and required actions (refer to checklists within this
           guidance that cover these e.g. pay, benefits, pension arrangements etc)

        – Keeping in touch - exchange contact details (e.g. email addresses) to enable both parties to do
          so. This will help with a smooth reintegration of the Reservist back into the workplace. Next of
           Kin details should also be updated.

        – Please contact the Engagement Manager Leanne.Wood@Networkrail.co.uk to make
           her aware that the Reserve has been deployed.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

Pay

The MoD will assume responsibility for the Reservist’s salary for the duration of their mobilisation. They will pay a basic salary according to the Reservist’s military rank.
If this basic element is less than the Reservist receives from the company,
it is the Reservist’s responsibility to apply
to the MoD for the difference to ensure that they suffer no loss of earnings. This
is known as Financial Assistance and the Awards to Reservists.

The company should suspend the Reservist’s salary during the period
of mobilisation.

Benefits

All contractual benefits that are suspended by the employer during mobilisation can be claimed by the Reservist as part of their Reservist Award. Example benefits include:

• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Company car.

The manager and Reservist should discuss benefit arrangements during the pre-mobilisation meeting. This should cover those benefits which will be suspended and for any continuing benefits, arrangements should be made as to how these are paid.  Provide the Reservist with evidence of suspended benefits to support their claim for Financial Assistance.  

Payroll

Mobilisation does not break continuity of employment (s.217 (a) Employment Rights Act 1996) and therefore it is recommended:

• Not to issue a P45 (in line with HMRC guidance) for service of less than
  12 months.
• For payroll purposes to put the individual on a period of ‘special leave’
• Note that any period of mobilisation does not count towards reckonable service periods.

See payroll guidelines on Reservists: https://www.gov.uk/employee-reservist

The Company is not required to pay the Reservist’s salary during the period of mobilisation.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

Pension

If the Reservist is a member of the company’s pension scheme, and chooses
to remain in it, under the Financial Assistance regulations, if the employer suspends their employer contributions then the MoD will make the employer contributions for the period of mobilisation, as long as the Reservist continues to
make their personal contributions.  

Annual Leave

Reservists should be encouraged to
take any accrued annual leave before mobilisation. The company does not need
to accrue annual leave for a Reservist employee during the period of mobilisation. Reservists accrue annual leave with the
MoD whilst they are in full time service
and this is factored in to the mobilisation period and taken before the last day in permanent service.

Financial support

You can claim financial support if a reservist you employ is called up. Don’t pay their salary or pension contributions while they’re away - the Ministry of Defence (MOD) pays these costs. You’ll need to make changes in your payroll system.

You can apply to delay or cancel mobilisation if it will seriously harm your business.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

What you can get

You can claim financial assistance to cover:

• the cost of a temporary replacement if it’s more than the reservist’s salary (up to £110 a day)
• advertising costs and agency fees for finding a replacement
• a period of handover and takeover (5 days before and after mobilisation)
• 75% of the cost of specialist clothing for the replacement (up to £300)
• training costs for the replacement (up to £2,000)
• overtime, if other employees cover the work
• training the reservist needs to carry on their job when they return.

You can’t claim for:

• loss of profits, turnover or goodwill
• your reservist’s salary or pension contributions if you keep
  paying them

How to claim

Download and fill in the claim form. Print it out, sign it and either scan and email it or post it. The addresses are on the form.

When to claim

You can claim before the reservist leaves, but you won’t get a payment until they’ve started service. You can’t claim later than
4 weeks after the last day of their service.

You can claim for costs as they arise - you don’t have to claim
for them all at once.

Costs for training should be claimed within 8 weeks of the end
of the training.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

Demobilisation

Once a Reservist’s deployment or task finishes they are demobilised at a nominated mobilisation centre. The Reservist undergoes checks and briefings including medical, welfare and period of post operational leave will follow. The employer will be notified of the demobilisation date and once leave has been calculated, they will be notified of the Reservist’s last day of permanent service. After this date, the Reservist can return
to work.

Return to work

Both the Reservist and their employer have obligations under The Reserve Forces (Safeguarding of Employment Act) 1985 (SOE 85) regarding the return to work process.  

Reservist

A Reservist has the right to be re-employed in the type of job in which they were last employed and on terms and conditions no less favourable to that previously.

Reservists are encouraged to maintain contact with their employer while mobilised and to notify their employer of their last day of permanent service and when they intend returning to work.  The Reservist must write to their employer by the third Monday after their last day of military service making their request to return to work and suggesting
a date which should fall within 6 weeks of their last day of full-time service. This letter formally starts the return to work process. They are also encouraged to informally contact the employer to discuss their return to work, whether via a letter or email,
a meeting or a telephone call. The formal application must be made in writing for
it to be valid under SOE 85.

If a Reservist is not happy with the offer of alternative employment they must write to the employer stating why there is reasonable cause for them not to accept it. If a Reservist believes that an employer’s response to their application denies their rights under the SOE 85, an application can be made to a Reinstatement Committee for assessment. This committee will consider the Reservist's application and, if they accept it, can make an order for reinstatement and/or compensation.  An appeal to an Umpire against a decision of the Reinstatement Committee can be made if the Reservist does not agree with the decision or order.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

Employer

The Employer has an obligation under SOE 85 to reinstate the Reservist, where possible to their former role, if not a mutually acceptable role on the same terms and conditions prior to mobilisation.
 

Line Managers should acknowledge and respond to informal and formal contact from the Reservist with regards to return to work arrangements.
 

As long as the Reservist’s application for reinstatement is in force, the former employer should reinstate the Reservist as soon as reasonably able to do so from the date the Reservist said they would be available to return to work or within 6 weeks of the last day of their military service. They must be reinstated for a minimum period of 13, 26 or 52 weeks, depending on their length of service with the company prior to mobilisation. A Reservist
is not immune from a company restructure and can be included in a redundancy pool but must be treated equally to other employees throughout the process.

Tips for colleagues

Reserves

After care and support

Helping to ensure a smooth re-integration into the workplace/team will require consideration. Line managers should:

• Provide returning Reservist with an update on changes and developments in the organisation
   
• Offer specific refresher/re training where sought/considered necessary particularly if role has evolved/changed
   
• Encourage informal get together with colleagues before or soon after the return to work to prevent feeling of dislocation
  ​
• Discuss any health concerns. If there is concern that a Reservist may be experiencing issues (i.e. physical / mental health) as a result of their deployment then Reservist should be encouraged to seek advice/help and consult their unit/GP.

• SaBRE (Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers)

  www.sabre.mod.uk

         Helpline: – 0800 389 5459. This is a free telephone
         helpline open during office hours where advice and
         guidance can be obtained on training, mobilisation
         and employment issues.

• Royal Navy website www.royalnavy.mod.uk/the-fleet/maritime-reserves

• Army website www.army.mod.uk/territorial

• Royal Air Force website www.raf.mod.uk/rafreserves

Tips for colleagues

PTSD

After care and support

Network Rail are very supportive around
mental health issues. Internally we work with www.validium.com

Externally, we recommend:
www.combatstress.org.uk and www.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk