Working in Partnership with Your District Lay Employment Secretary (DLES)
The District Lay Employment Secretary (DLES) is a key source of advice, guidance and practical support for churches, circuits and districts in their role as employers. Engaging with the DLES at an early stage can help employing bodies navigate Methodist requirements, obtain the necessary authorisations, prepare employment documentation, and ensure that appointments and employment arrangements are established and managed appropriately.
Under Standing Order 438A, employing bodies are required to keep the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee informed of all lay employment arrangements within the District. This process is coordinated through the DLES, who acts as a central point of contact and supports employing bodies throughout the employment lifecycle.
Working closely with the DLES helps to ensure that the correct processes are followed, employment risks are identified and addressed at an early stage, and employment arrangements are consistent with employment legislation, and good employment practice. The DLES can also provide guidance on employment matters, support employers in navigating complex situations, and facilitate consideration of matters requiring review or authorisation through the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee.
To enable the DLES to provide appropriate advice, support, and obtain any necessary approvals, employing bodies should share relevant employment information and documentation, including:
- Documentation relating to proposed appointments, including:
- Authorisation to Recruit Form
- Draft advertisement
- Job description
- Person specification
- Information relating to funding arrangements
- DBS requirements (where applicable)
- Draft conditional offer letter
- Draft formal offer letter
- Draft Statement of Terms and Conditions
- A copy of the signed Statement of Terms and Conditions once employment has commenced.
- Details of any proposed changes to contractual terms and conditions during employment.
- Early notification where employment may be coming to an end, so that appropriate advice and support can be provided.
- Notification of any proposed disciplinary action or formal employee relations processes.
- Information relating to organisational change, restructuring, potential redundancies, or TUPE transfers.
Preparing for Engagement with the DLES
The earlier an employing body engages with the District Lay Employment Secretary (DLES), the more effectively they can provide advice, identify potential issues, and support the successful establishment of employment arrangements. Early discussion can help ensure that the necessary authorisations are obtained, appropriate documentation is in place, and Methodist requirements and employment obligations are understood from the outset.
Before contacting the DLES, it may be helpful to consider:
- The purpose of the new role and operational need it is intended to support.
- Whether appropriate funding and budget provision are in place for the proposed appointment.
- The proposed employment arrangements, including hours, contract type, and duration.
- Any safeguarding and DBS requirements associated with the role.
- Draft recruitment documentation, including the job description, person specification, and advertisement.
- Arrangements for line management, supervision, and support.
- Any practical employer requirements, such as payroll, pension administration, and employment record keeping.
- Potential employment risks or challenges that may require advice or discussion.
Providing relevant information and documentation at an early stage enables the DLES to offer timely guidance, support the Authorisation to Recruit process where applicable, and help ensure that appointments are established in accordance with Methodist requirements, employment legislation, and good employment practice.
This collaborative approach can help avoid delays, reduce risk, and provide confidence that the appropriate processes have been followed before recruitment or employment begins.
By working proactively with the DLES throughout the employment lifecycle, employing bodies can help ensure that appointments are established correctly, risks are minimised, and employment arrangements remain compliant with employment legislation and best practice.
Supporting Successful Appointments
One of the DLES's most important roles is to help employing bodies establish appointments correctly from the outset. Before an appointment is confirmed, the proposed appointment and associated employment documentation must be considered through the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee process, administered by the DLES.
Early engagement with the DLES enables employment documentation and proposals to be reviewed, potential issues to be identified and addressed, and any necessary improvements to be made before employment commences. This collaborative approach helps employing bodies follow the appropriate processes, secure the necessary authorisations, mitigate employment-related risks, and establish appointments with confidence.
The functions of the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee, set out in CPD 438A(5), include supporting and advising employing bodies, reviewing employment arrangements, and promoting good employment practice throughout the District.