Merit pools: the 18-month clock and the “similar vacancy” trap
Your merit pool has an expiry date. Do you know it?
Merit pools are powerful. They are also the source of a large share of promotion review defects.
A written decision to engage or promote from a pool must be made within 18 months of the vacancy being notified in the Gazette. After that, the pool expires. Appointments from an expired pool are not merit-based.
The “similar vacancy” rule is equally misused. A similar vacancy must share the same classification, duties, and work-related qualities, not just the same team. Using a pool to fill a role that is “close enough” invites review.
Document the Gazette date. Document the similarity test for each appointment. Treat the pool as a live governance artefact, not a filing cabinet.
Build a merit pool register with Gazette date, expiry date, and similarity-test notes for every downstream appointment.