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Equal opportunities and
non-harassment policy
Statement of policy
This
company, aims to be an equal opportunity
employer in all things.
The EONHP applies to all aspects
of employment, from vacancy advertising, selection recruitment and training to
conditions of service and reasons for termination of employment.
To ensure that this policy is
operating effectively (and for no other purpose) the company maintains records
of employees' and applicants' racial origins, gender, age and disability.
Ongoing monitoring and regular
analysis of such records provide the basis for appropriate action to eliminate
unlawful direct and indirect discrimination and promote equality of opportunity.
The
company's long term aim is that the
composition of our workforce should reflect that of the community. We may take
special steps, as permitted by the relevant law, to help disadvantaged and/or
underrepresented groups to compete for jobs on a genuine basis of equality.
The
managing director is responsible for the
effective operation of the company's EONHP.
A copy of the EONHP is available
from the managing director.
Here is the policy
1.
Definition
For the purpose of the policy,
“Discrimination” means treating someone less favourably on grounds of race,
religion, politics, sex, age, marriage or because someone intends to undergo, is
undergoing or has undergone gender reassignment. It includes applying
requirements or conditions which, though applied equally to all, have a
disproportionately detrimental effect on particular racial groups or on one sex
or on married people (as the case may be) and which cannot be shown to be
justifiable (for instance to be job-related).
2.
Objectives
The objectives of the EONHP are
to:
2.1.
Ensure that the company has access to the widest labour market and secures the
best employees for its needs.
2.2.
Ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment, and
that, wherever possible, they are given the help they need to attain their full
potential to the benefit of the company and themselves.
2.3.
Achieve an ability based workforce which is in line with the working population
mix in the relevant labour market areas.
3.
Vacancy advertising
3.1.
Wherever possible, all vacancies will be advertised simultaneously internally
and externally.
3.2.
Steps will be taken to ensure that knowledge of vacancies reaches
underrepresented groups internally and externally.
3.3.
Wherever possible, vacancies will be notified to job centres, careers offices,
schools, colleges, polytechnics, etc, with significant minority group rolls, as
well as to minority press/media and organisations.
3.4.
All vacancy advertisements will include an appropriate short statement on equal
opportunity.
4.
Selection and recruitment
4.1.
Selection criteria (job description and employee specification) will be kept
under constant review to ensure that they are justifiable on non-discriminatory
grounds as being essential for the effective performance of the job.
4.2.
Wherever possible, more than one person must be involved in the selection
interview and recruitment process, and all should have received training in
equal opportunities.
4.3.
Reasons for selection and rejection of applicants for vacancies must be
recorded.
4.4.
Positive action - training, promotion and conditions of service
4.5.
Underrepresented groups will be encouraged to apply for training and employment
opportunities with the company. Wherever possible, special training will be
provided for such groups to prepare them to compete on genuinely equal terms for
jobs and promotion. However, actual recruitment to all jobs will be strictly on
merit.
4.6.
Wherever necessary, use will be made of lawful exemptions to recruit suitably
qualified people to cater for the special needs of particular groups.
4.7.
Wherever possible, efforts will be made to identify and remove
unnecessary/unjustifiable barriers and provide appropriate facilities and
conditions of service to meet the special needs of disadvantaged and/or
underrepresented groups.
5.
Personnel records
5.1.
In
order to ensure the effective operation of the equal opportunity policy (and for
no other purpose) a record will be kept of all employees' and job applicants'
gender, racial origins and disability.
5.2.
Where necessary, employees will be able to check/correct their own record of
these details. Otherwise, access to this information will be strictly
restricted.
5.3.
Such records will be analysed regularly and appropriate follow up action taken.
6.
Disability discrimination
The company will not discriminate
in its recruitment or promotion policies against prospective or current
employees who have any disability. We shall make reasonable adjustments where
appropriate to facilitate the effectiveness of a disabled employee.
7.
Employee obligations
7.1.
The cooperation of all employees is essential for the success of this policy.
Employees are expected to comply both as individuals and as representatives of
the company. Behaviour or actions against the spirit and/or the letter of the
law on which this policy is based will be considered serious disciplinary
matters, and may, in some cases, lead to dismissal.
7.2.
Examples of activities which contravene the policy include:
7.2.1
victimisation;
7.2.2
sexual harassment;
7.2.3
bullying;
7.2.4
unfair exclusion.
8.
Sexual harassment
8.1.
Sexual harassment is the most common form of work place bullying. While not
diminishing the importance of other types of bad behaviour, this EONHP sets out
guidance on what constitutes sexual harassment.
8.2.
There being no legal definition, the test is how the recipient feels about the
behaviour.
Harassment may be:
8.3.
Verbal, for example:
8.3.1
comments about appearance, body or clothes;
8.3.2
indecent remarks;
8.3.3
questions or comments about your sex life;
8.3.4
requests for sexual favours;
8.3.5
Sexual demands made by someone of the opposite sex, or by someone of your own
sex;
8.3.6
promises or threats concerning a person;
8.3.7
employment conditions in return for sexual favours.
8.4.
Non verbal, for example:
8.4.1
looking or staring at a person’s body;
8.4.2
display of sexually explicit material such as calendars, pin-ups or magazines.
8.5.
Physical, for example:
8.5.1
physically touching, pinching, caressing, kissing or hugging;
8.5.2
sexual assault;
Sexual assault and some forms of
harassment may be criminal offences, and could be reported to the police.
9.
Age discrimination
9.1.
Age discrimination is taken very seriously. The company neither discriminate in
its recruitment or promotion policies, nor in retirement and training against
prospective or current employees in relation to their age.
9.2.
Bully and harassment in relation to an employee’s age will not be accepted.
Reports of such behaviour will be treated as a serious breach of conduct and in
some cases, may be cause for summary dismissal.