Employment Conditions 2019

The request was partially successful.

Dear Magdalene College, Cambridge,

I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for information relating to your employment practices. I would like to know the following:

1. As of July 14th 2019, the longest length of time workers (employees or casual workers) in the college in non-academic/administrative positions who are over the age of 18 and paid below £9 per hour have been employed by the College, registered on the College’s payroll,

2. As of July 14th 2019, the median length of time workers (employees or casual workers) in the college in non-academic/administrative positions who are over the age of 18 and paid below £9 per hour have been employed by the College, registered at the College.

3. How many workers (employees or casual workers) in year preceding July 14th 2019, who are over the age of 18 in non-academic or administrative positions that are not guaranteed over 16 hours a week in their contract.

4. How many workers (employees or casual workers) in the year preceding July 14th 2019, who are over the age of 18 in non-academic positions that are not guaranteed above 0 hours of work per week in their contract.

If you are to invoke Section 43 to withhold information in relation to any of these questions please note you must provide details of the exact FOIA exemption, details of who would be prejudiced by this information, and a public interest test justifying a conclusion with arguments for and against the release of the information.

Thank you very much for your assistance with this request. If you would like any clarification on the information I have asked for, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I look forward to receiving your response in the next 20 working days.

Yours faithfully,

Chloe Newbold

Helen Foord,

Dear Chloe

 

I refer to your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
regarding employment conditions.

 

We are not providing a response to this request as we judge the
information to be exempt under section 43 (2) of The Act, in that it would
be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the College at this
time. Due to the timing and nature of the potential disclosure we have
judged that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the
public interest in disclosure.

 

The College’s complaints procedure provides for an internal review of the
decisions regarding this response if you are dissatisfied with it. You
should let me know if you wish to use it, letting me know your reasons for
dissatisfaction and any other matters to which the College should have
regard. The review will be conducted by another officer of the College who
was not involved in responding to the original request.

 

You have a right to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision
whether, in any specified respect, your request to the College for
information has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the
Freedom of Information Act. Details may be found on the Information
Commissioner’s website at [1]www.ico.gov.uk.

 

Regards

 

Helen

 

Helen Foord

Assistant Bursar

Magdalene College,

Cambridge CB3 0AG

(Tel: 01223 332140)

Registered Charity Number 1137542

 

This e-mail (and any files transmitted with it) is strictly confidential
and intended only for the use of the individual or organisation to whom it
is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged. If you are
not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination,
distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail
(or telephone) and destroy the original message. Thank you

 

 

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Dear Helen Foord,

In regards to my Freedom of Information Request I would like to request a further review of your decision to invoke Section 43(2). Numerous other Cambridge colleges have not found public disclosure of this information to be against their commercial interest. Therefore, I would like the college to review this decision prior to this issue being sent to the Information Commissioner.

Yours sincerely,

Chloe Newbold

Kathryn Gee,

Dear Chloe,

 

We have received your request for a review of our decision to invoke
Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 with regard to your
recent request for information about employment conditions.

 

Your request and other relevant papers have been passed to a senior
college officer for review. Due to staff holidays at this time of year we
are unable to provide an immediate response, but will endeavour to do so
within 20 working days of receipt of your request for review - that is by
13 September.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kathryn

 

On behalf of the Freedom of Information Officer

 

 

Kathryn Gee

Secretary to the Assistant Bursar

Magdalene College, Cambridge CB3 0AG Tel: 01223 330575

Registered Charity Number 1137542

 

Please note: My normal working days are Thursday and Friday

 

Think of the environment - please do not print this email unless really
necessary.

This e-mail (and any files transmitted with it) is strictly confidential
and intended only for the use of the individual or organisation to whom it
is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged. If you are
not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination,
distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail
(or telephone) and destroy the original message. Thank you.

 

Kathryn Gee,

Dear Chloe,

 

We anticipate that the review requested will be available next week (wb 16
September).

 

Kind regards,

 

Kathryn

 

 

Kathryn Gee

Secretary to the Assistant Bursar

Magdalene College, Cambridge CB3 0AG  Tel: 01223 330575

Registered Charity Number 1137542

 

Please note: My normal working days are Thursday and Friday

 

From: Kathryn Gee
Sent: 21 August 2019 10:43
To: '[FOI #590864 email]'
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Employment Conditions 2019

 

Dear Chloe,

 

We have received your request for a review of our decision to invoke
Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 with regard to your
recent request for information about employment conditions.

 

Your request and other relevant papers have been passed to a senior
college officer for review. Due to staff holidays at this time of year we
are unable to provide an immediate response, but will endeavour to do so
within 20 working days of receipt of your request for review - that is by
13 September.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kathryn

 

On behalf of the Freedom of Information Officer

 

 

Kathryn Gee

Secretary to the Assistant Bursar

Magdalene College, Cambridge CB3 0AG Tel: 01223 330575

Registered Charity Number 1137542

 

Please note: My normal working days are Thursday and Friday

 

Think of the environment - please do not print this email unless really
necessary.

This e-mail (and any files transmitted with it) is strictly confidential
and intended only for the use of the individual or organisation to whom it
is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged. If you are
not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination,
distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have
received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail
(or telephone) and destroy the original message. Thank you.

 

Dear Magdalene College, Cambridge,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Magdalene College, Cambridge's handling of my FOI request 'Employment Conditions 2019'.

This is a second request for internal review based on the failure of the college to respond to my previous request for an internal review. It is now October 16th, approximately one calendar month since the date that was given for a response to my request. Please can I remind you that you are obligated under UK law to reply to all requests for internal review. If the college does not provide a response, I will be forced to refer this to the Information Commisioner.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/e...

Yours faithfully,

Chloe Newbold

Helen Foord,

Dear Chloe

Further to your request for an internal review regarding the response to your FOI request, I confirm that an internal review has now been carried out by a senior College Officer who was not involved in responding to the original request.

The review upheld the original decision in respect of points 1 and 2.
The review concluded that data in respect of points 3 and 4 could be released. The review concluded that on balance, exemption under section 43(2) of Freedom of Information Act 2000 did not apply. It was noted however, that the response should be taken in the context of information supplied below and should not be quoted or used in isolation.

Point 3 127 workers. Nearly all are student helpers or casual staff who are under no obligation to work any hours offered. Those permanent workers with guaranteed hours of 16 or less per week do so generally at their own request.
Point 4 122 workers. As point 3 regarding student helpers and casual staff.

The College has recently undergone an extensive and thorough review of all pay with particular focus on the lower paid. All permanent members of staff are paid at well above the current voluntary living wage, the minimum pay being £9.32 per hour in addition to substantial benefits such as generous contributory pension scheme, free meals on duty, generous discretionary bonus, and a variety of sports facilities. In common with the University, pay awards are effective from 1 August. Due to the timing and nature of the potential disclosure we have judged that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure in respect of points 1 and 2.

You have a right to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision whether, in any specified respect, your request to the College for information has been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. Details may be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.ico.gov.uk

Regards

Helen Foord
Assistant Bursar
Magdalene College,
Cambridge CB3 0AG
(Tel: 01223 332140)
Registered Charity Number 1137542

This e-mail (and any files transmitted with it) is strictly confidential and intended only for the use of the individual or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by return e-mail (or telephone) and destroy the original message. Thank you

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