FOI Request - Usher Contracts for Tynwald and Garden Party 2025

Summary

The requester sought standard contracts and terms for ushers at Tynwald Day and the 2025 Garden Party to investigate procedural fairness and termination rights. The Office of the Clerk of Tynwald disclosed a template written statement of terms and a job description, clarifying that new employment laws effective April 2025 necessitated written contracts for casual workers.

Key Facts

• The request covered ushers for Tynwald Day 2025 and the Tynwald Garden Party 2025.
• New employment laws in April 2025 require written statements of employment particulars on day one.
• The authority released a template written statement of terms and conditions and a job description.
• Redactions were applied to information regarding times the Office is closed to the public.
• Permanent staff working as ushers are covered under existing contracts and were out of scope for this request.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-06-11
• 2025-07-08
• April 2025
• 13
• 2
• 4718974
• 1

Original Request

Dear FOI Officer, Under the Freedom of Information Act 2015, I am requesting the following information: Request: A copy of the standard contract, agreement, or written terms and conditions provided to ushers engaged for: Tynwald Day 2025 The 2025 Government House Garden Party This includes any documents issued to casual or external ushers relating to: Employment or contractor status; Clauses concerning termination rights (e.g. right to terminate without cause or notice); Any related instructions, policies, or guidance issued with the contract. I am not requesting personal data. If necessary, I am happy for individual names or identifying information to be redacted in accordance with GDPR. Relevance: This information is directly relevant to a formal complaint I have submitted regarding the cohesion, consistency, and procedural fairness of ushering arrangements across recent Tynwald and Government House events. Specifically, I wish to understand: Whether the 2025 usher contracts reflect a departure from previous years' practices; Whether they include new terms that could affect cohesion by allowing certain ushers to be dismissed without reason; Whether different standards were applied selectively. This context is important to my concerns about the transparency and fairness of how usher duties were allocated and terminated. Please treat this as a formal FOI request and confirm receipt. Kind regards, [CONTACT DETAILS REDACTED]

Data Tables (6)

Full Response Text

Specifically, I wish to understand:

Whether the 2025 usher contracts reflect a departure from previous years' practices;

Whether they include new terms that could affect cohesion by allowing certain ushers to be dismissed without reason;

Whether different standards were applied selectively.

This context is important to my concerns about the transparency and fairness of how usher duties were allocated and terminated.

Please treat this as a formal FOI request and confirm receipt.

Kind regards,

[CONTACT DETAILS REDACTED]"

Our Response

Our response to your request is as follows:

Your request refers to ‘The 2025 Government House Garden Party’. The information released to you relates to the Tynwald Garden Party which will be held at Government House in 2025.

Tynwald Ushers contribute to the Tynwald Day Ceremony and/or the Tynwald Garden Party by ensuring that both events are welcoming and safe for those attending. They work with Officers of the Clerk of Tynwald who are tasked with the organisation of both events before, during and after the events.

Following the changes in Employment law in April 2025, the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald issued written contracts of employment (casual workers) to Tynwald Ushers who were offered work assignments for Tynwald Day 2025 and/or the Tynwald Garden Party 2025. Specifically, the changes in law require us to give a written statement of employment particulars on day one of employment.
https://www.gov.im/categories/working-in-the-isle-of-man/employment- rights/employment-law-changes-from-1-april-2025/.

The released template written particulars formalise the casual worker relationship enjoyed between the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald and those Tynwald Ushers who are not employed by the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald in a permanent or limited-term capacity. Staff employed by the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald in a permanent or limited-term capacity are asked to work on Tynwald Day as part of their contracts (out of scope of this request) and under this part of their contract, some staff agree to work as Tynwald Ushers for Tynwald Day Ceremony and/or the Tynwald Garden Party.
I attach the following copies of information that is being released to you:

• Template Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement offered to Tynwald Ushers in 2025 and Job Description for Tynwald Ushers.

