District Lay Employment Secretaries (DLES) provide advice, guidance and support to churches, circuits and districts in their role as employers. Their purpose is to help employing bodies understand and fulfil their employment responsibilities, promote good employment practice, and ensure employment matters are managed in line with Methodist requirements and employment legislation.
If you are considering appointing a lay employee, recruiting staff, engaging a casual worker, or making changes to an existing employment arrangement, you should contact your DLES as early as possible. Early engagement helps ensure that the correct processes are followed, the necessary documentation is in place, and any potential issues are identified before decisions are finalised.
Your DLES can provide advice tailored to your circumstances and help you access the relevant Methodist resources, templates and guidance. While many of these resources are available on this website, your DLES may also direct you to additional support where needed.
How Your DLES Can Help
Your District Lay Employment Secretary can provide support with:
- Workforce planning and role design
- Recruitment and selection processes
- Job descriptions and person specifications
- Contracts of employment and terms and conditions
- Performance, conduct and attendance matters
- Organisational change and redundancy processes
- Ending employment relationships
- Accessing Methodist policies, templates and guidance
Seeking advice at an early stage can help ensure employment matters are handled consistently, appropriately and in a way that reflects both legal requirements and Methodist values.
Contacting Your District Lay Employment Secretary
Contact details for your District Lay Employment Secretary can usually be found in your District Synod Directory.
Alternatively, you can contact the Connexional HR Team:
Email: hr@methodistchurch.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7486 5502
If you are unsure who your District Lay Employment Secretary is, the Connexional HR Team will be able to direct you to the appropriate contact.
Approval Requirements
To ensure good employment practice and compliance with Methodist requirements, churches and other employing bodies must obtain approval for both a proposed appointment and the associated employment documentation before an appointment is confirmed.
This approval is obtained through the District Lay Employment Secretary, acting on behalf of the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee.
The approval process helps ensure that employment arrangements:
- Comply with Methodist requirements and Standing Orders
- Reflect good employment practice
- Meet legal obligations
- Protect the interests of both the employing body and the employee
In addition, all new contracts of employment that fall within the scope of the relevant Standing Orders require prior approval from the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee.
The Role of the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee
The responsibilities of the District Lay Employment Sub-Committee are set out in CPD 438A(5) and include:
- Approving or withholding approval for proposed contracts of employment covered by the relevant Standing Orders, and maintaining a register of those contracts.
- Providing advice to churches, circuits and districts on matters relating to the employment and management of lay employees, including disciplinary issues.
- Approving or withholding approval for proposals to terminate employment.
- Promoting good employment practice and encouraging compliance with relevant policies, procedures and legal requirements.