Retirement, Reengagement and Abatement - Fire Service policy - Applying for Re-engagement

The following sets out the criteria for re-engagement. It should, however, be clearly understood that the granting of requests for re-engagement will be the exception rather than the rule and staff development/promotional opportunities should always be considered. There are two ways to be re-engaged: 

1. Applying for an Advertised Role – CFRS/Cumbria County Council recruit to a particular role and a current (i.e an employee is shortly due to retire) or previous employee applies 

2. Employee Initiated Application - The employee makes a generic application when approaching retirement to obtain employment with CFRS.

Applying for an Advertised Role 

A current (including an employee is shortly due to retire) or previous employee applies in the usual manner to an advertised role. A full recruitment and selection process will be applicable.

Employee initiated Application 

It is important to stress that it would be advantageous to discuss any request as early as possible before the proposed retirement date, however a decision with regard to the request will normally be given within eight weeks of the request being made. Where individuals are currently employed and wish to make a generic.

Where individuals are currently employed and wish to make a generic application, they are required to submit an Application for Re-Engagement (Appendix 3) to the relevant Station Manager or above if the applicants role is above Station Manager at least three months before their retirement date. The Station Manager or above will consider the application and provide detailed information to the relevant Area Manager or above clarifying whether or not the application is supported. Where there is more than one applicant, a shortlist and selection process relevant to the requirements of the post will take place.

The Area Manager or above will then complete the relevant section of the application form and return to the Station Manager or above if the applicants role is above Station Manager who will discuss the outcome with the employee.

The decision, whether to re-engage or not is at the complete discretion of the Area Manager or above; there is no right of appeal and there is no automatic right to be re-employed by CFRS.

The Area Manager will consider these requests for retirement and re-engagement. Decisions will be based upon: 

• clear financial benefit 
• impact on terms and conditions of service 
• staffing requirements, in particular any shortage of specialisms 
• transitional requirements of organisational restructuring 
• the fitness, health, absence record, disciplinary and skills of the operational employee 
• need and suitability for filling the post part-time or flexible working, including ability To maintain competency 
• resilience of staffing options

The Station Manager should then make the necessary arrangements for processing the retirement via the Service Centre Portal and complete a HR01 and HR02 for resourcing the post that that employee will be reengaged into.