Equal Opportunities Policy
1. The Council is committed to supporting the principle of equal opportunities in the workplace. To meet this objective, the Council has a policy of recruiting, training and developing people with suitable qualifications, experience, personal attributes and potential regardless of sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, marital status, fixed-term or part-time status, age, religion, belief, sexual orientation, parental responsibilities or disability.
2. The Council believes that everyone has the right to work in an environment which promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discriminatory practices. The Council does not tolerate any form of discrimination or victimisation by or against its employees. The Council maintains that it is everyone’s obligation to behave in a way that supports this policy and you should be fully aware of the behaviour that can constitute discrimination and victimisation.
3. This policy is not designed to discourage normal social relations among your colleagues or with the public. Its aim is to prevent unfair discrimination or victimisation. It is everyone’s responsibility to be sensitive towards the impact that they have on others and not to discriminate against colleagues or condone discrimination by others.
4. Any form of discrimination may be unlawful and will be treated as a disciplinary offence resulting, if appropriate, in disciplinary action.
Terms and Conditions of Employment
5.The Council ensures that terms and conditions of employment/terms of engagement are free from all forms of direct and indirect discrimination. No unjustified provision, practice or criteria will be imposed, directly or indirectly, which might place a worker at a disadvantage on grounds of his or her sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, religion or for a reason relating to his or her disability.
Training, Career Development and Promotion
6.Everyone is provided with appropriate training to enable them to improve their performance and to achieve the performance standards and targets set for them.
7. The Council also ensures that opportunities for appropriate training and career development are made equally available to everyone.
8. Promotion within the Council is based on personal merit and the requirements of the job.
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
9. The Council’s aim is to monitor the effectiveness of this Equal Opportunities Policy. The Council will review all aspects of its policies, procedures and practices in relation to recruitment, terms and conditions of employment, training, career development, promotion and grievance and discipline to identify any trends or patterns emerging and, if trends and patterns are found to be emerging, it will analyse whether or not these are justified. The Council will endeavour to identify and take all steps necessary to eliminate any unjustified discrimination which is revealed by this monitoring process.
Duties of Managers
10. Where a manager becomes aware of an allegation of discrimination against a colleague or a member of the public in connection with the Council’s activities, they must (whether or not a formal complaint has been made) discuss it with the complainant and, unless the individual expressly requests otherwise, report it to the Human Resources Manager.
The Council’s Responsibility
11. The Council must take reasonable steps to ensure that discrimination does not occur. If you become aware of any alleged incidents of unfair discrimination, you must report them to the Human Resources Manager. If you believe you are the victim of discrimination or victimisation, you may raise the matter with the person against whom you have the complaint and/or the Human Resources Manager, without the need to make a formal complaint. You are encouraged to use the grievance procedure as set out in the Staff Handbook.
