Equal Opportunities in Employment

Statement of Policy

“The Council is an Equal Opportunities Employer. The aim of our policy is to ensure that entry into the employment of the Council and progression within its service shall be determined solely by the application of objective criteria and personal merit. No applicant or employee shall be treated less favourably than another on grounds of: age, disability, gender (inc. reassignment), race, religion or belief or sexual orientation."

For more information view the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy (113K)

• Selection criteria and procedures will be kept under review to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant abilities and merits.


• Applications will be encouraged from disabled people who have the necessary abilities for the post.


• Job descriptions and associated conditions will relate to the particular job. They will define the qualifications, experience and other skills required in the post, and will only include those factors which are necessary and justifiable on objective criteria for the satisfactory performance of the job.


• Recruitment literature will be consistent with the job description, and aimed at as wide a group of suitably qualified and experienced people as possible. Applications will be encouraged from under-represented groups.


• Recruitment advertisements will be drafted to avoid any form of discrimination.
  

• Employees will not be discriminated against in respect of pay and conditions of service. This applies equally to any benefits, facilities or services which are provided to them.

• Training opportunities will be equally available to all employees, whether male or female, or whether weekly or monthly paid and irrespective of ethnic origin. Employees will be consulted regularly about their training needs.

• Employees will receive training to help them to perform their job effectively. Training, education and vocational courses leading to qualifications relevant to their career will be open to all, in order to assist them to achieve their full potential.
  

The Council will adopt a policy on Job Sharing, which will allow men and women to apply for employment on a part-time basis, sharing the duties, pay and hours of work with another person. The policy will enable as many jobs to be open to job sharing as is operationally practicable. The Council will advertise in local press and appropriate media about job-sharing, and will maintain a register of external and internal applicants. Chief Officers will not refuse applications for job sharing unreasonably, but will retain discretion about the final decision.

• The Council will not permit any form of harassment of its employees. It will investigate complaints of harassment, which should normally be directed through the official grievance procedure. But if the complaint is against the employee's supervising or senior officer, it may be raised directly with the Head of Service or Chief Executive.

• No-one who brings a complaint or grievance in good faith under the policy will be subject to victimisation or any other detriment as a result of their actions.

• Employees who fail to observe the Equal Opportunities Policy will be subject to the disciplinary procedure.

• Disabled applicants will be given full and fair consideration for all types of vacancies.

• Wherever possible, the Authority will retain the services of an employee who is, or becomes disabled and, where necessary, provide retraining and redeployment. Disabled employees will be given equal opportunities with other employees for training and career development and promotion.