Probationary contract in civil service

FarmerBob

Hi
I am a currently serving full time permanent public servant with many years experience.
I have been successful in a civil service open competition.
I understand I will have to resign my full time permanent position and start on a year long probationary contract before, hopefully, being made permanent.
This concerns me a bit.
Could I be let go (sacked) if I was out with illness or an accident?
I've heard stories of civil service probationers being let go after year probationary contract as they 'simply didn't fit with requirements of role' or perhaps didn't get along with manager.
Any thoughts on probation in civil service?

Tristram

I may be completely off base here but I thought that not making permanent people who 'didn't fit with requirements of role' was one of the key functions of a probationary period.

Best of luck to you whatever you decide.

Mrs OBumble

Tristram wrote: »

I may be completely off base here but I thought that not making permanent people who 'didn't fit with requirements of role' was one of the key functions of a probationary period.

You're absolutely on track.

This is not unique to the civil service: whenever you go from a job you have been in for 2+ years to a new one, you are subject to probation, and may be let go within the first year.

Cakerbaker

I'm in the same situation, moving from EO to AO through an open competition. I figure I'm capable of doing the job, have survived previous probationary periods and figure that this really is my only chance of moving up in my career seeing as the internal promotions are moving at a snails pace with a huge number of people going in for a small number of positions.

Slydice

This page has a link to the probation guidelines:
http://hr.per.gov.ie/probation-guidelines/

Here's the conditions managers are told to review on:

The formal reviews of probation will be conducted by the line manager.
The purpose of these reviews is to allow the manager to assess whether the employee
meets the conditions set out in the probationary contract, i.e.
o Work has been performed to a satisfactory standard
o Sick leave record is satisfactory and does not exceed the limits set down for the
probationary period
o Attendance, punctuality and conduct are good.

You're also on probation once you are promoted internally:

Probation on promotion
30.
Employees who are promoted from an internal competition within the Civil
Service will serve a one year ‘probationary’ period at the end of which, if their
performance is satisfactory, the appointment to the grade will be made substantive.

I think Internals can end up in their old grade.

The_Conductor

Yup- internals can, if the probationary period is not satisfactorily completed, end up back in their original substantive grade. There is no guarantee that their post will be in the same location however. The redeployment rule would then kick in.

groovy1

I rang PAS today asking following question: if you are promoted and wish to revert within the promotion period as role does not suit you but you were excellent at next level down (previous role with 5+ years) and the 'lovely' John said you would have to leave the civil service. I asked him why have the probationary period...and he said a person shouldnt take the job if they didnt think they were suited....but a person may not actually know until there doing the job??

Red Wolf

groovy1 wrote: »

I rang PAS today asking following question: if you are promoted and wish to revert within the promotion period as role does not suit you but you were excellent at next level down (previous role with 5+ years) and the 'lovely' John said you would have to leave the civil service. I asked him why have the probationary period...and he said a person shouldnt take the job if they didnt think they were suited....but a person may not actually know until there doing the job??

If you are “Promoted” I.e a serving civil servant then the following applies


Civil Servants holding an established position in the Civil Service

24. An employee on a probationary contract who does not satisfactorily complete the period of probation will have his or her appointment to the Civil Service terminated in accordance with procedures laid down in the Department or Office. Where the employee held an established position prior to his or her appointment on a one year probationary contract, he or she may be appointed to an established position in the same or equivalent grade or rank as the previous position, if the Minister consents. If the employee held the previous position in a probationary capacity, then the Minister may make the appointment subject to probationary conditions. The arrangements in this regard are set out in the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, Section 7.

groovy1

Thanks Red Wolf. My query is for people that held an established position previously.
-Interesting its states '..he or she may be appointed....if the minister consents' - so equally they may not? There is currently internal promotions - I had encouraged people to go for it (who I think would be very capable but will advise them of this....Good to know though.

Red Wolf

groovy1 wrote: »

Thanks Red Wolf. My query is for people that held an established position previously.
-Interesting its states '..he or she may be appointed....if the minister consents' - so equally they may not? There is currently internal promotions - I had encouraged people to go for it (who I think would be very capable but will advise them of this....Good to know though.

I think the "ministerial consent" is really just a safety clause. I've never known or heard of someone not being appointed back into their old substantive grade,. In fact, I've known several who found that the promotional grade was not for them, they self terminated their probation and were put back to their old grade. Also if they have been transferred to another department they are usually returned to their originating Dept.

Riskymove

groovy1 wrote: »

-Interesting its states '..he or she may be appointed....if the minister consents' - so equally they may not?

I can see some sense of this clause for where someone's probabtion was ended due to misconduct of some type