New Employment Protection for Clergy

According to the trade union Unite, the Church of England has conceded that, for the purposes of an employment claim, the clergy are employed by the church and not by God. For centuries the church has maintained that its ministers are outside the scope of employment protection legislation, asserting that clergy are not employees but office holders occupying ‘a living’. However, in a recent dispute between Reverend Sharpe and the Diocese of Worcester, for the purposes of his claim the church agreed that Reverend Sharpe had the status of a worker. The claim will be decided by judicial mediation in the coming months.

As a result of the concession Unite are now calling for an independent review by ACAS into how the Church of England can improve working conditions for its members.

Published on 30/09/2008