Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Monday, 1 July 2013
Welcome
The following posts all link to ideas and legislation relevant to Equality and Diversity in the workplace. Use the links on the right to take you to a specific post. The links and videos are specifically designed to support the 'Learning for Work' Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity (Assessments 2 and 3).
Human Rights in the workplace- case study videos from EHRC
Care Home
Northumbria Police
McMillan Cancer Support
Benefits of a diverse workplace
Specific Benefits
Specific benefits will vary depending on priorities for each organisation but can include:
- Attracting recruiting and retaining people from a wide "talent" base.
- Reducing the costs of labour turnover and absenteeism.
- Contributing to employee flexibility and responsiveness.
- Building employee commitment, morale and discretionary effort.
- Managing better the impact of globalisation and technological change.
- Enhancing creativity and innovation.
- Improving knowledge of how to operate in different cultures.
- Improving the understanding of the needs of current customers and clients.
- Assisting in the development of new products, services and marketing strategies.
- Enhancing the organisation’s reputation and image with external stakeholders.
- Creating opportunities for disadvantaged groups and building social cohesion.
- (source: http://www.oneworkplace.org.uk/controller6e39.html?p_service)
Introduction to the Equality Act
Protected Characterstics
Throughout the guidance you will see reference to 'protected characteristics'. This page gives you more information on each of the nine protected characteristics.
Age
Where this is referred to, it refers to a person belonging to a particular age (e.g. 32 year olds) or range of ages (e.g. 18 - 30 year olds).
Disability
A person has a disability if s/he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Gender reassignment
The process of transitioning from one gender to another.
Marriage and civil partnership
Marriage is defined as a 'union between a man and a woman'. Same-sex couples can have their relationships legally recognised as 'civil partnerships'. Civil partners must be treated the same as married couples on a wide range of legal matters.
Pregnancy and maternity
Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant or expecting a baby. Maternity refers to the period after the birth, and is linked to maternity leave in the employment context. In the non-work context, protection against maternity discrimination is for 26 weeks after giving birth, and this includes treating a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding.
Race
Refers to the protected characteristic of Race. It refers to a group of people defined by their race, colour, and nationality (including citizenship) ethnic or national origins.
Religion and belief
Religion has the meaning usually given to it but belief includes religious and philosophical beliefs including lack of belief (e.g. Atheism). Generally, a belief should affect your life choices or the way you live for it to be included in the definition.
Sex
A man or a woman.
Sexual orientation
Whether a person's sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the opposite sex or to both sexes.
You can see a more in-depth definition of these protected characteristics on the Office of Public Sector Information website.
Institutions that can support and advise on people's rights at work
Public bodies
This is a broad term that encompasses schools, colleges, hospitals, police that work towards the 'public good'. They can be Government funded, private contractors and charitable.
EHRC (Equality and Human Rights commission) is a new(ish) public body that is tasked with ensuring that people's human rights are upheld.
Unison is a representative group in the form of a trade union.
Unison video advocating benefits of joining
The Citizens Advice Bureau is a charity that seeks to support people's rights in all aspects of life, including work.
Pressure groups focus on a single issue. The Age Employment Network and Stonewall are two such examples.
Stonewall on Youtube
This is a broad term that encompasses schools, colleges, hospitals, police that work towards the 'public good'. They can be Government funded, private contractors and charitable.
EHRC (Equality and Human Rights commission) is a new(ish) public body that is tasked with ensuring that people's human rights are upheld.
Unison is a representative group in the form of a trade union.
Unison video advocating benefits of joining
The Citizens Advice Bureau is a charity that seeks to support people's rights in all aspects of life, including work.
Pressure groups focus on a single issue. The Age Employment Network and Stonewall are two such examples.
Stonewall on Youtube
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Equal Opportunities in education and employment
- quick guide to equality and diversity: http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/equality-and-diversity/275775-guide-to-equal-opportunities-and-diversity
very useful quick info on equal opps with regard to student rights
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/tools-equal-pay/ Pay
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/before-the-equality-act/guidance-for-employers-pre-october-10/areas-of-responsibility/recruitment-and-job-advertisements/ (recruitment)
Benefits of a diverse workplace: http://www.oneworkplace.org.uk/controller6e39.html?p_service
Promoting equality- guidance for employers
Equality in the UK
Quick Guide: Equality in the UK from bbc.co.uk/news
Introduction
Equality laws are designed to ensure public bodies treat everyone in the UK equally.
