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1.1.1 The Company is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. You and any job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (Protected Characteristics).
1.1.2 This policy sets out our approach to equal opportunities and the avoidance of discrimination at work.
1.1.3 The Company’s commitment to Equality will apply equally to any job applicant and throughout the Company’s recruitments processes.
1.1.4 This policy covers all staff working for the Company in whatever capacity.
1.1.5 The Company aims to ensure that all its employees have dignity at work. That means that there are some types of behaviour that are unacceptable which will include the following:
· being offensive, abusive, malicious, insulting or intimidating to a fellow employee; or
· engaging in unjustifiable criticism towards a fellow employee; or
· imposing a punishment upon a fellow employee without reasonable justification; or
· changing an employee’s duties or responsibilities to his or her detriment without reasonable justification.
1.1.6 You must not unlawfully discriminate against or harass other people including current and former employees, job applicants, clients, customers, suppliers and visitors. This applies in the workplace, outside the workplace (when dealing with customers, suppliers or other work-related contacts or when wearing a work uniform), and on work-related trips or events including social events.
· Discrimination can come in several forms and staff should be aware of what can constitute discrimination:
· Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of a Protected Characteristic. For example, rejecting a job applicant because of their religious views or because they might be gay.
· Indirect discrimination: a provision, criterion or practice that applies to everyone but adversely affects people with a particular Protected Characteristic more than others, and is not justified. For example, requiring a job to be done full-time rather than part-time would adversely affect women because they generally have greater childcare commitments than men. Such a requirement would be discriminatory unless it can be justified.
· Harassment: this includes sexual harassment and other unwanted conduct related to a Protected Characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Harassment is dealt with further in our Anti-harassment and Bullying Policy.
· Victimisation: retaliation against someone who has complained or has supported someone else’s complaint about discrimination or harassment.
· Disability discrimination: this includes direct and indirect discrimination, any unjustified less favourable treatment because of the effects of a disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability.
1.1.7 If you are disabled or become disabled, we encourage you to tell us about your condition so that we can support you as appropriate.
1.1.8 If you experience difficulties at work because of your disability, you may wish to contact a member of management to discuss any reasonable adjustments that would help overcome or minimise the difficulty. Your Manager may wish to consult with you and your medical adviser about possible adjustments. We will consider the matter carefully and try to accommodate your needs within reason. If we consider a particular adjustment would not be reasonable we will explain our reasons and try to find an alternative solution where possible.
1.1.9 We will monitor the physical features of our premises to consider whether they might place anyone with a disability at a substantial disadvantage. Where necessary, we will take reasonable steps to improve access.
1.1.10 As a part-time and/or fixed-term staff member, you are as important as a comparable full-time or permanent member of staff and therefore you will enjoy no less favourable terms and conditions (on a pro-rata basis where appropriate), unless different treatment is justified.
1.1.11 This policy applies to all and the Company takes a strict approach regarding its enforcement and any potential breaches of this policy, which will be dealt with in accordance with our Disciplinary Policy. Serious cases of deliberate discrimination may amount to gross misconduct resulting in dismissal.
1.1.12 If you believe that you have suffered discrimination, or your dignity whilst at work has been compromised, then you can raise the matter through our Grievance Policy or through our Anti-harassment and Bullying Policy as appropriate. Complaints will be treated in confidence and investigated as appropriate.
1.1.13 There must be no victimisation or retaliation against staff who complain about discrimination. However, making a false allegation deliberately and in bad faith will be treated as misconduct and dealt with under our Disciplinary Policy.
1.2.1 The Company is committed to the principle of equal pay for men and women. In this context “pay” includes not only remuneration but also other benefits of employment such as promotion and training opportunities and access to facilities provided within the employment package from time to time.
1.2.2 We are committed to introducing and maintaining pay systems which are transparent, based on objective criteria and free from sex bias.
1.2.3 Women and men employed by us are entitled to equal pay if they are undertaking work which is substantially similar or is of equal value to the Company unless there are specific and clear reasons unconnected with their sex which explain and justify any differential in pay. In some cases individuals carrying out similar work may receive different salaries because of seniority, incremental points, qualifications and other such factors.
1.2.4 You should raise any query or grievance concerning your pay and its evaluation in accordance with the Company’s Grievance Policy.
