Unfilled vacancies save 100 jobs for the States in 12 months

Wednesday 26 August 2015

A further 100 jobs have been cut from the States’ headcount in the last 12 months by not replacing departing staff.

Days after it was revealed that 104 public sector workers will be taking voluntary redundancy over the next few months, the Acting-Chief Minister Andrew Green has confirmed that work to reduce the States’ pay bill is continuing.

The public sector in Jersey employs 7,080 people, with an annual turnover of around 6%. Part of ministers’ plan to cut £70 million from the pay bill is to stop replacing every single employee that leaves the organisation – so far, the scheme has saved 100 jobs.

If all of those staff were paid the average States’ salary of £46,800, the equivalent savings would be almost £5 million per year.

“We have not filled 100 vacancies that have occurred naturally,” said Senator Green.

“That has happened over the last 12 months. These are all roles that are definitely not going to be replaced.

“We are going to continue to manage this scheme, there is a lot less pain for staff if we go about it in this way.”

Senator Green says it’s too early to say whether compulsory redundancies – effectively States staff being laid off – will be necessary, he did add that some of those who unsuccessfully applied for voluntary redundancy could still leave the organisation.

There were 329 applications for redundancy, but just 104 were approved, with an estimated annual saving of £4.2 million per year once their pay-offs have been made.

Of the remaining applications were declined in the first round, some will still be offered pay-offs to go, once managers look into whether their departments could lose them if they rearrange their services.