Administration & Release Dates

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POLICIES FOR OUR PEOPLE 1.1

RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

ADMINISTRATION AND RELEASE DATES

OUR APPROACH

Our aim is to ensure that we attract and offer employment to either internal or external applicants who are most suitable for the current and future needs of the business.

We want to continue to establish Tesco as a quality employer, attracting high quality applicants at all times, ensuring that the best person for the job gets the job every time.

To do this, we are committed to:

- Ensuring that all our recruitment and selection processes are carried out in
  accordance with our Equal Opportunities policy;

- Recruiting internally whenever possible, either following career planning
  information or by advertising internally. We will recruit externally if there
  are no suitable internal candidates;

- Ensuring that to get and retain the best people, we use progressive, consistent
  and fair recruitment and selection methods;

- Continually developing the skills and talent of our people and supporting internal
  job moves.

ADMINISTRATION

Our commitment to all our internal and external applicants is to:

- Acknowledge all applications within 5 working days;

- Maintain a consistent and high standard of communication at all stages of the
  recruitment process;

- Ensure that accurate records of declined applicants are kept on file for a
  maximum period of 6 months and that all internal applications are held on an
  individual's personal file;

- If the applicant is to be declined before interview, we should respond as quickly
  as possible and certainly no later than 10 days from the initial acknowledgement;

- Ensure that internal applicants are given the opportunity to request feedback
  from an interview from either the personnel or line manager present at the
  interview;

- Allow paid time off for individuals attending an internal interview and reimburse 
  reasonable travel expenses.

- If using tests, they should not form the sole basis of your decision making and
  must measure factors which are directly relevant to the employment situation.
  Provide feedback on psychometric tests to any internal or external candidate
  who requests it. This will be carried out by a qualified tester.

- Ensure all new starters receive their written Terms and Conditions of Employment
  within four weeks of starting work with the company.

RELEASE DATES

With internal appointments, once an individual has accepted a new position, the following guidelines can be used when agreeing upon a transfer date:

STORES

General Assistants up to and including Section Managers - Maximum of 4 weeks in old job before new position is taken up.

All levels above Section Manager - Maximum of 8 weeks in old job before new position is taken up.

Agreement should always be reached between the relevant Line managers and management. Discretion may be required for transfers during peak trading times such as Christmas.

DISTRIBUTION AND HEAD OFFICE

Once a job has been accepted, the new start date is generally agreed 4 weeks from then. This, however, is not always realistically possible. Delays of any kind must be discussed between the appropriate Line Managers and may need to take into account issues such as:

- Holidays already booked by the individual;

- Completion of a particular project which would leave the department exposed if 
  unfinished;

- How long the position has been vacant.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

The Contract

The basis of all employment relationships is the contract, so this forms a very important part of the recruitment process.

A contract is a promise or a set of promises that the law will enforce, for example, the employee promises to work and the employer promises to pay a wage in return.

It comprises the following:

- Offer - We, as; individuals on behalf of Tesco, make a job offer which clearly sets
  out the terms and conditions that will apply. It shows we are willing to enter into
  a contract and will comply with all its terms once the other side accepts.

- Acceptance - An offer is accepted when the person accepts the job on the same
  terms and conditions as we offered it.

- Consideration - This is what is "gained" from the contract: there must be something
  of value gained by both the company and the employee.

- Intention to be legally binding - Both parties expect to be held to their part of the
  bargain so they are entering into a legal relationship by making a binding
  employment agreement.

Job Offer

The job offer must be communicated to the person. We require that all job offers must be put in writing but an oral job offer is still a job offer; for example, an offer made over the phone is binding on us.

We must be careful not to give the impression of an offer as Tesco will be bound by it if the person accepts. For example, in an interview.

Withdrawal of a Job Offer

Job offers can be withdrawn at any time before acceptance or where it has been accepted but a condition of the offer cannot be met, for example, offer is made subject to receipt of suitable references or medical fitness. Other conditions may be necessary depending on the position and may cover areas such as:

- qualifications essential for the job to be carried out correctly;

- valid driving licence if the jobholder has to drive to be able to fulfill job
  requirements;

- not subject to a restraint clause from a previous employer which prevents the
  person taking up immediate employment with us.