Ethnicity on job contracts

[Alex C. 10]

Cheers Alex

 

That's an absolute 'mare that is. Not sure how they get away with that. I'm gonna phone 'em on tues and ask how they justify it. Helps their ethnic monitoring, I guess, but some people, me included, always tick the 'prefer not to answer' box and I would still like that option.

 

Let me know what they say, I'd be interested to know... the only thing I will say is that at least they're up front about it, rather than doing it without telling you.

[Pritt Stick 10]

I refuse to fill these forms in. I would be gutted to find that I'd only been employed to fit a tick box eg Female or Gay. I want to be employed for being fab at the job, not for being a particular type. I don't see why these forms even exist. It's not as if they even include enough categories to make it fair! I've never seen a box to tick for Gay or Divorced or Overweight.

 

It would be unlawful for them to appoint people as you suggest. They do it to monitor the make up of their workforce.

 

It's the compulsory nature of it that I'm against.

[The Rat 10]

I can't see how it would affect my application if I was to tick the boxes that described me on an application form.... I would still be a white indiginous Briton and I would still be in the Country I was born in....

 

That's not a problem to me.

[Don_Kiddick 11]

Sandwell & Dudley refuse to consider your application if you refuse to state your ethnicity, citing 'You will not be able to fit in if you don't agree with our equal opportunities policy' - nothing to stop you putting down Chinese or Black if you fancy - they should be seperated upon application.

 

But on the flip side, have you noticed how you can choose to be white Irish, White Scottish, White Welsh OR White British?

 

Last time I filled one in I scribbled out British & wrote English underneath.

 

 

Didn't get the job - maybe I should claim race hate?

[ladyacademic 10]

I usually tick the "other" box and enter "human" if it asks for details.

[beardno1 10]

Personally i think its disgusting that there isnt an English option dont we exist.

[SugarPuff 10]

It would be unlawful for them to appoint people as you suggest. They do it to monitor the make up of their workforce.

 

It's the compulsory nature of it that I'm against.

 

But why do they need to monitor the make up of the workforce, unless they intend to try and balance it out a bit? I've seen ads encouraging certain types of people who are under-represented in the area of work, eg males or people with disabilities

[Pritt Stick 10]

But why do they need to monitor the make up of the workforce, unless they intend to try and balance it out a bit? I've seen ads encouraging certain types of people who are under-represented in the area of work, eg males or people with disabilities

 

You've nailed it SugarPuff - that's why they do it. To see if there is under-representation in certain areas.

 

The logic, at first, seems sensible. If you've got a 20% ethnic minority pop'n but they only make up 10% of your workforce it seems reasonable to ask why. Unfortunately, the conclusion in this scenario has often been that 'ethnic minority people are under-represented 'cos we are a racist employer'. That's one possibility, I suppose, but it could be that people just haven't applied / want to work for that that organisation.

 

Also, Asian folk make up approx. 50% of medical and dental students at some schools but only exist at about 4% of the pop'n. Nobody suggests limiting Asian intake to these courses so they more accurately reflect the make-up of the pop'n.

 

I think we should continue monitoring because, for example, if an organisation consistently has, say, 50% of applications from women for certain posts but then only appoints 40% women to these posts it might want to ask itself why. Are they biased against women, perhaps?

 

It just needs to be done more sensibly I believe.

[The Rat 10]

Whatever happened to the days when you could just hire or fire who you wanted and not worry so much about the colour you chose?

[SugarPuff 10]

What you're saying makes kind of sense to me, but i still think it seems as though 'they' might employ people based on description rather than ability to do the job? If hardly any women are employed by a firm despite loads having applied, maybe the women were just not good enough for the job, rather than it being a sexist situation? Just like it would be silly restricting the number of Asian students in the field of medicine/dentistry, just to get the balance right.

 

I think that people should be employed for their abilities and if that means some places being entirely staffed by Chinese men or disabled women then so be it, if they're the best for the job!

[The Rat 10]

What you're saying makes kind of sense to me, but i still think it seems as though 'they' might employ people based on description rather than ability to do the job? If hardly any women are employed by a firm despite loads having applied, maybe the women were just not good enough for the job, rather than it being a sexist situation? Just like it would be silly restricting the number of Asian students in the field of medicine/dentistry, just to get the balance right.

 

I think that people should be employed for their abilities and if that means some places being entirely staffed by Chinese men or disabled women then so be it, if they're the best for the job!

 

In my mind, that is the right attitude to have.... I can honestly say that I have never come across a racist employer in my life, maybe that makes me lucky but its a fact. Fast tracking of ethnic groups in employment only serves to stir resentment and create division....

 

A person should be in the job they do because they are competent and nothing more.

[Ms Macbeth 73]

But on the flip side, have you noticed how you can choose to be white Irish, White Scottish, White Welsh OR White British?

 

In relation to ^^, the choices I've seen on application forms have only ever been White British, or White Irish - and that only applies to Southern Ireland as its not part of GB. As a Scot, I think I'd have noticed if there was a bit especially for me! White British includes Northern Irish, English, Welsh and Scottish. I've never had a problem with being asked my nationality - and I'm ok with British - its what it says on my Passport. I don't know why the colour of my skin is important though?