|
Equal opportunities is a key element of the Equal programme.
The purpose of this page to alert KEEP partners to legal developments
and other Equal Opportunity news considered relevant to the objectives
of KEEP.
Documents on equal opportunities e.g. the CRE Standard, can be
found on the documents
and resources section of this site.
Any comments or queries are always welcome and can be sent to us
at keep@kent.ac.uk
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES NEWS 12 January 2004
The new Equal Opportunities Commison's (EOC) new revised Code of
Practice on Equal Pay came into force on 1 Dec 2003.
The Code, explains employers' obligations on equal pay, takes account
of new law and recent equal pay case decisions. It provides practical
guidance on how to ensure pay is determined without sex discrimination.
It is aimed at employers but employees may also find it useful.
Whilst the Code is not binding, an employment tribunal may take
into account an employer's failure to act on its provisions.
The final section of the Code includes an example of a model equal
pay policy and annexes provide useful addresses and further information.
A copy of the Code can be found on the EOC website www.eoc.org.uk
(Extracted from Equal Opportunities Review Dec 2003 No 124)
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES NEWS 8 DECEMBER 2003
More Disabled People in Work since DDA
A recent survey* found that the proportion of disabled people in
the workforce has doubled since the introduction of the Disability
Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. Of course, the increase is also attributable
to Employers' investment in monitoring systems and strategies persuading
employees to declare a disability. Good practice measures were significantly
more in evidence in 2002 than in 1995 - those whose use had increased
substantially and found to be particularly effective in bringing
about a higher proportion of disabled workers were:
- Having a strategy encouraging Employees to self declare
- Adapting interview procedures for disabled candidates
- Installing disability equipment
- Making Adjustments to retain disabled people.
Employer attitudes were found to have significantly improved since
1995 - now less likely to respond to disabled employees and applicants
with stereotypical notions of inability or to see them as a comparatively
higher cost for business.
*Employing disabled workers: an investigation into organisational
disability policies and practices - is available at www.business.mmu.ac.uk/research/hrm/magingdiversity/2003disabilitysurvey.pdf
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES NEWS 3 DECEMBER 2003
The EOC (Equal Opportunities Commission) is launching a new equal
pay campaign in January 2004 called "It's time to get even".
They highlight the fact that 30 years after the Equal Pay Act, there
is still an 18% pay gap between men and women doing the same full-time
job.
EISS will be ordering campaign posters and coasters. If any KEEP
partners would like some, please contact Siobhan
Hunt (Equalities Officer) or Emily
Richards (Project Secretary) at EISS.
The EQUAL PAY ACT 1970 gives individuals a right to the same contractual
pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment,
where the man and woman are doing
- Like work; or
- Work rated as equivalent under an analytical job evaluation
study; or
- Work that is proved to be of equal value.
For further advice on the law relating to equal pay, contact Siobhan
Hunt, Equalities Officer or visit the EOC's website at www.eoc.org.uk
A new Code of Practice on Equal Pay (1 Dec 2003) providing advice
for employers on how to ensure pay is determined without sex discrimination
is available from the documents
and resources page of the KEEP website or from the EOC at Tel
0845 601 5901; E-mail info@eoc.org.uk; Web www.eoc.org.uk
ACAS GUIDANCE ON RECOGNISED RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
New Employment Regulations come into force on 2nd December 2003
which will outlaw discrimination on the basis of religious belief.
This guidance is taken from APPENDIX 2 OF ACAS' guide to EMPLOYMENT
REGULATIONS (Religion or Belief) 2003. It contains descriptions
pf some of the most commonly held religions and beliefs in Britain.
The guidance document can be found in the Equal opps section of
the documents and
resources page of this site.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITES NEWS 13 NOVEMBER 2003
New regulations making it unlawful to discriminate against workers
because of their sexual orientation or their religion/beliefs come
into force on 1st December 2003 and 2nd December 2003 respectively.
Briefing sessions will be held at forthcoming KEEP Panel Meetings.
In the meantime, Guidance to the new Regulations explaining the
law and associated good practice for Employers and Staff can be
found on the ACAS website www.acas.co.uk/publications
New Commission for Equality and Human Rights to fight discrimination
30 October 2003
A new Equality Commission to fight discrimination and challenge
inequality wherever it occurs was announced today by Patricia Hewitt
and Lord Falconer.
Under the plans, the work of existing equality commissions will
come together to give greater support and more joined-up advice
to individuals, businesses and communities to crackdown on
discrimination, and promote equality and diversity.
For the first time - via the new body - the government will provide
support for the promotion of human rights. The new body, provisionally
called the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), is the
result of the biggest review of equality institutions in a quarter
of a century.
It will bring together the work of three existing equality commissions
- the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission
and the Disability Rights Commission and take responsibility for
new laws outlawing workplace discrimination on age, religion or
belief and sexual orientation.
Patricia Hewitt, Trade and Industry Secretary and Minister for
Women said:
"We are committed to providing opportunity for all and equality
matters to everyone - it is not a minority concern. A successful
society must make full use of the talents of all its members.
"But tackling discrimination in the 21st Century requires
a joined-up approach that puts equality in the mainstream of concerns.
"As individuals, our identities are diverse, complex and multi-layered.
People don't see themselves as solely a woman, or black, or gay
and neither should our equality organisations.
"By bringing these bodies into one organisation we will make
life much easier for individuals to get help and advice, especially
when they are discriminated against on more than one level.