We have redacted part of the Written Statement which relates to times that the Office is closed to the public. This information does not form part of the request.

Please quote the reference number 4718974 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

Louise Trimble

E-mail: enquiries@tynwald.org.im Post Lectraanagh: enquiries@tynwald.org.im Tynwald Usher
(Tynwald Day and the Tynwald Garden Party) WRITTEN STATEMENT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT The Clerk of Tynwald under the authority of the Tynwald Management Committee (TMC), determines the terms and conditions of the staff of the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office. A full set of the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office policies and procedures is available on the staff intranet and is also available to you on request. The purpose of this agreement is to engage the individual on an as-required basis. The Clerk of Tynwald has no obligation to offer work, and the individual worker has no obligation to accept that offer of work.
It should be noted that The Clerk of Tynwald retains the right to amend the terms and conditions of engagement at any time and put in place such terms as it sees fit. Such a change will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Employment Act 2006. Employer: The Clerk of Tynwald, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Employer’. Name of Worker: Insert full name. Start and End Date: The start and end date will be determined for each period of work (‘assignment’) offered and accepted.
Continuous Service: This agreement governs the relationship between you and the Employer in the event that the Employer offers you work. It does not create legal relations until you choose to accept an assignment.
There is no continuity of service between you and the organisation between the termination of one assignment and the commencement of the next assignment. Your period of continuous service will begin on the date on which the assignment starts and will end on the date of termination of the assignment. No employment with a previous employer or under a previous assignment counts towards a period of continuous service.
Where the Employer offers an assignment to you, it does not give rise to a presumption that it will offer you further assignments, nor that you will accept any work that it offers to you in the future. Tynwald Usher - Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement

2 The Employer may withdraw this agreement on the grounds of your inability to carry out the duties mutually agreed between yourself and the Employer. Similarly, you may also wish to formally withdraw your agreement by writing to the Employer.

Place of Work: Your place of work will ordinarily be St John’s, Isle of Man and/or such location on the Isle of Man where the Garden Party is held. You may be required to work in other locations from time to time, such as Legislative Buildings, Douglas, Isle of Man, and this will be agreed with you in advance.

Hours of Work: The Employer’s need for individuals to perform work varies from time to time and you have confirmed that you may be available for work. The Employer is not obliged to offer you work at any time, and you are not entitled to a minimum number of hours of work per day, week or year. If the Employer does offer you work, you are under no obligation to accept it.

In the event that you do agree to undertake work (an assignment), you will be required to complete it to the satisfaction of the Employer. If you decide to accept casual work offered, these terms and conditions will apply during the period that you provide services to the Employer.

Your hours of work for each assignment will be determined by the Employer in advance of the assignment, ordinarily giving two weeks’ notice according to the needs of the Employer. You will be required to complete timesheets to confirm the actual hours you have worked.

Salary: The gross hourly rate for this post will be [£…..]. Because the hours for this post are ad-hoc and by agreement, this rate includes an additional 8.33% which is for holiday pay.

Hours worked and authorised will be paid monthly, wholly in arrears, by Bankers Automated Clearing System (BACS) on the 25th day of each month, or the nearest working day prior to the 25th if this falls on a weekend/public holiday.

Tynwald Usher - Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement

3 Pay information, including your payslip, will be given to you electronically via the Isle of Man Government self- service HR and Payroll system. In the event of any error leading to an overpayment of salary, the provisions of the Isle of Man Government Financial Regulations will apply.

You must complete a claim form for each period of casual work. Payment for casual work is conditional upon full and proper completion of the claim form.
Payment may be delayed if the timesheet is not properly completed.

Any claim for casual work that has not been completed or other falsification of hours worked or of authorised signatories may lead the Office to make no further offers of casual work to you and possible disciplinary action. Please note all timesheets are checked against hours worked.

Overtime is not available for casual work.

