HR

Best Practice Guide on Whistleblowing – Guidance for MPs as Employers

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Following the recent publication of the Best Practice Guide on Whistleblowing (guidance for MPs as employers). The Members’ HR Team would like to invite you to join them for one of the upcoming familiarisation sessions that will provide information that sets out the way in which employees may raise a whistleblowing concern and how those concerns should be addressed.

The session will cover:

  • What is considered as a whistleblowing concern
  • How a whistleblowing disclosure is raised
  • The legal protection and requirements under whistleblowing law
  • The practical steps that should be taken to ensure a fair and thorough investigation

30 June, 9.30am https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=5192

28 July, 9.30am https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=5193

Best Practice Guide to Grievances

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Please note that links to the old Parliamentary intranet have been removed as of October 2023. Please use search on ParliNet to find relevant current details, if available.

https://parlinet.parliament.uk/house-of-commons-members-staff/

The House of Commons Members’ HR Service has produced a Best Practice Guide to Grievances.

This best practice guide aims to enable Members and their HR proxies to respond to and investigate grievances fairly, consistently and effectively.

You can find the guide here

This is one of a series of guides, and you can find the other guides here

Creating a safe workplace for Members’ staff – guidance on bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct

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All MP Staff Q&A Session – Creating a safe workplace for Members’ staff – guidance on bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct

10:00 – 10:45 – Thursday 10 June 2021

Open to all of the staff of MPs.  For further information and booking, please see https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=4492

 

Office Restructure familiarisation sessions

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This session, aimed at MPs and their HR proxies, is run by the Members’ HR Advice Service to supplement the Best Practice Guide to Office Restructures.

The session will provide information about how to manage restructuring the office when you are considering reorganising your staffing resources to respond to changing priorities. It will cover employer responsibilities and provide practical advice about the best practice approach to managing the restructure process effectively. This will help you to ensure staff are treated fairly, properly consulted, and supported.

More information about the support available from the Members’ HR Advice Service will also be provided

See here for further information and booking:

17 June 2021 – 10:00 – 10:45 – https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=4438

1 July 2021 – 10:00 – 10:45 – https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=4439

 

Best Practice Guide to Recruitment and Selection

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The House of Commons Members’ HR Service has produced a Best Practice Guide to Recruitment and Selection.

It provides practical advice on efficient and effective recruitment practices. The guide aims to support Members (and their Office Managers) with the tools to attract and recruit people with diverse backgrounds, skills and abilities.

Even if you’re not currently recruiting, w4mp recommends that MPs and Office Manager take the time to read this very useful document.

Please see here for further information: https://w4mp.org/w4mp/w4mp-guides/support-in-your-job/recruitment-and-selection-best-practice-guide/

Recruitment and Selection – Best Practice Guides

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Please note that links to the old Parliamentary intranet have been removed as of October 2023. Please use search on ParliNet to find relevant current details, if available.

https://parlinet.parliament.uk/house-of-commons-members-staff/

The House of Commons Members’ HR Service has produced a series of Best Practice Guides. Recruitment and Selection.

They can be found on Sharepoint

The one on Recruitment and Selection provides practical advice on efficient and effective recruitment practices and support Members (and their Office Managers) with the tools to attract and recruit people with diverse backgrounds, skills and abilities.

Recruiting staff can be a rewarding experience, unfortunately, there are some common pitfalls if the process is rushed or not well thought through.  There is also a legal requirement placed on all employers to ensure that recruitment practices meet the requirements of the Equality Act (2010).  It is therefore important to ensure that your recruitment practices are not only deemed to be fair, consistent and transparent but that this is also the experience of the individuals going through your recruitment process.

The guide looks at the different stages of a recruitment process, which would normally include:

  • Identifying the role you need and how it will support the function of your office.
  • How to write a job description in line with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) requirements.
  • Guidance on writing a person specification.
  • Putting an advert together and exploring various options to advertise your vacancy.
  • Best practice on selection methods.
  • Making the job offer, and the following checks that need to be carried out e.g. security vetting, employment references etc.

Although this is a guide to recruitment and selection, it is well worth reading it even if you’re not currently in the process of seeking a new employee.  It contains a wealth of valuable information which could also be used to help you to carry out appraisals and self-assessments.

 

Security

For information about security clearance for people on work experience see Apply for security vetting and passes

The Members’ HR Service

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The Members’ HR Advice Service advises Members on all matters related to their employment of staff.  They aim to promote good employment practice and deliver a personal and tailored service to MPs by providing them with high quality advice and documentation.

Whilst the Members’ HR Advice Service can only give guidance to Members of Parliament themselves or, if authorised, their office managers, the Members’ HR Advice Service intranet pages contain lots of useful information and links to forms and guides and in particular the Best Practice Guides

They offer a wide range of services, which include:

  • Confidential advice to individual Members on all employee relations such as disciplinary and grievances, sickness absence management, poor performance, capability processes and office reorganisation.
  • Formal guidance to Members on contractual terms and conditions including maternity and paternity rights, working time regulations, probationary period, recruitment and flexible working.
  • Promoting best practice application of employment law and policies and procedures.
    A range of tailored template and bespoke documentations to assist members in managing their HR issues.
  • The team can support Members at HR meetings held on the parliamentary estate or by telephone if the meetings are held off the parliamentary estate.
  • Members may authorise their office managers to handle HR and staffing issues with HR Advice Services.