HAY job reviews (FOI)

Request

Please can you provide me with a detailed report on the HAY scores for Customer and Local Services Welcome Host Job and the Treasury and Exchequer Shared Services Officer role under the new finance transformation structure?

If this information can't be shared please can provide me with a detailed explanation as to why I can’t have access to this information.

Response

The information requested is withheld under Article 25 (Personal Information) and Article 39 (Employment) of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011.

The Hay evaluation process is complex and depends on a good understanding of the scheme and an ability to be analytical and strictly objective. It requires detailed formal training, observation and induction to operate effectively; therefore the Government of Jersey do not release the final evaluation scores.

Further information in relation to the Hay evaluation process is available within a previous Freedom of Information response at the following link:

Hay evaluation (FOI)

It is also the opinion of the scheduled public authority that the methodology detailed within the following decision of the Information Commissioner would be applicable in relation to this request:

Decision notice of the Information Commissioner - 19 December 2018

Article applied

Article 25 Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018.

(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018; and

(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.

Article 39 Employment

Information is qualified exempt information if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice pay or conditions negotiations that are being held between a public authority and –

(a) an employee or prospective employee of the authority; or

(b) representatives of the employees of the authority.

Justification

The Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) is withholding this information as it believes that to release it could prejudice ongoing evaluations which take place as part of the day to day management of employment conditions within the Government of Jersey. The SPA would also be concerned that any future evaluations may be affected due to the release of information.

Article 39 is a qualified exemption, which means that a public interest test is required to be undertaken by the SPA. It is therefore necessary for the scheduled public authority to examine the circumstances of the case. Following assessment the SPA has to decide whether, on balance, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Although there is a need for transparency, accountability, and good decision making by public authorities this information relates to specific and individual negotiations between the Government of Jersey and their employees.

On balance, it is our view that the public interest does not outweigh the potential prejudice of release.