Equal Opportunities in Employment Statement
The Society will endeavour at all times to employ the person most suitable for each job. It is also committed to ensuring that it provides equality of opportunity in employment. As an employer, the Society believes that its workforce should reflect the community that it serves and that all groups should be properly represented at all levels within its organisation. The Society accepts that it is, therefore, vital that, it takes positive action to eliminate discrimination wherever possible.
The Society is committed to the following actions in order to fulfil this policy:
- In the employment of staff to provide housing and related services, the Society will seek to ensure equality of opportunity and treatment for all persons.
- The Society will endeavour to employ staff from disadvantaged groups, and where appropriate will consider providing special training facilities to enable such individuals to compete or qualify for positions in the Society.
- The Society will keep records of the ethnic/racial origin of all those seeking employment from the Society.
- The Society will be mindful of its commitment to equality of opportunity, when employing contractors and other agencies.
The Society will also be mindful of its commitment to equality of opportunity in the composition and operation of its Board of Management.
Implementation of the Policy
The Housing Society will regularly review its practice and procedures to ensure that they do not discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, and changes will be made where it is found that they are or may be contravening the Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended by the Sex Discrimination Act 1986 and the Employment Act 1989), Disability Discrimination Act 1995 or other relevant legislation or good practice.
It is recognised that discrimination can take different forms:
- Direct Discrimination - Direct discrimination is treating one person less favourably than another, because of, for example, your race or sex. An example would be refusing to employ someone merely because of their ethnic origin.
- Indirect Discrimination - Indirect discrimination is creating a condition or requirement of employment which cannot be shown to be justifiable and which in practice precludes people from certain groups from, for example, getting a job. An example would be specifying that applicants for a job are within a certain age range for no justifiable reason or asking for experience and qualifications which are not needed to carry out the duties of the post.
- Harassment - Harassment is where staff are harassed or abused because of, for example, your race, sex or disability. This would result in less favourable treatment by creating a working environment likely to have a detrimental effect on the work and personal well being of staff.
- Victimisation - Victimisation is where a person is treated less favourably because they have, or it is suspected they will, pursue their rights under the Equal Opportunities Policy via the grievance procedure and/or legal proceedings.
The Society will take action to eliminate discrimination. This will include the following:
Recruitment
- All vacancies will be advertised in a way that does not discourage traditionally disadvantaged groups from applying for the posts.
- When recruiting staff, specific qualifications or experience will be called for only where they are really necessary to the job.
- Training will be given to all staff involved in recruitment to ensure they understand and apply the Equal Opportunities Policy.
- All applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum requirements for a suitable job will be considered for interview.
Training
- All staff will receive training to ensure they understand and implement all aspects of the Equal Opportunities Policy.
- As permitted under the relevant legislation training schemes may be set up for staff from disadvantaged groups to enable them to acquire the skills necessary to compete for jobs at all levels and grades in the Society.
Working Environment
- Where reasonably practicable, suitable access for staff with disabilities will be provided throughout all work places, along with a programme of improvements to ensure existing arrangements are improved, where necessary.
- Where reasonably practicable, special needs of staff with disabilities will be met including providing adapted equipment and changes of working methods to help meet your needs.
- While it is essential that the Society is able to provide high-quality services at all times; working arrangements will have regard to staff members´ responsibility for dependants and/or your personal circumstances.
- The Society will endeavour to ensure that a supportive working environment is created for all staff so as to prevent the occurrence of any direct or indirect discriminatory working practices. Where necessary managers will receive training to enable them to meet these ends.
- Any Job Evaluation Scheme adopted will be reviewed periodically to ensure that it is non-discriminatory.
Harassment
- Action will be taken to eliminate harassment at work. Harassment is considered to be a breach of the Society's Code of Conduct and will therefore be subject to disciplinary action.
- Training will be made available to staff and managers to enable them to identify and deal appropriately with all forms of harassment. Staff who consider they are suffering harassment may invoke a formal grievance under the Society's Harassment Procedure.
- The Society's literature will not contain any form of sexist, racist, or otherwise discriminatory language.
- The Society will not tolerate the harassment or victimisation of staff by other staff, clients, contractors or members of the public in any circumstances and will take appropriate action against the perpetrators.
Monitoring
- The composition of the workforce will be monitored in terms of ethnic origin, gender and disability, to measure the effectiveness of equal opportunity policies and practices.
- Applicants for jobs will be monitored in terms of ethnic origin, gender and disability, to assess the effectiveness of recruitment practices.
- Regular reports will be made to the Board of Management, recommending action where appropriate.
Conditions of Service and Employment
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It is a condition of service that you all adhere to the Society's equal opportunities policy and failure to do so shall be cause for disciplinary procedures to be instituted which could result in dismissal.
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All job applicants will be made aware of the equal opportunities policy.
- As part of the induction programme for new staff, the Society's equal opportunities policy will be clearly explained.
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