The former Chief Minister and several members of the previous States Employment Board have been exonerated following an investigation into claims they pressured an employee to resign.
In a report published this morning following an investigation of nearly two years beset by legal delays, the Privileges and Procedures Committee said they agreed with Commissioner for Standards Dr Melissa McCullough that there had been no breach of the code of conduct in relation to a complaint dated 5 March 2024.
An individual had claimed they were subjected to “what they considered bullying by their employer, the States Employment Board” and further alleged that, “without warning”, they had been “asked to resign from their extant post”.
The complaint was raised against the Members of the former States Employment Board, who served between June 2022 and January 2024: Deputy Kristina Moore, Chair (then Chief Minister), Connétable Andy Jehan, Vice-Chair (Government Member), Deputy Elaine Millar (Government Member), Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache (Non-Government Member), and Deputy Barbara Ward (Non-Government Member).
The complaint also extended to non-SEB members Deputy Karen Wilson,
(former Minister for Health and Social Services), and Deputy Ian Gorst (former
Minister for Treasury and Resources).
The investigation was delayed by what were described as “complex legal considerations”.
After “carefully considering” all the facts and evidence, the Commissioner for Standards decided that they did not agree the complainant had been bullied.
She also found that none of the Ministers or Members subject to the investigation had been in breach of their respective Codes of Conduct.
In January of this year, HR specialists who uncovered a “high-level” of secret bullying and harassment in the civil service seven years ago said in a follow-up review that government had come on “leaps and bounds” – but that it was still struggling with a slew of cynical middle managers, “organisational snobbery”, employees worrying their complaints won’t be believed and tensions at the top level with politicians.
It came after allegations were made about politicians exhibiting aggressive or bullying behaviour towards senior civil servants in the run-up to the vote of no confidence in Deputy Moore’s government in 2024. It was even claimed by one Deputy that former CEO Suzanne Wylie had been left “traumatised from her experience with our Council of Ministers”.