Employment in Financial Services

As a matter of general Isle of Man employment law, employers must give employees written particulars of their terms and conditions of employment within four weeks of them starting work, pursuant to section 8 of the Employment Act 2006. This mandatory information includes (but is not limited to) the names of the employer and employee; the date of commencement of employment and the date when continuous service began for statutory employment rights purposes; scale or rate of remuneration; hours of work; and holiday entitlement. Typically, a written employment contract will contain the relevant information and satisfy these requirements.  

Financial institutions should also ensure that contracts of employment reinforce the requirements of meeting and maintaining the employee’s “fit and proper” status.

No special contractual documents are required when engaging employees within the financial services industry.

However, it is generally recommended to conclude a written employment contract with each employee. FINMA, for instance, requires a copy of employment contracts concluded with senior management of regulated entities.
In particular, the employment contract should reference the employer’s (regulatory) set of directions and the employee’s obligation to comply with said instructions. In addition, because regulated companies such as banks, securities firms, fund management companies, managers of collective assets or asset managers are required to obtain authorisation from FINMA before the engagement of key personnel, it may be sensible to include a condition precedent relating to FINMA’s acceptance of the relevant employee in the employment contract.

The mandatory, partially mandatory, and optional elements of an individual employment contract are outlined in article 319 et seq of the CO (in particular regarding remuneration, working time, vacation, and incapacity for work). Further regulations may apply based on collective bargaining agreements.

Yes, please see question 2.

Any individual performing a prescribed key role must be pre-approved by the IoM FSA and be certified as “fit and proper”. The IoM FSA has issued detailed guidance for financial institutions that set out the criteria that they normally apply in considering the fitness and propriety of individuals who wish to undertake Controlled Functions. Appendix 2 of the guidance contains a table setting out which Controlled Functions require consent and which functions are notification only.

Guidance can be found here: https://www.iomfsa.im/media/2464/regulatoryguidancefitnessandpropriety.pdf

Depending on the status of the employing entity and the position of the financial services employee, a special certification or, more generally, proof of relevant work experience and sufficient education is required.

As a general rule, persons holding executive, overall management, oversight or control functions (eg, a member of the board, CEO, compliance officer, risk officer or their deputies) in regulated companies such as banks, insurance companies, securities firms, fund management companies, managers of collective assets or asset managers are required to demonstrate to FINMA that they have sufficient relevant work experience and education. As proof, FINMA requests current CVs, diplomas, certifications and contact details of references. The scope and nature of the future business activity and the size and complexity of the company in question also need to be considered.

Furthermore, client advisers of so-called financial service providers (eg, investment advisers) must have sufficient expertise on the code of conduct and the necessary expertise required to perform their work. Client advisors often prove that these requirements have been met by successfully attending special courses. In addition, insurance intermediaries registered with FINMA’s insurance intermediary register have to prove that they have undergone sufficient education and have sufficient qualifications. For this purpose, FINMA has published a list of different Swiss and foreign educational qualifications deemed to be sufficient on its website.