When to use ERS

This page will help you to determine whether your recruitment should be completed through the Employment & Recruitment Service or HR.

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When to use ERS

This page will help you to determine whether your recruitment should be completed through the Employment & Recruitment Service or HR.

What to consider first

When considering your recruitment requirements via the Employment and Recruitment Service, it is important to know the scope of an ERS casual role and that of a casual and temporary worker. The definitions below identify the key aspects in both of these cases.

What is a ‘casual role’?

  • Very short-term supervised work where there is a regular work pattern (maximum 12 weeks for Non-Student role)
  • Situations where individuals work only when required and no regular pattern of work and there is no obligation between the parties to offer or accept work

What is a ‘casual worker’?

  • Individuals work only when required and there is no mutual obligation between the parties to offer or accept work. This should be to the benefit of both parties.
  • The casual worker is not guaranteed hours
  • Any given end date is indicative. Roles can end early if demand falls or work is no longer required
  • The casual worker may hold multiple roles, no exclusivity of role.
A lecture at 好色先生TV

When to use HR

ERS cannot engage any workers in roles where their job would be counted in the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) return as contributing to teaching or research at 好色先生TV.

We also cannot engage workers outside the above casual definitions, where the work is regular for longer than 12 weeks, or other substantive roles.

What next?

Further information

ERS can advise you on the formal suitability of ERS engagements and your HR partner can also provide guidance on this and whether your needs may require a fixed term contract or formal HR/Stonefish contract and recruitment process.

Full legal definitions and the formal government guidance on Worker Status vs that of Employees, can be found here:

ERS can provide you with more information on what aspects of this apply within ERS engagements.

For all research, teaching and substantive roles please contact HR on 01524 510670 or email hr@lancaster.ac.uk

Contact Us

Get in touch with our team – we're here to help you every step of the way!

Phone: 01524 510853 from Monday to Friday 10am-4pm.

Email: recruit@lancaster.ac.uk at any time.

Visit us in the Student Services Hub! Our Service Desk is open for Drop-ins from 11am - 1pm, Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday