Conditional appointments - specialist training

G14

A civil servant may be appointed to a post, (either permanent or trainee post), on the condition that they successfully complete a specialist training course, within an agreed and reasonable time scale, before they can perform the full range of duties of the post.

In these cases, the civil servant will be required to sign the Conditional Appointment - Form of Undertaking at Annex G2, agreeing to repay all or part of the cost of the training in certain circumstances.

If the civil servant fails to successfully complete the specialist training course (whether or not an examination is involved) within the agreed timescale, the Commission may terminate the appointment, having regards to the circumstances of the case.

In such cases the Commission will wherever possible, seek to offer a suitable alternative post. Where the civil servant appointed was already a serving Civil Servant, the Commission will endeavour to find a post at the civil servant's previous grade.

A civil servant appointed on this basis may in certain circumstances, be required by the Commission to refund all or part of the cost (including subsistence and travel) incurred by the department in training them. The amount of the repayment required, will not exceed the amounts set out below:

  1. if they fail to complete the course - 100% refund, or
  2. if they leaves (resignation or dismissal), or is voluntary transferred to a post within the Civil Service, during the training period or within 1 year of completion - 100% refund
  3. if they leave or voluntary transfer within 1 - 2 years of completion - 50% refund and
  4. if they leave or voluntary transfer within 2 - 3 years of completion - 25% refund

In the event that the civil servant seeks a transfer to another post in the Service during the training period or within 3 years of completing the training and/or gaining the qualification, the extent to which the skills and knowledge gained in the training will be utilised in the new post will be used to determine whether a refund of training costs will be required and, if so, to what extent (subject to the limits set out above).