In your church, circuit or district, whenever you are dealing with matters relating to employment of lay members of staff, please remember to do so in consultation with your District Lay Employment Secretary. The District Lay Employment Secretaries are appointed specifically to provide employment advice and support to representatives of churches, circuits and districts.
It could be that you are thinking of employing a full-time lay worker and providing them with accommodation, or a cleaner for one hour a week, or anything in between - whatever the role you are considering, before you start the process please make contact with your District Lay Employment Secretary (DLES). The role of the DLES is to:
You will be offered advice that relates to the specific role you are considering and directed to the relevant resources that the Methodist Church has available to support you throughout the process. Some of these resources are available on this website but there may be others that may be particularly relevant to you.
Please kindly note that NO appointment may be made unless prior approval of the appointment and of the documentation has been obtained from the District Lay Employment Sub Committee* acting through the DLES.
*The functions of the Lay Employment Sub-Committee are set out in CPD 438A (5):
(5) The Lay Employment Sub-committee shall discharge the following functions:
(iii) give or withhold approval in accordance with clause (6) below to all proposed contracts of employment to which this Standing Order applies, and maintain a register of all such contracts made;
(iv) [deleted]
(v) advise employing bodies in the District on all matters concerning contracts of employment and management of lay employees including, in particular, those relating to disciplinary proceedings;
(vi) give or withhold approval in accordance with clause (9) below to all proposals to terminate contracts of employment on any grounds;
(vii) be responsible for drawing the attention of employing bodies to good employment practice and procedures, and to the desirability of complying with them.
(6) Every new contract of employment to which this Standing Order applies shall: (i) require the prior approval of the Lay Employment Sub-committee;
How to Contact the District Lay Employment Secretary
The contact details for your District Lay Employment Secretary can normally be found in the Synod Directory for your District, or from Human Resources in the Connexional Team at MCH ; e-mail: hr@methodistchurch.org.uk; tel: 0207 4865502.