Written equality policy can greatly assist employers

Organisations and enterprises should have employment equality policies. While having a written policy is not a legal requirement, the absence of such a policy has proved detrimental to organisations against which alleged discrimination cases have been taken.

Equality policies can assist compliance with the Employment Equality Act 1998, which outlaws discrimination in the workplace. Promoting equal opportunities is good business. It can operate as a signal to clients, suppliers and sub-contractors of the quality of the enterprise.

Equality policies can lead to higher morale and reassurance among workers, and enhance productivity and profit. Equality at work also contributes to a fairer and more just society.

Guidelines for Employment Equality Policies in Enterprises, published last week, gives practical assistance to organisations in drafting an employment equality policy.

Published by the national framework committee under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to promote equality at enterprise level, it provides guidelines for all organisations in the public or private sector. Chaired by the Equality Authority, the framework committee comprises Congress; IBEC; the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; the Department of Finance; the Health Service Employers Agency; the Equal Opportunities Network; and the Local Government Management Services Board.

The guidelines offer "encouragement, information and support to employers, trade unions and employees in the necessary preparation of employment equality policies", say Mr Turlough O'Sullivan (IBEC), Mr David Begg (ICTU) and Mr Niall Crowley (Equality Authority) in their joint preface.

The 1998 Act outlaws discrimination on the nine grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion and membership of the Traveller community.

The publication's executive summary provides a very useful checklist of areas that should be addressed in an equality policy. Not only does it give the major headings but it suggests text for inclusion in organisations' policies. As such it provides an excellent framework, structure and user-friendly wording for an equality policy.

The guidelines include "Ten Steps to Equality in an Enterprise".

In brief these are:

(1) Agree and support an equality committee and equality officer.

(2) Communicate on equality with workers, clients, business contacts and service providers.

(3) Develop equality of opportunity in recruitment and selection processes, including advertising.

(4) Include positive actions for women, members of the Traveller community, older workers and people with disabilities, including accommodating people with disabilities.

(5) Develop workplace flexibility's and accommodate diversity across the nine grounds.

(6) Build in equality into job orientation in the workplace.

(7) Integrate equality into training, work experience and employment counselling opportunities.

(8) Develop equality in promotions and progression, including job regrading and reclassification.

(9) Develop a network with other enterprises and public bodies to ensure best practice.

(10) Evaluate, monitor and review equality policies and practices.

The guidelines deal with promoting an equality committee, appointing an equality officer, preparing and promoting an equality policy, training for equality, and knowing your workforce and the data you keep about them.

Advertising is dealt with, with suggested text for saying you are an equal-opportunities employer. Advice is offered on application forms, recruitment agencies and ensuring website managers are up to speed on the equality agenda.

Equality of opportunity in the interview process is tackled. The composition of interview boards, briefing for interviews, conducting interviews, monitoring the interview process and adjustments for candidates with disabilities is covered.

There is a chapter on equality of opportunity in job orientation and job induction. This includes such issues as equality awareness in the workplace, involving supervisors and line managers, and adjustments for employees with disabilities.

Equality in career promotion and progression is examined. The guidelines look at maintaining records, reviewing files, equality in training and broadened experience and sample text for this aspect of the policy is suggested. This chapter deals with family-friendly workplaces, work-life balance, job appraisal, equal pay, redundancies, dismissal and non-discrimination.

A useful appendix defines discrimination, as understood by the 1998 Act. It details all aspects of employment covered by the Act such as equal pay, access to employment, vocational training and job classification. It details the areas to which the legislation applies, such as public and private sector employment, advertisements, trade unions, professional bodies and contracts of employment.

The sample texts are particularly useful. It could be possible to write a comprehensive policy guided by the suggested headings and words in the executive summary.

For more information, contact the Equality Authority on LoCall: 1890 245545; info@equality.ie; or www.equality.ie

jmarms@irish-times.ie