Employment Policy

Equal Opportunities Policy

It is the policy of this organisation to provide equal opportunities for all employees and trainees. The Company shall also take every action possible to avoid direct and indirect discrimination, victimisation and/or harassment on the grounds of:

• sex;
• sexual orientation;
• race;
• ethnic origin;
• religion and belief;
• disability;
• age;
• marital or civil partner status;
• gender reassignment;
• pregnancy and/or maternity leave;
• nationality;
• part-time working; and
• fixed-term working.

The person responsible for implementation of this policy is the Company Human Resource Manager. To uphold this policy the Company will undertake the following:

In recruitment

• Ensure that job titles are not sex biased and are accurate.

• Avoid over-inflated or unnecessary job criteria in person specifications when recruiting employees.

• Check that job requirements are really necessary to do the job and are not a reflection of traditional practices that may be operating to the disadvantage of men or women, minorities, the disabled or older people.

• Guard against sex/race stereotyping, particularly in illustrations, advertisements and recruitment literature.

• Ensure that recruitment methods used are fair to all potential applicants and do not effectively screen out members of a particular sex, religion or ethnicity, disabled persons, or members of particular age groups.

• As a general rule do not use age as a primary discriminator in recruitment and selection.

• Ensure that only trained or experienced interviewers conduct preliminary selection interviews.

• Ensure that interviewers avoid questions that could be construed as discriminatory.

• Maintain clear interview notes and records of all applicants.

• Maintain a record of applications from all ethnic, religious and age groups for statistical purposes and ensure that all applicants are made aware that this is Company policy.

In Business

• Ensure that contractors and clients are monitored to ensure adequate compliance with all legislation regarding equality of opportunity.

• Co-operate fully with any investigation undertaken by contractors and clients pertaining to the above.

• Ensure that goods provided and services conducted are in a manner appropriate to the specific needs of the recipient and in awareness of cultural diversity.

• Ensure that an appropriate administrative procedure is established to assist with the achievement of the above, including:

o Obtaining policy details of contractors and clients to ensure minimum standards of compliance are being met.

o Obtaining relevant information pertaining to the specifics of contracts.

o Ensure that data is handled in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Training and Promotion

• Check that all staff, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability or age, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and/or maternity leave, nationality, or status as a part-time worker or fixed-term worker are being trained and developed along with other employees and have the same opportunities for advancement within the Company.

• As a general rule do not use age as a primary discriminator in training and promotion decisions.

• Examine selection criteria for training and promotion opportunities to ensure they do not indirectly discriminate.

• Monitor the progress of all trainees against the equal opportunities policy and its requirements.

• Ensure that equal standards are being operated when undertaking performance reviews and assessments.

Where appropriate encourage all staff, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability or age, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and/or maternity leave, nationality, or status as a part-time worker or fixed-term worker to put themselves forward for training and promotion.

Discrimination, Victimisation and Harassment

• Investigate all complaints of discrimination and harassment thoroughly however minor they may be considered at first sight.

• Take disciplinary action against any employee found to have discriminated against or harassed another employee on the grounds of sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability or age, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and/or maternity leave, nationality, or status as a part-time worker or fixed-term worker.

Publication of this Policy

• Ensure that all employees are made aware of this policy.

• Ensure that employees with any managerial responsibility and those responsible for recruitment meet at regular intervals to deal with issues pertaining to this policy.

• Ensure that the policy is reviewed on an annual basis and make adequate provision for any legislative amendments. Such amendments should/will be immediately implemented and communicated to those with managerial responsibility and those responsible for recruitment.

Complaints

In the event that you feel that you have been discriminated against, victimised or harassed on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, religion and belief, disability or age, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and/or maternity leave, nationality, or status as a part-time worker or fixed-term worker, in the first instance you should approach the person who took the action complained of to discuss the matter. If this does not resolve the issue, or you do not feel that you can approach that person, you should contact the Company Human Resource Manager to discuss the issue.