Lord Falconer, Secretary of State at the Department for
Constitutional Affairs said:
"Human rights and equality are two sides of a single coin
- respect for the dignity and the value of each person. The CEHR
should be able to change the way that public authorities treat individuals
and drive up our public service standards. It will champion human
rights good practice and responsibilities throughout the public
sector, reducing the need to go to court over problems. We want
to see a human rights culture, not a litigation culture.
"With rights also come responsibilities. Human rights involve
balancing one person's rights against another's and taking into
account the rights of the wider community. This will be key to the
success of the new body."
Ms Hewitt also announced that she was setting up a task force with
members reflecting different equality interests to advise on the
governance and structure of the new body ahead of a White Paper
next spring.
The government will consult widely on the priorities for a new
commission to ensure it provides a framework for supporting all
individual equalities issues as well as championing equality as
a mainstream issue.
The Commission for Equality and Human Rights would:
* better reflect today's Britain and promote diversity and equality
as key drivers of a culture of respect which underpins a prosperous
and cohesive society;
* improve the existing situation where an individual's problems
are often pigeonholed into one category (race, gender or disability)
when things can be more complicated. People often have multiple
identities with equality issues i.e. - an employee could be an ethnic
minority woman with an equal pay issue;
* deliver a better service for businesses, as well as public sector
organisations at a local and national level, providing information
and advice on implementing a broad diversity strategy in the workplace
that covers a range of equalities. At the moment they have to go
separately to each commission;
* promote equality in the delivery of public services so that all
citizens are better served;
* promote respect for human rights in public services, so that
everyone is treated properly and human rights abuses are stamped
out;
* continue to enforce anti-discrimination legislation in race,
gender, and disability and take on responsibilities for
discrimination on grounds of religion or belief, sexual orientation
and age.
Patricia Hewitt continued:
"We consulted widely on how best to achieve our vision of
a fairer, more inclusive and prosperous Britain and concluded that
a single body to cover all equalities is an important step forward.
"The new commission will also help organisations such as schools,
the police and other public, private and voluntary sector bodies
get comprehensive advice on diversity and become better employers,
improve performance, strengthen community relations and reduce Human
Rights abuses."
For more information, visit the DTI website at http://www.dti.gov.uk
The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003: Briefing
by the Commission for Racial Equality
Date of publication: 10/06/03
This document is a briefing on the detailed wording of the Race
Regulations
and, in particular, on those standards in the EU Race Directive.
http://www.cre.gov.uk/downloads/docs/race_regs.doc
KEEP EO WORKING GROUP
The Equal Opportunities Working Group continues to meet monthly.
We are still seeking beneficiaries involved in the KEEP Project
to come along. Attendance need not be regular. We are interested
in hearing your views and experiences of KEEP to date. If you would
like to be involved, please contact Siobhan
Hunt, Equalities Officer for the KEEP project on 01227 823038.
There is a training allowance available for attendance and we can
help with transport costs etc.
Forthcoming UK legislation on age discrimination
UK legislation making discrimination on the grounds of age unlawful
will be forthcoming by 2006. In the meantime, all KEEP Partners
should be complying with the Code of Guidance on Age Diversity (launched
by the government in 1999). Copies of this guidance can be found
at www.agepositive.gov.uk
A recent survey has found that workers are more likely to experience
ageism than racism or sexism at work 1 in 5 people are discouraged
from applying for a job because of ageist advertising and 15% have
experienced age discrimination at interview. The survey was carried
out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in February
2003 - results can be found on www.cipd.co.uk/surveys
Greater protection from discrimination for blind & partially
sighted people
New regulations are coming into force on 14th April 2003 -making
it easier for those with visual impairments to prove, if they wish,
that they are "disabled" under the Disability Discrimination
Act thereby gaining access to greater protection at work, in education
and purchasing of goods or services. Proof of Disability will be
satisfied by provision of a certificate from a Consultant Opthalmologist
or a local authority.
The Disability Discrimination Regulations (Blind & Partially
Sighted Persons) 2003 are available on www.hmso.gov.uk
Right to Flexible Working
In February 2003, the Equal Opportunities Commission launched its
campaign to promote awareness of parents' right to request flexible
working hours as of 6th April 2003. Too few parents are aware of
new flexible working rights. 4 in 10 UK workers are not aware of
the new law that will give parents the right to ask their employers
for flexible working, says the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).
Significantly, more than half of working men have no knowledge of
it at all.
The EOC website contains lots of information on this right and
further booklets available - have a look! www.eoc.org.uk
CRE issues draft race equality guide on local government procurement
process
Summary: The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) has published
a consultation document on ensuring greater racial equality in the
procurement processes of local authorities.
Date: 3/14/03
Author(s): EOR
Launching Race equality and procurement in local government: a guide
to meeting the duty to promote race equality*, Trevor Phillips,
CRE chair, said:
"The CRE is providing practical tools and advice to councils
and contractors to assist them in tackling discrimination in the
supply of goods and services.
"Between them, local authorities in England and Wales spend
over £40 billion on goods, services and works. Whether it's
contracting out the running of education services or buying 'meals
on wheels', local authorities need to know how to meet their duties
under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act and contractors need to
know what local authorities expect of them. Councils need to take
action in this area: doing nothing is not an option."
The deadline for responses to the consultation is April 18th. More
information is available at www.cre.gov.uk
[Back to top]
|
.jpg)
