Diversity checklist

You may find the following practical information useful. If you have a specific concern or query about a diversity issue it is often best to discuss it with your Faculty/ Divisional HR Team.

General

• 'Reality check' your job and person specifications, selection criteria and advert wording to ensure they do not include any content that is potentially discriminatory or unreasonably excludes certain groups without justification.

• Avoid making assumptions about people based on personal appearance, name, how long ago they were at school or university, family or caring responsibilities etc. Focus on assessing each candidate objectively on how well they meet your selection criteria based on the evidence they provide to you.

• If someone you invite for interview can't make the date set, make sure you at least consider whether you can re-arrange the interview to accommodate them. If its because of child-care responsibilities, a disability issue or even a religious holiday then you may be potentially discriminating.

Age

• Do not include age-related criteria in job and person specifications, selection criteria and advert wording. Avoid words like "young", "recently qualified" and "mature", as these could potentially be seen to be discriminatory to older or younger workers and therefore in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

• Avoid specifying a required length of experience. Using such a requirement, particularly where it is for a lengthy period, could potentially be seen to be discriminatory against both younger workers and women who have taken career breaks when having children. Instead, focus on what type of experience you are looking for rather than an arbitrary figure for how long the person has being doing it, which is unlikely to be a good indicator of performance in any case. For instance, "Significant experience of providing a service in a busy, customer-focused environment" rather than "Three years customer service experience".   

• The concept of a default retirement age (which is currently age 65) has been abolished by the Government and it is therefore unlawful to reject job applications from  candidates who are over 65; such applicants should be treated in the normal way - age-related factors must not be used as a criteria for non-selection.

• The University does not have a ‘minimum’ employment age, other than that imposed by legal restrictions on the number of hours those in full time secondary education can work. The University’s policy on employing young people outlines the relevant legal and health and safety requirements when employing under 18’s.

• Chronological information on education and work experience can be useful to establish whether a candidate has any gaps in their work/education history. However, such information also indicates a person's general age and it is important not to consciously or unconsciously let the candidate's age affect your judgment as to their suitability.

Disability and health

• If a candidate has applied using alternative formats (e.g. audio-tape) treat them in the same way as other applications.

• Ensure that any invitation to interview letters ask all candidates about any adjustments due to a disability that may have to be made to the interview process.

• If a candidate that you have short-listed has specified in their application that they have specific requirements to enable them to attend an interview, complete a test or another part of the selection process because of their disability, ensure that the required adjustments are fully considered; the expectation will be that if the adjustment is 'reasonable' then it should be made. You should contact your  Faculty/ Divisional HR Team for advice on specific cases.

• The Equality Act 2010 limits the circumstances when health-related questions can be asked before a job offer is made. Health-related questions can be asked to:
• • determine whether reasonable adjustments need to be made to the selection process
  • determine whether an applicant can carry out a function that is intrinsic to the job (such as manual handling)
  • monitor the diversity of job applicants
  • take positive action to assist disabled people
  • confirm that a candidate has a disability where this is an occupational requirement

• Under the Act it is no longer permissible to ask questions that aim to establish how many days of sickness absence an applicant has accrued during previous employment prior to the candidate being made a conditional or unconditional offer of work. This question must not be included on any application forms, reference requests or addressed at interview.

• Once a job offer has been made, appropriate health-related questions can be asked, provided that they are linked to the job requirements. However, this needs to be approached sensitively and as a 'fact-finding' rather than a judgmental process, ie to fill in the gaps rather than as any kind of medical assessment. It should be made clear during the discussion that they may be subject to an occupational health check; and that this is the point at which an informed and professional assessment of the potential impact of the condition or disability on the job will be made. In limited circumstances, this may include making conditional offers subject to a satisfactory occupational health check.

• When you assess an applicant’s suitability for the job you must take account of how reasonable adjustments could enable them to do the job.  If, after taking reasonable adjustments into account, they would not be the best person for the job, you do not have to offer it to them.

• Remember also to contact your  Faculty/ Divisional HR Team when you are considering a candidate with a disability to ensure access to expert advise and potential financial support for the many practical options for making reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities.

• Further information can be found in the University's Disability and Employment Policy.