Severn Vale Housing Society

Introduction

Severn Vale is committed to the delivery of a highly effective service. The Society recognises that provision of such a service can only be achieved through its employees and therefore we must ensure that we recruit an appropriately skilled, committed and motivated workforce. This policy and the procedure will ensure that we follow current best practice in recruitment and selection.

Policy Statement

Severn Vale will seek to attract and recruit the most suitable person for each job, without regard to:

• Age (up to retirement age)
• Ethnic or national origin
• Religion
• Gender
• Sexuality
• Disability
• Marital status
• Family circumstances

or any other personal characteristics not related to their capacity to perform effectively in the relevant job.

General Policy

We will seek to ensure that:

• The associated costs are kept to a minimum.
• The HR Manager and the Directors Team approve recruitment.
• The diversity of our workforce is enhanced by recruiting from the widest possible range of applicants given other restrictions such as budgetary constraints.
• Our workforce reflects the communities we serve, acknowledging that there may at some time in the future be a need for appropriate positive action strategies to increase the number of under-represented groups within the workforce.
• Our recruitment activities set a visible example of good practice for our existing staff, customers and service users, to other organisations and the community as a whole.
• Our recruitment activities are consistent and fair.

We will seek to achieve this by reviewing each vacancy before commencing the recruitment procedure to ensure that:

• We find out why is the present jobholder leaving ensuring lessons are learnt for the future.
• There is a requirement for the job, is it the same or could the workload be re-distributed or done in a more cost effective way.
• There is an accurate description of the job, technical requirements and competencies required in the role.
• Adverts are placed in the appropriate media.
• Information sent to applicants is relevant, facilitating the return of effective applications and ensuring a positive view of the organisation is communicated.
• Shortlisting is fair using pre set criteria.
• Training is provided for all interviewers, where relevant.
• Appropriate tests and exercises, to supplement the interview, may be used where relevant.
• The most suitable candidate for the job is selected.
• All candidates, both successful and unsuccessful, are treated fairly, consistently and with courtesy.

Implementation

Overall responsibility for implementation of this policy as set out in the procedure will be delegated to the HR Manager, who will ensure that the recruitment process is monitored and documented. Recruitment and selection within the Society will comply with all relevant legislation. This policy applies to all recruitment exercises whether for permanent vacancies or temporary contracts. Exceptions must be discussed with Human Resources. Having discussed all relevant issues approval and instruction by the Directors' Team must be briefly documented.

Definitions and Explanations

Direct Discrimination - treating an individual less favourably on the grounds of sex, race, marital status, disability, sexuality, religious beliefs, previously spent convictions etc. To identify direct discriminations a general test will be to determine whether the same action would have been taken had the person not been from the group in question, for example:

• Refusing to appoint the best candidate because it is assumed an existing all white workforce would not accept a black manager. This constitutes direct racial discrimination.
• Refusing to appoint a female applicant because the previous postholder gave up her job in order to spend more time with her children. This constitutes direct sex discrimination.

Indirect Discrimination - applying unjustifiable requirements and conditions which only a small proportion of people from one sex, racial group, marital status, ability, sexuality, religious beliefs or other sociological factor can comply with, for example:

• A requirement to travel long distance away from home at weekends might bar more women than men from applying for a job. Such a requirement may constitute indirect sex discrimination under Section 1 (1)(a) of the Sex Discrimination Act.
• A policy decision to advertise job vacancies in certain districts because those living there are predominately white, would constitute indirect racial discrimination under Section 1(1)(b) of the RRA.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

The 1974 Act is designed to reduce unfair discrimination against ex-offenders by identifying certain offences as 'spent' after a given number of years.

However, in housing certain jobs are exempt from legislation because they require the jobholder to have continuing access to vulnerable people. For these jobs, convictions can never count as spent and must be declared to a prospective employer. Positions of Directors and Financial Accountants are also exempt from the protection of this Act. Where jobs are exempt, applicants will be asked to give details of any convictions or sign the declaration of no conviction.

Disability Discrimination Act

The Society is positive about the employment of people with disability. All disabled applicants who fully meet the person specification will be guaranteed an interview. Where possible arrangements will be made in advance to ensure that these candidates are not disadvantaged by the selection process. Consideration will be given to factors which may impede the selection process e.g. accessibility, mobility, communication difficulty with appropriate support given where possible. Further information is also contained in the Disability Policy.