Others specifically protect minorities.
Recent changes will have far-reaching effects on British society for years to come.
Equality laws reflect how society sees itself, although they may not reflect the reality of what happens in practice.
The laws feed the debate about modern Britain, such as how multicultural and diverse societies treat minorities and how to define what it is to be a citizen.
Equality laws are designed to ensure public bodies treat everyone in the UK equally.
Others specifically protect minorities.
Recent changes will have far-reaching effects on British society for years to come.
Equality laws reflect how society sees itself, although they may not reflect the reality of what happens in practice.
The laws feed the debate about modern Britain, such as how multicultural and diverse societies treat minorities and how to define what it is to be a citizen.
Gender
When women won the vote following World War One, it was just the start of a battle for gender equality.
Women comprise 51% of society but are by no means in the driving seat.
The average full-time earnings for a woman is £100 a week less than that for a man.
Women hold just one in 10 of the top jobs in FTSE 100 companies and take on the lion's share of childcare.
One current issue is flexible working to help mothers work and allow fathers more time with children.
When women won the vote following World War One, it was just the start of a battle for gender equality.
Women comprise 51% of society but are by no means in the driving seat.
The average full-time earnings for a woman is £100 a week less than that for a man.
Women hold just one in 10 of the top jobs in FTSE 100 companies and take on the lion's share of childcare.
One current issue is flexible working to help mothers work and allow fathers more time with children.
Race and religion
British law says you have a right not to suffer discrimination on racial grounds.
It was strengthened following the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.
Public bodies must now do a lot more to prevent discrimination, rather than just condemn it as wrong.
There have been recent moves to outlaw incitement to religious hatred, but there has been a counter-campaign arguing it infringes freedom of speech.
Wide income inequalities still exist, but there is no consensus over what to do about them.
British law says you have a right not to suffer discrimination on racial grounds.
It was strengthened following the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence.
Public bodies must now do a lot more to prevent discrimination, rather than just condemn it as wrong.
There have been recent moves to outlaw incitement to religious hatred, but there has been a counter-campaign arguing it infringes freedom of speech.
Wide income inequalities still exist, but there is no consensus over what to do about them.
Disability
The Conservatives made the first moves on disability discrimination but Labour has implemented new rights under the law.
Employers must make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure someone with a disability can compete for the post: adjustments such as home-working or flexible hours.
The most recent changes have banned discrimination in other areas of life, such as access to shops and services.
One key issue is how to reform incapacity benefit to help people work.
The Conservatives made the first moves on disability discrimination but Labour has implemented new rights under the law.
Employers must make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure someone with a disability can compete for the post: adjustments such as home-working or flexible hours.
The most recent changes have banned discrimination in other areas of life, such as access to shops and services.
One key issue is how to reform incapacity benefit to help people work.
Sexuality
Queen Victoria refused to believe lesbians existed - but the 21st century has seen radical change on sexuality.
Labour equalised the age of consent at 16 and repealed the "Section 28" ban on councils "promoting" homosexuality.
From December same-sex couples will get civil partnerships, gay marriage in all but name because it gives them legal protection and recognition.
Hotels and services can still legally bar same-sex couples, something they can't do on race or disability grounds.
Queen Victoria refused to believe lesbians existed - but the 21st century has seen radical change on sexuality.
Labour equalised the age of consent at 16 and repealed the "Section 28" ban on councils "promoting" homosexuality.
From December same-sex couples will get civil partnerships, gay marriage in all but name because it gives them legal protection and recognition.
Hotels and services can still legally bar same-sex couples, something they can't do on race or disability grounds.
Enforcing rights
An important recent change was the 1998 Human Rights Act which incorporated Europe-wide standards into British law.
It tells public bodies to treat all equally, but does not say one group has more rights than another group.
If Labour is re-elected, it will create a single watchdog for discrimination issues, covering race, religion, gender and more.
They say it would be a champion for equality by protecting the rights of all British citizens, but the Tories worry it could be too bureaucratic.
An important recent change was the 1998 Human Rights Act which incorporated Europe-wide standards into British law.
It tells public bodies to treat all equally, but does not say one group has more rights than another group.
If Labour is re-elected, it will create a single watchdog for discrimination issues, covering race, religion, gender and more.
They say it would be a champion for equality by protecting the rights of all British citizens, but the Tories worry it could be too bureaucratic.
https://www.gov.uk/equality-act-2010-guidance (Equality Act overview and guidance)
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