Diocese of Portsmouth
The Church of England

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Employment

The links and resources on this page relate to the employment of staff in parishes.

Contract templates

Genuine Occupational Requirements (GOR)

What is a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR)?

The Equality Act 2010 normally prevents employers from discriminating against job applicants because of protected characteristics such as religion or belief. However, the law does allow a narrow exception called a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR).

A GOR can be applied only where:

  • The requirement is essential to the very nature of the role.
  • It is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, meaning there are no less discriminatory alternatives.

When can GOR be applied for Religious Affiliation?

In a Parish or Diocesan setting, a requirement for a practising Christian can only be applied where:

  1. The role’s nature demands it -the duties must clearly involve representing and upholding the Christian ethos, such as pastoral leadership or delivering faith-based teaching.
  2. It is necessary and proportionate - there must be no other way of achieving the same outcome. For example, requiring a priest or lay minister to be a practising Christian is proportionate.
  3. The individual genuinely meets the requirement - applicants must be assessed against this requirement fairly and consistently, and only where it is essential.

What this means when recruiting:

  • Applies only to specific religious roles – GOR is appropriate for clergy, ministers, and other posts where faith is integral to the duties.
  • Not a blanket rule – roles such as administrators, finance, caretakers, or other support staff are unlikely to qualify for this exception.
  • Case by case, with evidence – each decision to apply a GOR must be justified and documented, showing why faith is essential for that particular role.

GOR should always be the exception, not the rule. It protects the Christian identity of specific role while ensuring fair recruitment practices. Overuse or misapplication risks discrimination and reputational challenge, which can be costly for both PCCs and the Diocese.

Download a GOR checklist below. The text should be copied onto your own headed paper.

Employment, Payroll and Pensions

The issue of whether your church is an employer and needs to register with HMRC is important as it has implications in terms of PAYE and Real Time Reporting (RTI). There is a wealth of information and guidance available online but hopefully this summary with pointers to the more helpful web links, will take some of the headache out of the process.

This page reviews questions such as:

  • Does the Parish have employees?
  • Do I need to register as an Employer?
  • How will Real Time Information (RTI) affect us?
Click here to read more