Equality in employment

Equality in employment

The Equality Act 2010 protects you as a jobseeker and employee from discrimination on the basis of characteristics including; age, gender, disability, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment, ethnicity, religion and beliefs, pregnancy and maternity, or sexual orientation. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the regulatory body responsible for enforcing the Act, as well as promoting and monitoring human rights.

At the University of Stirling we celebrate and encourage diversity. Your background is an important part of who you are. Most graduate employers embrace equal opportunities and diversity in the workplace. They recognise that employees from different backgrounds bring unique knowledge, skills and experience to their organisation.

Here you’ll find useful resources covering equality and diversity in the workplace:

Ethnicity

It’s illegal for an employer to discriminate against you because of your ethnicity. This includes any form of harassment or victimisation on the basis of your race.

Useful resources and schemes for ethnic minority students:

• The Windsor fellowship – career development programmes for ethnic minorities.
• Rare Recruitment – a diversity focused recruitment agency.
• Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO London) – targeted internships and career preparation.
• Targetjobs – Race: diversity matters
• Finding race-positive employers
• Disclosing your race when marketing yourself to employers
• Your rights around racism

Disability

The Equality Act 2010 considers someone disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

If you’re a disabled employee, your employer has a duty to make 'reasonable adjustments' to reduce or remove obstacles in the workplace. This is to ensure that you’re able to carry out your duties without being disadvantaged.

Useful resources:

• Targetjobs – Disability and mental health: diversity matters
• Your rights around disability and mental health
• Finding disability-positive employers
• British Dyslexia Association - advice on finding and applying for jobs, how and when to tell employers about dyslexia and dyslexia support in the workplace.
• Capability Scotland - range of services to disabled people in Scotland.
• EmployAbility - information on internship and placement opportunities and specialist recruitment events.
• Shaw Trust- supports disabled and disadvantaged people to prepare for work and find jobs. Its student and graduate scheme has placement and graduate opportunities with major employers which are open only to disabled people.
• Motability Scholarship Programme - Scholarship Programme incorporating degree sponsorship and a paid summer placement each year.
• Papworth Trust - assists with job hunting, skills development, and finding work placements.

Age

An employer cannot discriminate based on your age, unless they can ‘objectively justify’ a reason for doing so. It’s illegal for an employer to ask for your date of birth on any job application.

However if you feel your age may be having an influence on the pursuit of your career goals, these resources could be useful:

• UK Government Age Positive information - links to specialist sources of help for mature jobseekers.
• The Age and Employment Network – promotes an age-positive jobs market for people aged 50 and over.
• Target Jobs – Age: diversity matters
• Finding Age positive employers
• Disclosing your age when marketing yourself to employers
• Your rights around ageism