Employment question for BiBs

[carreauchompeur]

Folks,

I'm currently strongly considering spending a year or more abroad doing voluntary work. Something I have wanted to do for ages. This may or may not lead on to an investment and semi-permanent emigration. If it doesn't however I would be gutted to not have a job to return to.

I'm currently coming up to 11yrs in the force, fairly well regarded/qualified at DC level but can't see myself doing this for 20-24 more years.

Obviously a career break would look to be the most sensible way to go and would provide an escape route, however I have a feeling my force isn't currently supporting DCs to do so!

Unpaid leave would be the next resort but suspect it might be a similar position.

Assuming I did have to resign and then came back at a later date, what are the chances of re-employment like? Wouldn't really want to come back as a statement taker!

Yours, pondering...

[Mk3Spitfire]

Does your force not do career breaks then? Ours does, and in fact was encouraging them when the cut backs raised their heads. Ours has a minimum of either 6 or 12 months, and I think maximum of 5 years. I would chat to your HR dept and see what they say.

[Bigends]

Think most most forces offer career breaks - mates just come back after 3 yrs on one. Theyre classed as unpaid leave and the time on the break wont count towards your pension - it'll need to be made up.

[carreauchompeur]

They do career breaks, however AFAIK not for DCs at the moment.

It's one of the factors in wanting to bugger off, actually- they don't let DCs do anything secondment-wise either and movement has been severely limited too.

I'm just trying to pre-think plan b at the moment. IF there's a career break open then I'm off next September. Will talk to my friendly HR-ist tomorrow.

[anonymous-user]

Ring your HR. I've always sound them to be pro 'staff rights' in a civilian union kind of way.

[Bigends]

carreauchompeur said:

They do career breaks, however AFAIK not for DCs at the moment.

It's one of the factors in wanting to bugger off, actually- they don't let DCs do anything secondment-wise either and movement has been severely limited too.

I'm just trying to pre-think plan b at the moment. IF there's a career break open then I'm off next September. Will talk to my friendly HR-ist tomorrow.

Shouldnt make any odds what your role is - dont guarantee to be back as a DC if and when you return though - it'll depend on what vacancies there are at the time

[Mk3Spitfire]

Bigends said:

Shouldnt make any odds what your role is - dont guarantee to be back as a DC if and when you return though - it'll depend on what vacancies there are at the time

This. Can't see how they can make a decision based on your role? If they do id consider taking it up with your fed rep. But yea, possibly not back to DC. Unless you're lucky and they have a position on your return.

[Bigends]

Mk3Spitfire said:

Bigends said:

Shouldnt make any odds what your role is - dont guarantee to be back as a DC if and when you return though - it'll depend on what vacancies there are at the time

This. Can't see how they can make a decision based on your role? If they do id consider taking it up with your fed rep. But yea, possibly not back to DC. Unless you're lucky and they have a position on your return.

All the details will be on your Forces federation website

[carreauchompeur]

Cheers folks, will report back.

[ED209]

Why would they allow some roles and not others? Seems odd. Surely there must be a queue of people wanting to get "promoted" to DC and be allowed to use the word "remit" whilst carrying a mysterious blue book and wearing asda winkle pickers?

[mph1977]

ED209 said:

Why would they allow some roles and not others? Seems odd. Surely there must be a queue of people wanting to get "promoted" to DC and be allowed to use the word "remit" whilst carrying a mysterious blue book and wearing asda winkle pickers?

LOL - I presume you are with Bullshire ED209 ...

If the OP was a recently 'promoted' DC who has only just finished his detective course i could understand the force wanting a return of service, that's common to a lot of organisations public or private when they've just spent a fair bit of money on someone.

if there a shortage of trained dectectives in the OPs force rather than acting winklepicker wearers with borrowed mysterious blue books ...

As others have said unpaid leave of whatever nature takes you off the paybill , the fear for some in management is if you let lots of people on unpaid leave at some point they'll want to come back.
I think the point about jobs to come back to is more pertinent for <role> on <relief> at <station> issues and you'd have to take what was offered at elast initially.

[Dibble]

ED209 said:

Why would they allow some roles and not others? Seems odd. Surely there must be a queue of people wanting to get "promoted" to DC and be allowed to use the word "remit" whilst carrying a mysterious blue book and wearing asda winkle pickers?

It's "The Asdas". Or "The Georges". "The Matalans" at a push.



[Serious face] As a PC "promoted" to DC a few years ago, I'm still of the opinion that the most important job in the cops is the uniformed response officer. [/Serious face].

[Mk3Spitfire]

I don't really think any one role is more or less important. Right down to PCSO's. A lot of people mock them, but personally I think they do a fantastic job, taking a lot of the more trivial calls off response's hands.
Having said that, I personally would never turn to the dark side and go the CID route!

Edited by Mk3Spitfire on Wednesday 29th October 11:14

[carreauchompeur]

Thanks all.

Made an initial call to HR who stated that the only stipulations were about 3 months notice and 1% of the force off at any one time. Advised me that I probably wanted to apply quite quickly though!

Awaiting approval, fingers tightly crossed...

[harvey669]

Career break? Wait till your all one force like us in Police Scotland.....sorry Police Glasgow. No career breaks allowed at all.

[hidetheelephants]

harvey669 said:

Career break? Wait till your all one force like us in Police Scotland.....sorry Police Glasgow. No career breaks allowed at all.

When does assimilation to the Strathclyde hivemind commence? presumably now you've had your shootahs taken away conquering the world is not currently on the agenda.