Equality and Diversity
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against those with the following protected characteristics: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion and belief; sex; and sexual orientation. Take care in drafting adverts to avoid perceptions of inadvertent discrimination. For example:
- posts requiring specific physical skills: a requirement for applicants to be ‘fit and active’ may be perceived to discriminate against disabled or older people. Instead describe the requirements of the post, e.g. ‘requires working at heights’, or ’must be able to patrol a building on three floors with no lift'.
- see guidance on avoiding inadvertent age discrimination in recruitment and selection.
Further information about the University’s commitment to equal opportunities can be found on the Equality and Diversity Unit web pages.