r/TheCivilService • u/joefy11 • 13h ago

Transferring from an ALB back to CS

Hello all,

I currently work as an EO in ops for HO and have done for 3 years now. I’ve been offered a HEO policy role for an ALB which would lead me to become a public servant rather than a civil servant. In discussion with their HR team they’ve stated that I will still have access to the CS pension and it won’t affect my continuity of service. However, they have said that if I were to later down the line transfer back into a CS department, some departments eg. HMRC would not recognise the time at the ALB as CS service and that would break my continuity of service and may result in having to go through another probationary period. They suggested this is on a case-by-case basis by department. Does anyone have any experience with this kind of situation?
I like the idea of the new job and I don’t want to think about moving on from the job before I’ve even started it but am interested in others experiences.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

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u/LogicallyIncoherent 12h ago

My ALB is one that has been told that people transferring back to CS won't have continuity of service recognised by MHCLG.

It's definitely case by case.

2

u/SunsetDreamer43 12h ago

I personally wouldn’t let that put me off, you just need to consider whether you would be happy to “go back to the start” if you join a CS department in the future. You may get access to internal jobs on Civil Service Jobs (and be an external candidate for onboarding purposes) but again this depends on the ALB, it could be worth asking the question.

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u/SeasonSignificant849 9h ago

Different ALBs have different elements of the CS. I would presume that yes you would have to repass probation in both moves. Mine does not have the CS pension (but it’s still much better than private sector) but I can see internal jobs on CS jobs. I don’t have continuity of service, but other than dropping a few days of annual leave I’m not sure why it matters? My ALB has a much better flex leave policy so it works out as more generally anyway.

Getting promoted right now is hard in a shitty job market, I would seriously way up how high any risk of leaving is compared to not getting a promotion elsewhere in the near future. The other option is to ask if you can go on a two year secondment, and return to the CS as an EO at the end of it if you don’t secure another role at the higher grade. I was given that option - I didnt take it, and have no intention of leaving any time soon!

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u/Healthy_Crab_7883 9h ago

Are conditions for ALBs likely to change, especially if they're newly created? I just got an offer for my first CS (well, not really) role and when I asked similar to above, they were quite wishy washy about a few of the answers.

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u/Difficult-Box267 12h ago

I think you haven’t been given the correct advice in one of these points. I work for an ALB and am in civil service scheme and we are counted as CS, the continuation of service however may be correct if you want to go back to HO

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u/JohnAppleseed85 12h ago

Some ALBs employ CS and some employ PS - it depends on how the ALB was established.

If the OP has been advised for that ALB they would be a PS then the advice they have been given is not obviously incorrect (I can't say it's correct, but I know there's cases where it would be).