Secondment Agreement

Part of the employment documents cluster in the employment knowledge graph — connected to occupations, documents, hiring guides, career guides, country guides and employment law.

What a secondment agreement is and why it matters

A secondment agreement sets out the terms under which an employee is temporarily placed with a host organisation, or a different part of the same group, while their employment with the original employer continues. It usually involves three perspectives: the home employer, the host and the seconded employee, and it clarifies who is responsible for what during the placement.

Its purpose is to enable a temporary move for development, knowledge-sharing or resource needs without ending the underlying employment. For the employee it confirms that their role and continuity are protected; for the home employer and host it allocates day-to-day management, costs and responsibilities and sets out how the secondment ends and the return is handled.

When a secondment agreement is used

• To place an employee temporarily with another part of a group.
• To second an employee to a client, partner or external organisation.
• For development, knowledge transfer or to meet a short-term resource need.
• When an employee should keep their existing employment and continuity.
• For project work that benefits from a temporary placement.

What a clear secondment agreement includes

• The names of the home employer, the host and the seconded employee.
• The duration of the secondment and any review or extension process.
• The role and responsibilities the employee will hold at the host.
• Who manages the employee day to day during the placement.
• How continuity of employment with the home employer is preserved.
• How costs and arrangements are handled between the parties.
• Confidentiality and how information is handled at the host.
• How the secondment ends and how the return to the home employer works.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving unclear who manages the employee during the placement.
• Failing to confirm that the home employment and continuity continue.
• Not agreeing how the secondment can be ended early by either side.
• Overlooking confidentiality where the host handles sensitive work.
• Forgetting to plan the employee return to their original role.
• Not setting a clear duration or review point for the placement.

Best practices

• Set out clearly who is responsible for day-to-day management.
• Confirm that the underlying employment and continuity are preserved.
• Agree the duration, review points and early-end arrangements.
• Plan the return so the employee moves back smoothly when it ends.
• Export the signed agreement to PDF so the arrangement is fixed and shareable.