After a pandemic-era fall in the numbers, Ministry of justice staff grievances have exceeded the 1,000 mark in the 2021/2022 financial year.
Figures reveal that they stood at 839 grievances in the 2020/2021 period, rising to 1,078 in the following year. The data was published by MP Mike Freer after receiving a written parliamentary question from Steve Reed, the shadow justice secretary.
These figures represent staff in the following departments and accounts for 1.25% of all employees:
- Ministry of Justice headquarters
- HM Courts and Tribunals
- HM Prison and Probation Service
- Legal Aid Agency
- Office of the Public Guardian
- Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
Freer stated that not all grievances were upheld, the figures simply represented the total number of staff to raise a grievance irrespective of the conclusion. In cases where a member of staff raises more than one grievance, this is still counted as one in the report.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice stated:
“There are more than 11,000 extra MoJ staff across our courts, prisons and probation offices and HQ compared to 2020 so these figures have naturally increased.
“The pandemic has also taken its toll on our staff’s mental health which is why we’ve responded by training 2,400 employees to support them. There is zero tolerance for bullying across the civil service.”
Figures could not be broken down by individual department, but it was noted that overall number of staff had increased by 11,330, which includes 1,580 in Ministry of Justice HQ, “which increases the likelihood of a rise in mental health issues being reported”.
The department noted that it employs a total of 77,000 people, with turnover of staff being comparable to other branches of the government. It hosts 2,400 ‘mental health allies’ offering peer-to-peer support to colleagues and management, enabling them to signpost towards applicable policy, guidance and professional services.
Only last month, Dominic Raab, Justice Secretary, asked for an independent enquiry into complaints made against him regarding his conduct when he served in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and during his first spell as Justice Secretary.
Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has greenlit the probe, which will be carried out by Adam Tolley KC. Raab denies the allegations.
Further reading
Grievances – Oakwood Solicitors
Stress at work – Oakwood Solicitors
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Jessica Rowson started as a Paralegal at Oakwood Solicitors in July 2010, qualifying as a Solicitor in September 2013. Following her qualifying as a Solicitor, Jessica established a niche department …
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