Parish Toolkit
We provide general information to PCCs about employment and safeguarding matters and signposts to useful resources. However, we are unable to give detailed advice on complex matters which may need specialist advice.
To support you in your journery we have developed a parish toolkit. This toolkit is live and will be kept up to date and enriched with new material from time to time to reflect any employment law changes.
Should you require any further assistance please contact a member of the HR and Safeguarding team, their contact details can be found here.
Important update - Coronavirus (COVID -19)
For the latest Parish HR updates please click here
Parishes have been asking whether they should delay recruitment due to the Coronavirus restrictions. We would suggest that you follow the Government advice about preventing unnecessary trips and wherever possible conduct interviews online. You need to balance being able to treat people fairly with ensuring everyone is safe. If you do conduct interviews online you must still ensure that as part of the process you comply with the rules on Right to Work (and Safer Recruitment as appropriate) making sure you verify the individual’s identity.
| Choose Section | Bookmark ID | Heading (raw) | Main Heading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment and Selection | #5FToc29988415 | Recruitment and Selection | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Defining the role - Job description / personal specification | #5FToc29988416 | Defining the role - Job description / personal specification | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Attraction – advertising, salary and other benefits, etc | #5FToc29988417 | Attraction – advertising, salary and other benefits, etc | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Recruitment process – shortlisting, interviews, job offers | #5FToc29988418 | Recruitment process – shortlisting, interviews, job offers | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Contract of employment (types, length…) | #5FToc29988419 | Contract of employment (types, length…) | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| General information | #5FToc29988420 | General information | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Fixed term and temporary contracts | #5FToc29988421 | Fixed term and temporary contracts | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Zero hours and casual employees | #5FToc29988422 | Zero hours and casual employees | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Right to work | #5FToc29988423 | Right to work | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Safer recruitment (references, DBS) | #5FToc29988424 | Safer recruitment (references, DBS) | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| FAQs | #5FToc29988425 | FAQs | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Is it ok for me to ask a candidate if they have a disability or have experienced any long-term sickness? | #5FToc29988426 | Is it ok for me to ask a candidate if they have a disability or have experienced any long-term sickness? | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Can I request references prior to the interview? | #5FToc29988427 | Can I request references prior to the interview? | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| I would like to employ a member of our PCC to do some bookkeeping for a few hours each week. Is this ok? | #5FToc29988428 | I would like to employ a member of our PCC to do some bookkeeping for a few hours each week. Is this ok? | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| A member of staff has been on a fixed-term contract for 3 years and it is coming to an end in two months’ time, are they entitled to a redundancy payment? | #5FToc29988429 | A member of staff has been on a fixed-term contract for 3 years and it is coming to an end in two months’ time, are they entitled to a redundancy payment? | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| A member of staff has resigned but does not want to give their full contractual notice, can we insist that they do so? | #5FToc29988430 | A member of staff has resigned but does not want to give their full contractual notice, can we insist that they do so? | 1. Recruitment and Selection |
| Employing Staff | #5FToc29986128 | Employing Staff | 2. Employing Staff |
| Legal obligations of being an employer | #5FToc29986129 | Legal obligations of being an employer | 2. Employing Staff |
| Legislation | #5FToc29986130 | Legislation | 2. Employing Staff |
| Payroll | #5FToc29986131 | Payroll | 2. Employing Staff |
| Pension | #5FToc29986132 | Pension | 2. Employing Staff |
| Health & safety | #5FToc29986133 | Health & safety | 2. Employing Staff |
| Insurance | #5FToc29986134 | Insurance | 2. Employing Staff |
| Employment Status (employees, volunteers, contractors) | #5FToc29986135 | Employment Status (employees, volunteers, contractors) | 2. Employing Staff |
| Tax: Checking if they’re exempt from PAYE | #5FToc29986136 | Tax: Checking if they’re exempt from PAYE | 2. Employing Staff |
| Employment: Checking their employment rights | #5FToc29986137 | Employment: Checking their employment rights | 2. Employing Staff |
| Volunteers | #5FToc29986138 | Volunteers | 2. Employing Staff |
| Expenses | #5FToc29986139 | Expenses | 2. Employing Staff |
| Deciding on remuneration and benefits | #5FToc29986140 | Deciding on remuneration and benefits | 2. Employing Staff |
| Employment records, retention periods (statutory and non-statutory requirements) | #5FToc29986141 | Employment records, retention periods (statutory and non-statutory requirements) | 2. Employing Staff |
| Recommended (statutory) retention periods | #5FToc29986142 | Recommended (statutory) retention periods | 2. Employing Staff |
| Recommended (non-statutory) retention periods | #5FToc29986143 | Recommended (non-statutory) retention periods | 2. Employing Staff |
| FAQs | #5FToc29986144 | FAQs | 2. Employing Staff |
| Our new parish administrator says they would like to be self-employed, is that ok? | #5FToc29986145 | Our new parish administrator says they would like to be self-employed, is that ok? | 2. Employing Staff |
| What about my organist? | #5FToc29986146 | What about my organist? | 2. Employing Staff |
| Our office manager runs their own business at weekends. Can they be self-employed in our parish too? | #5FToc29986147 | Our office manager runs their own business at weekends. Can they be self-employed in our parish too? | 2. Employing Staff |
| We run a bar and have a group of casual workers who work occasional shifts as and when required. They are self-employed and paid in cash, is that ok? | #5FToc29986148 | We run a bar and have a group of casual workers who work occasional shifts as and when required. They are self-employed and paid in cash, is that ok? | 2. Employing Staff |
| Is there an easy way to establish the status of our workers? | #5FToc29986149 | Is there an easy way to establish the status of our workers? | 2. Employing Staff |
| Induction & Probation | #5FToc29987871 | Induction & Probation | 3. Induction and Probation |
| Introduction – welcome to parish | #5FToc29987872 | Introduction – welcome to parish | 3. Induction and Probation |
| Probation period – policy and process | #5FToc29987873 | Probation period – policy and process | 3. Induction and Probation |
| Management, Policies and Procedures | #5FToc29988154 | Management, Policies and Procedures | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Performance management | #5FToc29988155 | Performance management | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Capability | #5FToc29988156 | Capability | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Attendance management | #5FToc29988157 | Attendance management | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Grievance | #5FToc29988158 | Grievance | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Family friendly policies. | #5FToc29988159 | Family friendly policies. | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Development (training) | #5FToc29988160 | Development (training) | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Whistleblowing | #5FToc29988161 | Whistleblowing | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| Disciplinary | #5FToc29988162 | Disciplinary | 4. Management, Policies and Procedures |
| End of Employment Relationship | #5FToc29987550 | End of Employment Relationship | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
| Leaver process (payroll, return of equipment, exit interview etc) | #5FToc29987551 | Leaver process (payroll, return of equipment, exit interview etc) | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
| Resignations | #5FToc29987552 | Resignations | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
| Retirement | #5FToc29987553 | Retirement | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
| Protected or without prejudice conversations | #5FToc29987554 | Protected or without prejudice conversations | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
| Redundancy | #5FToc29987555 | Redundancy | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
| References | #5FToc29987556 | References | 5. End of Employment Relationship |
Parish Resources
The Parish Resources site has guidance on employing staff, working with volunteers, safeguarding and health and safety. It also has links to a comprehensive guide to employing staff in faith-based projects. The Just Employment resource includes guidance on recruiting and managing staff and volunteers, practical advice, case studies and examples, and over 50 templates for letters and documents;
Health and Safety Executive
The HSE has advice on health and safety matters, risk assessments and accident reporting; and free resources are also available from John Truscott’s site.