EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY STATEMENT
See also: National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service – Part 2 paragraph 1.
1. POLICY STATEMENT
The Government has introduced laws to deal with discrimination in employment. It points to the unbiased treatment that employees and prospective employees are entitled to expect. The Equal Opportunities Policy Statement of Dartmoor National Park Authority is contained in the following statement.
Dartmoor National Park Authority will provide equal opportunities in employment and will not discriminate either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, sex, age, political or religious belief, marital status, disability, sexuality, and unrelated criminal convictions, or other specific factors which result in discrimination. The Authority will ensure that the workplace is free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation and will act promptly on any complaints in an appropriate manner. The Authority also affirms it commitment to treat part-time staff as equally as full-time staff, having regard for national and local conditions of service and to statute. The Dartmoor National Park Authority will therefore apply employment policies which are fair, equitable and consistent with the skills and abilities of its employees. The Policy will help to ensure that Dartmoor National Park Authority achieves its objective that all job applicants and employees are accorded equal opportunities for recruitment, training and promotion, and equal terms and conditions of employment for jobs of equal value. All appointments and promotions to Authority posts will be based on an objective assessment of the skills and abilities needed to perform the required jobs. |
This statement fulfils the legal requirements placed on the Dartmoor National Park Authority to define the aims of its equal opportunities policy. It also commits and makes clear the responsibility of the Dartmoor National Park Authority, its managers and its employees to take positive steps to incorporate the spirit of the law into employment and service practices, and to comply with Dartmoor National Park Authority policy in the furtherance of equal opportunities.
2 .PURPOSE OF POLICY
2.1 The Dartmoor National Park Authority believes that an effective equal opportunities policy is an essential means of increasing the value of its personnel by developing the potential of all its individual employees to meet service objectives.
2.2 The Dartmoor National Park Authority recognises that its employment practices are bound by the Sex Discrimination Act (1975), the Equal Pay Act (1970), the Race Relations Act (1976), the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act (1944 and 1958) and the Disability Discrimination Act (1996), as well as other legislation. Codes of Practice produced by the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Disability Advisory Service will form the basis of any measures introduced to ensure greater equality of opportunity.
3. RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 The overall responsibility for ensuring effective implementation of the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s policy is assigned to the Chief Executive (NPO). This responsibility includes ensuring that all employees are notified of the details of the policy and are aware of its implications through the provision of appropriate training.
3.2 All line managers have responsibility for promoting equality of opportunity in their own area, and should ensure that their own procedures and practices comply with the provisions of the Authority’s equal opportunities policy. The performance and example of managers is crucial to improving opportunities for disadvantaged groups and members of staff.
3.3 Individual employees at all levels have responsibility for ensuring that equality of opportunity is consistently provided in all of the Authority’s employment practices, and its activities.
3.4 All employees should be aware that whilst an employer can be held liable in law for acts of discrimination committed by employees, so too can individual employees be held personally liable in law for acts of discrimination which they commit, authorise, contribute to, or condone in relation to other employees and members of the public.
3.5 All employees, therefore, should be aware that the following acts are unlawful and/or would constitute misconduct liable to disciplinary action, which may include summary dismissal:
- Discriminating in the course of their employment against members of the public, employees or job applicants in job transfer or promotion applicants on the grounds established in the Equal Opportunities Policy Statement.
- Inducing, or attempting to induce, employees to practice unlawful discrimination.
- Indulging in verbal or physical sexual or racial harassment of a nature which is known, or should be known, to be offensive to the victim.
- Victimising individuals who have made allegations or complaints of sexual or racial discrimination or harassment or provided information about such discrimination or harassment.
3.6 All employees are responsible for ensuring that the Authority’s policy of equal opportunity is applied to our dealing with the general public.
4. ROLE OF THE TRADE UNION
The Dartmoor National Park Authority welcomes the clearly stated support for equality of opportunity from the trade unions and acknowledges the important role that the unions can play in achieving the objectives of this policy. The Dartmoor National Park Authority will, therefore, consult with the unions over the introduction of measures to implement, revise and evaluate this policy.
