EQUALITY & DIVERSITY

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Equality Diversity Policy

Policy Statement

Care Contact is committed to being a fair employer and to ensuring that all employees, job applicants, customers and other people with whom we deal are treated fairly and are not subjected to unfair or unlawful discrimination.

This policy is not contractual, but aims to set out the way in which Care Contact aims to manage equal opportunities. This policy applies to all employees and workers.

It is our policy to treat all partners, employees, prospective employees, contractors, service users or clients and suppliers fairly and equally, regardless of their gender, sexual, race, orientation, family status, colour, nationality, ethnic or natural origin, religion or belief, age, physical or mental disability, working patterns, responsibility for dependents, membership of the travelling community, union membership status or any other irrelevant factor.

• We recognise that an effective Equality & Diversity policy will help our people to develop to their full potential, which is clearly in the best interests of both our employees and business. We aim to ensure that we not only observe the relevant legislation but also do whatever is necessary to provide genuine equality of opportunity.
• We expect everyone who works for us to be treated and to treat others with respect. Our aim is to provide a working environment free from harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form that may affect the dignity of the individual.
• We further recognise the benefits of employing individuals from a range of backgrounds as this creates a workforce where creativity and valuing difference in others thrives. We value the wealth of experience within the community in which we operate and aspire to have a workforce that reflects this.

Discrimination may be direct or indirect, and can take different forms, for example:

• Treating any individual less favourably than others on grounds of his/her sex, colour, marital status, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability, age or membership or non-membership of a trade union.
• Expecting a person, solely on the grounds stated above, to comply with requirements that are different to the requirements for others, for any reason whatsoever.
• Imposing on an individual a requirement that is in effect more onerous than on others. For example; this would include applying a condition (which is not warranted by the requirements of the position) which makes it more difficult for members of a particular group to comply than others not of that group.
• Victimisation
• Harassment
• Any other act or omission of an act, which has the effect of disadvantaging one person against another, purely on the above grounds.

Responsibility for this policy

The management teams have a crucial role to play in promoting equality and diversity in their own areas of responsibility.

All staff, irrespective of their job or seniority, will be given guidance and instruction, through our induction and other training, as to their responsibility and role in promoting equality and diversity and not discriminating unfairly or harassing colleagues or job applicants, nor encouraging others to do so or tolerating such behaviour. Disciplinary action, including dismissal, may be taken against any employee found guilty of unfair discrimination or harassment.

Recruitment and selection

• We will aim, through written instruction, appropriate training and supervision, to ensure that all staff who are responsible for recruitment and selection are familiar with this policy.
• Selection will be conducted on an objective basis and will focus only on the applicants’ suitability for the job and their ability to fulfil the job requirements. Our interest is in the skills, abilities, qualifications, aptitude and the potential of individuals to do their jobs.
• Person specifications will be reviewed to ensure that criteria are not applied which are discriminatory, either directly or indirectly, and that they do not impose any condition or requirement which cannot be justified by the demands of the post. Through competency-based interviews questions will be asked of candidates that will only relate to information to assess their ability and skill to do the job.
• Questions about marriage plans or family intentions or any other issues which may give rise to suspicions of unlawful discrimination should not be asked. Selection tests will be specifically related to the job and measure an individual’s actual, or inherent, ability to do or train for the job.
• Job adverts should encourage applications from all types of candidates and should not be stereotyped and all applicants are issued an equal opportunity.

Training and development

• Care Contact recognises that equality and diversity responsibilities do not end at selection, and is committed to ensure that wherever possible all staff receive the widest possible range of development opportunities for advancement.
• All employees will be encouraged to discuss their career prospects and training needs with their manager.
• Opportunities for promotion and training will be communicated and made available to all staff on a fair and equal basis.
• The provision of training will be reviewed to ensure that provisions are made where necessary to enable part-time workers, shift or remote workers or those returning to work following a break to benefit from training.
• No age limits apply for entry to training or development schemes which are open to all employees.

Terms and conditions of employment

• We will ensure that all of our policies including compensation, benefits and any other relevant issues associated with Terms and Conditions of Employment, are formulated and applied without regard to race, religion or belief, nationality, ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic circumstances, disability or any other characteristic unrelated to the performance of the job.
• These will be reviewed regularly to ensure there is no discrimination. Length of service as a qualifying criterion for benefits will not exceed five years unless clearly justifiable.

Grievances, disputes and disciplinary procedure

• Employees, who believe they have been discriminated against and have not been able to resolve their issues informally, are advised to use our internal grievance procedure.
• An employee who brings a complaint of discrimination must not be less favourably treated.
• Harassment or bullying will not be tolerated, and any individual employee who feels that he/she has been subjected to harassment or bullying should use our harassment procedure.
• When dealing with general disciplinary matters, care is to be taken that people of one group (whether this be sex, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age, disability or marital status) are not dismissed or disciplined for performance or behaviour which could be overlooked or condoned in other groups.

Positive action

• We also recognise that passive policies will not reverse the discrimination experienced by many groups of people.
• To this end, if certain groups are under-represented within our business, we will actively seek to encourage applications from those groups.
• Any measures taken to encourage applications should not in any way be construed as positive discrimination.
• The decision as to which applicant is offered a post must be based entirely on the merit of the individual.

Communication of this policy

• All job applicants, employees and workers will be made aware of this policy and a copy of the policy will be given to all employees on joining us.
• Service Users will also be made aware of our Equality & Diversity policy.

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