Annual Leave: Our holiday year runs from 1st April to 31st March, and you are entitled to have four weeks paid holiday a year on a pro rata basis as you will only work part of the year. Due to the nature of your work, we will pay you rolled up holiday pay. This means that for every hour you work you are being paid your holiday entitlement every time you work. This will be shown as a separate item on your payslip.

As a casual worker, you do not have to book holidays, but you are still entitled to four weeks annual leave from work; any time you take off for annual leave will not attract more pay.

The Public Holidays during which the Office is ordinarily closed are:

Tynwald Usher - Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement

4 Office closures can be determined by the Clerk of Tynwald in consultation with the Presiding Officers;

There is no entitlement to additional pay for public holidays and office closures.

Paid Leave: There is no entitlement to pay for any periods of maternity, adoption, paternity leave, or other paid leave for casual workers. Leave will be granted in accordance with any statutory provision.

Absence due to Sickness: There is no entitlement to paid sick leave in relation to this post.

If you become sick during an assignment, you must contact your supervisor within 1 hour of your normal start time (if morning, or as much notice as possible if an afternoon/evening start) on the first working day of your absence, advising the reason for your absence and how long you expect to remain absent. You must keep the Employer informed of subsequent sickness absence.

You should not accept an assignment if you know that you will be unable to work all or any of the hours agreed because of sickness or injury.

Pension Scheme: This is a non-pensionable role.

Other Benefits: You are not entitled to any benefits other than those set out in this statement.

Notice Period: You will be given notice of the end date of an assignment when it is offered to you. No further notice will be provided on completion of an assignment.

There is no obligation on either party to give notice that they wish to terminate this agreement. However, if you wish for us to stop contacting you to offer you hours of work, then please let us know. Likewise, if we decide to not offer any further hours of work to you, then we will contact you and tell you.

Outside Employment: You should not engage in any activity which might conflict with the interests of this Employer.

Tynwald Usher - Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement

5

Health and Safety at Work Whilst at work you must take reasonable care for the health and safety of both you and others with whom you come into contact and who would be affected by your work.

Criminal Convictions
If you are arrested, charged with, or found guilty of a criminal offence, you must report the matter to the Employer without delay. An exception is a traffic offence for which the penalty did not include imprisonment or the suspension of your driving licence.

Confidentiality
Throughout the course of your employment, you may become aware of information concerning your Employer or Tynwald, their business or staff. All such information must be treated as strictly confidential. Breach of this confidence will result in action under the Disciplinary Procedure and may lead to dismissal.

Disciplinary Policy: The Disciplinary Policy and Procedures and the Capability Policy and Procedures, in accordance with the Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures 2007 and the Employment Act 2006, is held separately and full details will be provided to you by your line manager on joining.

Grievance Policy: The Grievance Policy and Procedures, in accordance with the Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures 2007 and the Employment Act 2006, is held separately and full details will be provided to you by your line manager on joining.

Collective Agreements:
There are no collective agreements in place that affect your terms and conditions of employment.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Your duties and responsibilities are those set out in the particulars of the post issued at the time of your application. Further details may be provided on joining and other duties may be required by the Employer from time to time. Job particulars will be updated from time to time to reflect the current duties associated with your role.

Line Manager: Your Line Manager will be the Corporate Services Manager.

Tynwald Usher - Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement

6 Acceptance

If you wish to accept this Offer of Employment for the position of Tynwald Usher (Tynwald Day and/or Tynwald Garden Party) and the principal term set out in this Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement, please sign and return this document within seven days to the Office of the Clerk of Tynwald, Legislative Buildings, Finch Road, Douglas, Isle of Man.

Signature:

Print Name (in block capitals):

Date:

Tynwald Usher - Written Statement of Terms and Conditions of Engagement

7 JOB DESCRIPTION: TYNWALD USHERS
(Tynwald Day and Tynwald Garden Party)
The Tynwald Ceremony Arran

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