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Someone at work was filling in a form on line yesterday for a job. In one section of generic questions; are you male/female, ethnicity etc there was a question asking for your sexual orientation with four choices, and no option to type over – mind your own business or anything else. Surely prospective employers are not allowed to ask this? The job was for a part time role at an animal rescue centre so apart from anything else, we couldn’t see the relevance?
As long as they didn’t tick the box next to Bestialsexual your colleague should be OK.
Seriously though I haven’t heard of this before and as you rightly say what relevance would it have. Its big brother via the back door if you’ll pardon the expression.
As long as they didn’t tick the box next to Bestialsexual your colleague should be OK.
Seriously though I haven’t heard of this before and as you rightly say what relevance would it have. Its big brother via the back door if you’ll pardon the expression.
That wasn’t one of the four options!
I would have thought that given discrimination against age is now supposedly illegal, that this sort of question surely isn’t allowed?
Those sections are very common and generally used by HR to monitor that applicants come from a fair cross section of the community.
Of course that does not mean unscrupulous employers cannot misuse the information.
When I used to recruit staff that section of the application form was removed by the personnel dept before the forms came to me.
Indeed with my employer before last the HR dept completely "de-personalised" application forms before sending them to recruiting managers so you had absolutely no ides of the gender, age, ethnicity of the applicant.
To the best of my knowledge this was the sort of thing that was outlawed years ago, alongside interview questions asking women how soon they were thinking of starting a family. Extraordinary behaviour.
They’re probably Emmerdale fans who have seen Zoe Tate in action and now think that all gay vets must be that dangerous…
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Hi Love Divine: nice user name and an underrated filly.
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/sexual_ori … s_2007.htm
The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 made it illegal to discriminate at all levels (including at the recruitment stage), against people on account of their sexual orientation. Only religious groups are exempt (which is an interesting, and completely different, kettle of fish, if you think about it). You’ll find the full transcript of the updated regulations on the linked website.
Your colleague appears to be applying for a job in the Voluntary and Community Sector which is particularly hot on this for a variety of reasons, not least because the VCS is the most prevalent occupational sector for industrial tribunals (according to ACAS).
Put simply, if you don’t know someone’s sexual orientation then how do you know whether you are complying with legislation? Best not to take the risk.
Thanks very much for the responses. If I have read the details in the link correctly, it appears that charitable animal establishments are not included. However, on the basis that the job in question is for an institution which has no publicized religious affiliations to date, I would have thought this question was irrelevant and unnecessary, but maybe they didn’t want to take the risk? We did think that only four options was being a bit miserly!
Maxilon – thanks -she always tried her best.
The legality of the question doesn’t matter if you really need the job surely?
You don’t legally have to disclose your age, why should you have to give your sexual persuasion as part of applying for a job? And whatever answer is given, are they going to test you on it?
I was under the impression you don’t have to answer questions on race/sex/disability/etc and I have refused to complete the last half dozen ethnicity surveys I’ve been sent at work, on the basis they should know if I was white english for the first 15 years of service, I probably still am.
Though I have promised to mark the next one as Eskimo if they send me another as I’d guess they’re quite under-represented in most organisations, except eskimo fishing syndicates.
To the best of my knowledge this was the sort of thing that was outlawed years ago, alongside interview questions asking women how soon they were thinking of starting a family. Extraordinary behaviour.
gc
It is illegal in terms of being used as a selection criteria, however it is legitimate to collate information for statistical alalysis of job applicants.
Employers are in a Catch 22 position as they have to be able to prove they are not discriminating but have, at the same time, to be able to prove compliance. Without keeping a record of who has applied for a role how can they prove they are in compliance?
Another example of completely unworkable legislation.
Anyway there are occasions when some form of "positive discrimination" is necessary for the good of the business.
. Its big brother via the back door if you’ll pardon the expression.
Wouldn’t that mean ticking the box marked ‘incest’ ?
. Its big brother via the back door if you’ll pardon the expression.
Wouldn’t that mean ticking the box marked ‘incest’ ?
Nope – that wasn’t one of the four choices either…like I said, miserly
Does it really matter what your preferance is a regards bedroom activity.
Straight,Bi,Gay or Lesbian in this country at least does not affect us unlike in Iran with President Army Dinnerjacket or whatever he is called when he happily announced that "We have no homosexuals in this country"
Aslong as you dont put Beastiality or Same as Gary Glitter then it should not matter at all aslong and you can do the job you have aplied for.
Paul’s explanation sounds spot on, so Daily Mail sensibilities can relax.
What you’re actually looking at is a job creation scheme within HR. And that’s good news really.
Think of it as a pointless bit of bureaucracy to keep some nice young white middle class graduate girl busy, prior to her giving it up as a career to settle down and have kids with a farmer back in her home town.
Think of it as a pointless bit of bureaucracy to keep some nice young white middle class graduate girl busy, prior to her giving it up as a career to settle down and have kids with a farmer back in her home town.
quite.
I’ve had exactly the same thing recently. I’ve just applied for a job for police staff and they asked similar questions, such as my sexual orientation and whether I’m transgender etc. I was amazed! BUT you don’t have to answer them, they’re voluntary.
They don’t use the information to discriminate against you, they use it to ensure and prove that they’re NOT discriminating, and that they’re employing a cross section of the community.
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