HR services to the wider public sector

Summary

The requester asked for details on the legal basis, cost tracking, abuse patterns, and sanctions regarding HR services provided to the wider public sector. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold the requested data, clarifying that the Office of Human Resources provides advisory services rather than legal advice.

Key Facts

• The Office of Human Resources (OHR) does not provide legal advice to Departments, Boards, or Offices.
• OHR provides HR advisory services to the public sector.
• No data is held regarding the tracking of cumulative costs, negative trends, or sanctions for HR service usage.
• The OHR was established and became formally effective on 1 April 2011.
• The Council of Ministers is responsible for HR strategy and policy in the public service.

Data Disclosed

• 1 April 2011
• 31 May 2021
• 9 June 2021
• 1815434
• Freedom of Information Act 2015

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held

Original Request

On what legal basis are HR services related to employment matters and employment disputes, in effect legal opinion, offered and available on demand to regulators, agencies, statutory boards and offices such as the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald and Manx Industrial Relations Service; how are any such cumulative costs tracked and apportioned in each financial year; how are multiple financial year negative trends tracked to include patterns of abuse with or more importantly without sanctions; what measures have been invoked in relation to disproportionate pro rata enquiries; what measures have been invoked due to mishandling of HR matters or contempt of expertise and directions from OHR to include a memorandum of understanding, temporary bans on access to services and most importantly cost recovery in the best interests of taxpayers; and how is reputational risk considered or quantified and shared in respect of the employer and the employee?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 1815434 9 June 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 31 May 2021 and which states:

"On what legal basis are HR services related to employment matters and employment disputes, in effect legal opinion, offered and available on demand to regulators, agencies, statutory boards and offices such as the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald and Manx Industrial Relations Service; how are any such cumulative costs tracked and apportioned in each financial year; how are multiple financial year negative trends tracked to include patterns of abuse with or more importantly without sanctions; what measures have been invoked in relation to disproportionate pro rata enquiries; what measures have been invoked due to mishandling of HR matters or contempt of expertise and directions from OHR to include a memorandum of understanding, temporary bans on access to services and most importantly cost recovery in the best interests of taxpayers; and how is reputational risk considered or quantified and shared in respect of the employer and the employee?" While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold some of the information that you have requested. The Office of Human Resources does not give legal advice to any of the Departments, Boards and Offices it serves, but HR advisory services are provided, and no data is held in respect of the remaining parts of the request. The Office of Human Resources (OHR) was established and became formally effective on 1 April 2011. The Council of Ministers, who are responsible for HR strategy and policy in the public service, progressed the recommendations of the Council of Ministers Report on the Human Resource Management Function. This bought together the specialist human resources services, previously located within the Departments of Government along with those of a number of Boards and other bodies.

Please quote the reference number 1815434 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely