What Is Recruitment & Employment Discrimination? – An Employer’s Guide

By Peter Brooks

Background:

Several Acts of Parliament, from the Equal Pay Act of 1970 to the Equality Act of 2006, have made it unlawful to discriminate against an employee or a candidate for employment on a number of specified grounds. This legislation is backed up by a series of Regulations released between 1999 and 2006.

Responsibility for advocating the causes of human rights and diversity, and for enforcing the legislation, lies with the Equality and Human Rights Commission, a 'Non-Departmental Public Body' set up in 2007 to bring together the work of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial...

...Equality and the Disability Rights Commission. In addition, it holds responsibilty for matters of inequality relating to age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.

What Constitutes Discrimination?

Broadly speaking, it is to make an assumption about or an assessment of an individual's ability to carry out a job on the basis of some aspect of their character or background, or their membership of a particular social group, which is not pertinent to that job. As such, the practice is regarded as reductive of their human rights and dignity, and is deemed unlawful.

As well as having the obvious potential to demean or distress the person(s) targetted, it is not good business practice. Discrimination can have a demoralising effect on the rest of the workforce, and can taint a company's public profile to the detriment of its growth.
"Discrimination, whether conscious or not, limits an organisation's ability to get the best from its workforce. Employers who promote equality of opportunity among their workforce can draw on a wider pool of talent and experience, and create an environment where employees are valued and supported, and appreciate their colleagues' contribution. A climate where unlawful discrimination is fostered, condoned or ignored cannot provide these benefits."... continued on page two >

 

 

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