Human resources policies

Summary

A request was made for policies and employee counts regarding service and emotional support animals within the Isle of Man Government. The Cabinet Office responded that it does not hold this specific information, noting that the Public Services Commission has a general Pets at Work Policy that excludes these categories.

Key Facts

• The Cabinet Office does not hold information on policies for service or emotional support animals.
• The Public Services Commission has a Pets at Work Policy that does not reference service or emotional support animals.
• Other Government Departments may have their own policies not held by the Cabinet Office.
• The Equality Act 2017 requires reasonable adjustments for disabilities, which may cover trained support animals.
• No specific employee counts for animals of either type were provided.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-03-25
• 2025-04-04
• 4537734
• Equality Act 2017
• Freedom of Information Act 2015

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held

Original Request

Does the Isle of Man Government have policies for employees using: (a) service animals (b) emotional support animals In each case, how many employees are recorded as having an animal of either type?

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: 4537734 4 April 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request received 25 March 2025, which states:

"Does the Isle of Man Government have policies for employees using:

(a) service animals

(b) emotional support animals

In each case, how many employees are recorded as having an animal of either type?”

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold the information that you have requested.

The Public Services Commission has a Pets at Work Policy. This does not make reference to service animals or emotional support animals. Other Government Departments, Boards and Offices may have their own policies which are not held by the Office of Human Resources, Cabinet Office.

The Isle of Man’s Equality Act 2017 does not make specific reference to service animals, but a person’s need to be accompanied by an animal that is trained to support somebody who has a disability would normally fall within the legal requirement for an organisation to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate a disability.

Please quote the reference number 4537734 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