Classroom Equality & Diversity

1. Purpose and Principles

ASR Accountancy Ltd is committed to eliminating discrimination and to supporting diversity amongst its workforce. Our centre accepts the benefits that can be secured through employing a diverse workforce and employing the individual talents of staff from differing backgrounds and with different skills.

ASR try to help all staff to understand the difference between the concepts of equality and diversity. Compliance with this policy and guidelines should ensure that employees do not commit unlawful acts of discrimination, and that they embrace the benefits of working in a diverse workforce.

• Equality (or equal opportunities) is about protecting certain groups of staff against unfair treatment based on a particular personal characteristic. This protection is normally based on those groups covered by legislation e.g. gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief.

• Diversity is about recognising, valuing, and using the differences which people have.

ASR Accountancy will do everything that is reasonably practicable to ensure equality and fairness for all employment, and will not discriminate directly, or indirectly, on grounds of sex, gender, gender reassignment, pregnancy, and maternity, colour, race, nationality, caste, ethnic or national origins, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, offending background or because someone is married or is a civil partner. Our centre will also ensure that it does not treat somebody less favourably on grounds of
disability than others without that disability are, or would be treated, unless the less favourable treatment can be justified. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other activity will be on the basis of aptitude and ability in relation to the requirements of the job. All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential.

Scope

Staff should not discriminate against or harass a member of the public in the provision of services or goods. It is unlawful to fail to make reasonable adjustments to overcome barriers to using services caused by disability. The duty to make reasonable adjustments includes the removal, modification, or alteration of physical features, if the physical features make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of services. In addition, ASR has an obligation to think ahead and address any barriers that may impede disabled people from accessing a service, including but not limited to education.

This policy and procedure apply to all learners, trainees, full and part time employees of ASR Accountancy Ltd including sub-contractors. All employees of the ASR are expected to commit to maintaining a culture that supports equality of opportunity, and to strive to eliminate discrimination in all aspects of employment. The principles apply equally to all dealings with customers, providers, and visitors. This policy and procedure will be regularly reviewed and may be amended from time to time.

2. Procedure

ASR Accountancy Ltd will avoid unlawful discrimination in all aspects of employment including recruitment, promotion, opportunities for training, pay and benefits, retirement, discipline, and selection for redundancy if this occurs.

Recruitment and Selection

Individuals involved in the recruitment and selection of staff will ensure the centre’s recruitment and selection policy is adhered to and that:

• Job Descriptions and Person Specifications will be limited to those requirements that are necessary for the effective performance of the role. Candidates for employment or promotion will be assessed objectively against the requirements for the role, taking account of any reasonable adjustments that may be required for candidates with a disability. Disability and personal or home commitments will not form the basis of employment decisions, except where this is necessary and can be objectively justified.

• ASR will consider any possible indirectly discriminatory effect of its standard working practices, including the number of hours to be worked, the times at which these are to be worked and the place at which work is to be done, when considering requests for variations to these standard working practices and will refuse such requests only if the firm considers it has good reasons, unrelated to any protected characteristic, for doing so. ASR will comply with its obligations in relation to statutory requests for contract variations. ASR will also make reasonable adjustments to its standard working practices to overcome barriers caused by disability

• Application Forms will be designed to provide essential information needed to create the best short list for interview. Non essential information will not be provided to the short listing panel. Interviews will be conducted on an objective basis against specific selection criteria which will be consistently applied to all applicants.

ASR will not discriminate against a person, when providing employees with training and opportunities for promotion. Employees will be selected for training opportunities and promotion with reference to objective selection criteria. All employees will be encouraged to achieve their full potential. Appraisals of performance will be conducted and objectives relating to fair and inclusive practices will be included in employees’ performance assessments.

Meeting Individual Needs

Where possible:

ASR will allow learners and staff time off to care for children or sick relatives to help them balance their work and home responsibilities.

• Training courses and meetings will be planned to allow attendance by staff working non standard hours.

• Disabled staff, pupils and customers will be consulted about any reasonable adjustments which could be made to allow them to better perform their functions

• ASR will aim to allow employees to observe prayer times and specific religious holidays, although an individual may be required to use part of his/her annual leave to take time off for a religious holiday.

3. Employer’s Responsibilities

• ASR will provide Equality & Diversity training for Managers and others likely to be involved in recruitment or other decision making where equal opportunities issues are likely to arise.

• The ASR will provide training to all existing and new employees, and others engaged to work ASR, to help them understand their rights and responsibilities under the Equality and Diversity Policy, and what they can do to help create a working environment free of bullying and harassment.

Employees’ Rights and Responsibilities

• All employees have the right to equality of opportunity. If employees consider that they may have been unlawfully discriminated against, they can make a complaint with the ASR director

• All employees have a duty to assist ASR to meet its commitment to provide equality of opportunity and to avoid unlawful discrimination and must therefore familiarise themselves with this policy and procedure. Behaviour, actions or words that transgress the policy will not be tolerated.

• Employees can be held personally liable as well as, or instead of, the company for any act of unlawful discrimination. Employees who commit serious acts of harassment may be guilty of a criminal offence.

• Acts of discrimination, harassment, bullying or harassment against employees, learners or customers are disciplinary offences and will be dealt with under the ASR disciplinary procedure. Discrimination, harassment, bullying or abuse may constitute gross misconduct and could lead to dismissal without notice.

Monitoring and Review

• This policy will be monitored periodically by the ASR to judge its effectiveness and will be updated in accordance with changes in the law.

• Information provided by job learners, applicants and employees for monitoring purposes will be used only for these purposes and will be dealt with in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations.