Equal opportunities

Equal Opportunities

It is the aim of {my}dentist to ensure that no employee or job applicant receives less favourable treatment (either directly or indirectly) on the grounds of age, disability, gender/gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation (the protected characteristics).

{my}dentist will avoid unlawful discrimination and less favourable treatment in all aspects of employment including recruitment, promotion, opportunities for training, pay and benefits, discipline and selection for redundancy.

Our desire is that our workforce will be truly representative of the communities we work in and that each employee feels respected and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination or victimisation. The purpose of this policy is to assist mydentist in putting their commitment to equal opportunities and fair treatment in the workplace into practice.

All employees, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Candidates for employment or promotion will be assessed objectively against the requirements for the job, taking account of any reasonable adjustments that may be required for candidates with a disability.

mydentist will review policies and procedures a minimum of every three years to ensure they are fit for purpose and in line with changes in legislation.

Our commitment

• mydentist values the differences that a diverse workforce brings to the organisation
• mydentist will not tolerate or engage in any practices that may be found to be treating employees, patients or visitors unfairly
• mydentist will deal with discrimination or actions that affect equality in a robust manner viewing such issues as gross misconduct where appropriate
• mydentist will treat all complaints of harassment or bullying seriously and will investigate them promptly, efficiently and with confidence
• mydentist is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and will work towards the elimination of unlawful and unfair discrimination

Responsibilities of management

Our Chief Executive Officer has ultimate responsibility for the effective implementation of our policy however all people managers have a direct responsibility to ensure that the aims and objectives of this policy are effectively integrated into our daily activities and decision making.

Each manager will ensure that:

• all their employees are aware of the policy and the arrangements, and the reasons for the policy;
• grievances concerning discrimination are dealt with properly, fairly and robustly;
• proper records are maintained.

Responsibilities of employees

All employees are responsible for abiding by this policy. The following are the key roles and responsibilities of mydentist employees to ensure that this policy is implemented effectively.

• Be alert to the indicators of a potential breach of this policy and know how to act on those concerns
• Take part in relevant training provided by mydentist from time to time
• Ensure they understand their obligations under this policy
• Take action to minimise the potential for any breach of this policy

Third parties

Third-party harassment occurs where an employee is harassed, and the harassment is related to a protected characteristic, by third parties such as contractors or patients. mydentist will not tolerate such actions against its employees, and the employee concerned should inform their manager if this has occurred. mydentist will fully investigate.

Equality training

The training helps employees to understand their rights and responsibilities and what they can do to help create a working environment free of bullying and harassment. mydentist will provide additional development opportunities and coaching for managers to enable them to deal more effectively with complaints of bullying and harassment.

Grievances/Discipline

Employees have a right to pursue a complaint concerning discrimination or victimisation via the mydentist Grievance Procedure.

Discrimination and victimisation will be treated as disciplinary offences and they will be dealt with under the mydentist Disciplinary Procedure.

Review

mydentist will review policies and procedures a minimum of every three years to ensure they are fit for purpose and in line with changes in legislation.