Select a region
It's emerged that Government CEO Charlie Parker has been given a fresh 'fixed-term' contract to see out his final few months in Jersey’s top civil service role.
The new three-month contract entitles Mr Parker to the same pay, and allows him the equivalent of up to 41 days off on an annual basis under a “use it or lose it” policy.
It's not been made clear how his first contract - only made public in 2018 following an appeal to the Information Commissioner by Express - with the Government was ended, to be replaced by this new fixed-term arrangement.
A Government official said the contract was "put in place following advice to the States Employment Board."
Pictured: Charlie Parker agreed to step down following a bitter row over his second job as Non-Executive Director at UK real estate firm New River.
Mr Parker agreed to step down last November in the wake of widespread anger over him taking up a second job as Non-Executive Director at UK real estate firm New River, without seeking the correct permission.
In his departure letter, he explained that he had “offered to continue in post for as long as the Government requests me to, in order to ensure an orderly transition."
The new fixed term contract confirms Mr Parker's final day as 31 March, allowing for a handover period with his interim successor, Paul Martin – that date falls two months earlier than the six-month period of notice stipulated in his original contract.
Covering 8 January to 31 March 2021, the contract still entitles Mr Parker to his previous annual £250,000 salary, pro rata.
He also has the option to decide whether the post is pensionable.
Pictured: The Government have given Mr Parker a short term contract covering 8 January to 31 March 2021.
While his previous annual leave entitlement was 232.5 hours (31 days) across a whole year, the new short-term contract allows him this plus a “supplement of up to ten (10) additional days by special arrangement” – pro rata that equates to around 10 days in total across the three months.
In contrast to the previous contract, it adds: “The parties agree that all annual leave entitlement will be used during the currency of this Agreement, on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis. For the avoidance of doubt, no monetary sum will be paid in respect of unused annual leave at the end of this Agreement.”
The contract states that he must still reside in Jersey throughout its duration. Upon his departure, he will not receive any residential qualifications.
The conditions of his employment are vaguely defined in the contract as “continuing compliance with the conditions that are an ongoing requirement of your employment”, while under ‘Performance appraisal’, the contract reads: “The performance appraisal process should involve the maintenance of general and specific objectives as defined from time to time.”
Pictured: Over the period of the contract, Mr Parker will have earned 10 days of leave.
Mr Parker has already put himself on the market for a new job, telling a UK civil service-focused magazine that he was open to new Non-Executive opportunities after April.
The contract restricts him from taking up employment with any body the Government was "directly involved" with or any post for which his knowledge of "commercially sensitive information" about the Government could be seen as a benefit. This restriction stands for 12 months, unless he is given permission by the States Employment Board.
Under his contract, Mr Parker must also ensure he returns Government property including "lists of clients, correspondence and all other documents, records, papers, laptops, electronic storage devices, keys, fobs, identification cards, access passes, credit or charge cards, membership cards" when he leaves. He will not be entitled to retain any copies either.
But one matter remains unclear in the new contract.
Like the previous contract, Section 10 is redacted. When Express appealed this in 2018, the Information Commissioner ruled it was sufficiently personal so as not to release it.
Pictured: The Government has declined to comment on the matter saying it was an HR issue.
The new contract was released to Express following a request made under the Freedom of Information Law, which took around a month to process.
Express had asked the Government directly about the matter last year, but it refused to comment at the time because it was an HR issue.
Government defends CEO's extra £50k job
"The CEO is almost acting independently"
Gov CEO's second job salary 'to go to charity'
Did Gov CEO have correct permission for second job?
Chief Minister and CEO apologise for second job "oversight"
Ministers tell Parker second job "not compatible" with CEO role
Chief Minister and Gov CEO locked in second job talks
"It's a very strange situation to create a crisis over something as small as this"
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.