EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY
Charity no. 107047
Company no. 645409
Date registered. 30/04/2018
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Omagh RDA Charity Number The Group is a Member of the Riding for the Disabled Association Incorporating Carriage Driving, Registered Charity No: 244108, Registered Company Limited by Guarantee No: 5010395
A. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT
1. RDA is an equal opportunity employer, committed to ensuring that the talents, skills and resources of all employees recruited are fully utilised. RDA will not discriminate unfairly against any individual in matters of recruitment or selection for any position, promotion, development or training on the ground of perceived religious or political affiliation, sex, marital status, disability, colour, race, ethnic or national origin.
2. RDA wholeheartedly supports the principle of equal opportunities in employment and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination. RDA believes that it is in its best interests to consider the resources available throughout the community when employment opportunities arise. Within the framework of the law RDA is committed to this end, wherever practicable, to achieve and maintain a workforce that broadly reflects the local community in which the Association operates.
3. Every possible step will therefore be taken to ensure that individuals are treated equally and fairly and that decisions on recruitment, selection, development, training, promotion and career management are based solely on objective and job-related criteria. All employees are responsible for playing their part in achieving this policy's objectives.
B. MEASURES TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT
1.RDA intends to avoid any form of direct or indirect discrimination in the following:
a. Recruitment and Selection. RDA will aim to elicit the widest possible response when advertising vacancies. It will avoid using terminology that suggests that vacancies are open to persons of only one sex, race or particular marital status.
(1) In the selection process RDA will aim to use criteria clearly identified as being directly related to both job and person specifications.
(2) When filling a vacancy through any agency, clear instructions will be given to accept applications from all groups, irrespective of sex, marital status, disability, colour, creed, race, ethnic or national origin. The agencies used will also be made aware of RDA's commitment to provide equal opportunities for all groups in the community.
b. Appraisal and Counselling. RDA's appraisal and counselling processes are considered important and essential mechanisms in encouraging employee performance and development. Employees involved in carrying out appraisal and counselling should do so on a non-discriminatory basis.
c. Training and Development. Training and development are important in RDA’s performance. All training and development programmes are designed on a non-discriminatory basis, as is the selection for employees attending any training and development programme.
d. Promotion. RDA aims to promote an individual on the basis of their specific aptitude skills, knowledge and ability to perform a job effectively. Those involved in the selection process for promotion will ensure that it is based on criteria clearly identified as being directly related to both job and person specifications.
C. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TRAINING RDA realises the importance of training in ensuring that the policy is implemented effectively on a day-to-day basis. This is identified in three areas.
a. To educate those involved in decision-making on selection for recruitment, promotion, training and development, disciplinary offences, and for those who appraise or counsel employees. RDA will ensure that those people involved in such decisions are informed of the importance of being objective and of pursuing an equal opportunities approach. Employees involved in selection will receive training that includes information on equal opportunity in those areas.
b. To educate all employees in the importance of equality in all employment matters.
c. To provide adequate induction training for all employees to assist them in settling into the organisational culture and procedures as quickly as possible, RDA will aim to identify and provide for any special needs of an individual during this period.
D. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
RDA reviews and assesses all employment policies, procedures and conditions of employment on a regular basis to ensure equal and fair opportunity.
E. MECHANISM FOR RESOLVING GRIEVANCES
1. Any internal grievance relating to this policy may be addressed through RDA's grievance procedure. Any employee who believes that the spirit of this policy is not being implemented properly in any area may raise it, in the first instance, with the Group Chairman.
2. Any external complaint relating to RDA's employment procedures will be directed to the Group Chairman in the first instance. If the applicant is not satisfied with the outcome then the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission are both available for advice and assistance.
F. RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Every employee is responsible for ensuring that the equal opportunity policy is implemented and the spirit of the policy is adopted throughout the organisation. The Group Chairman is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the equal opportunity policy and for making recommendations and investigations where appropriate.