Stigma over HIV still rife despite changes to law

The majority of workers living with HIV still feel unable to tell their employer about their condition, despite increased legal protection, the National Aids Trust (NAT) has warned.

A 2005 revision to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) extended protection to employees living with HIV from when they are first diagnosed.

"However, a survey of 760 gay men, carried out by Professor Jonathan Elford at City University, found that more than two-thirds of white and 84% of non-white gay men living with HIV did not feel able to tell their employers about their condition."

Employers are still uncertain about what their obligations are to HIV-positive employees, according to Deborah Jack, chief executive of the NAT.

"At present, the workplace can be a very difficult environment for people living with HIV, as unfortunately discrimination and harassment are still very real concerns for many," she said.

The NAT has launched a guide for employers on recruiting HIV-positive employees. "By putting practices in place to avoid discrimination in recruitment, employers can encourage applications from people living with HIV and benefit from the skills of these individuals," Jack added.

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Royal Mail and Remploy pilot scheme for disabled workers set to roll out nationwide

A partnership between Royal Mail and Remploy - the provider of employment services for disabled people - is set for a national roll-out following a successful pilot programme in the South East.

Over the past year, 32 Remploy candidates with disabilities or health conditions have been employed as postal workers. Eleven are based at the Jubilee Mail Centre in Hounslow, while candidates have also been placed into administration, sorting office and delivery roles.

The scheme is now being extended to Essex, Chelmsford, Chiswick and Guildford, prior to a national roll-out in April.

Mike O’Donovan, mail centre manager at the Jubilee Mail Centre, said: “Many people’s perceptions of disability have been turned around by working with Remploy and it’s great to know that the partnership will now be rolled out nationally.”

This year, Remploy aims to find 5,600 jobs for people with disabilities and health conditions in mainstream employment.

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Half of dyslexics hide the condition from their employer to protect their image in the workplace

Almost half of people with dyslexia are hiding their condition in the workplace for fear that it will change the way their colleagues perceive them, according to research.

The study by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) and Business Link for London advisory service found that 45% of the 103 respondents felt unable to disclose their dyslexia to their employer.

The most common reasons for respondents hiding their dyslexia were that it could have a negative effect on their image at work, act as a barrier to business success and hamper their career opportunities.

More than half (56%) did not believe their employer could cater for their needs if they were to reveal their condition, and eight in 10 (82%) also believed their dyslexia would prevent them from setting up their own business.

Vicki McNicol, director of development at the BDA, said: “When an employer is able to support the dyslexic individual’s differences and not see them as a threat, the individuals abilities and talents are able to shine through. Many employers/managers are not able to celebrate difference but, more commonly, want to penalise employees for it. At the BDA, we find that many highly intelligent, dyslexic individuals fail to reach their full potential due to ignorance and lack of understanding among employers and HR professionals.”

Keith Gilbey, director of strategy at Business Link for London, said: “Creativity and tenacity are just some of the traits associated with dyslexics, so they have huge potential to become successful entrepreneurs. Equally, employers need to create a supportive environment so that they can harness the skills that dyslexics typically possess.”

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Firms warned to develop diversity policies after Microsoft ditches supplier

Employers have again been warned to tighten their diversity practices after it emerged that Microsoft UK stopped using a supplier due to its poor policy on the issue.

Dave Gartenberg, HR director at Microsoft UK, told Personnel Today that the global IT firm was increasingly looking at its suppliers' diversity policies.

"In one case, we changed provider because they were cavalier towards the topic," he said. "They were supplying a perfectly good service, but we stopped using them."

Microsoft's UK arm is learning from its experiences in the US, where many private companies insist on good diversity policies from their suppliers.

"We just think it is the responsible thing to do," Gartenberg said.

The decision follows moves by Barclays last year to request diversity statistics from its legal advisers as part of its corporate social responsibility policy.

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) confirmed that private firms were now increasingly insisting on good diversity practices from their suppliers.

CIPS director of marketing Brian Ford told Personnel Today: "It is a growing trend for suppliers to be asked for their diversity policies. We have seen this grow over the past few months and we can't see that changing. It would be sensible for employers to put policies in place so they can't be caught out."

The Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) agreed that private firms were increasingly looking at the make-up of the companies they do business with.

Simon Webley, research director at the IBE, said: "More than 200 of the FTSE 350 companies now have codes of ethics. These include core values of the company, and diversity is beginning to appear on these plans."

The Equalities Review last month recommended that a company's diversity policies should be a key factor when awarding public service contracts.

But business groups have long insisted that contracts should be awarded on value for money, rather than diversity policies.

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Disability campaign urges employers to recruit people with Down's Syndrome

Employers are being targeted by a new campaign that aims to get them to look again at jobseekers with Down's Syndrome.

The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) is sending mail alerts to businesses across the UK in the form of a job application, covering letter and CV. The fictional applicant writes that he has Down's Syndrome, and for the remainder of the letter the word 'disabled' is repeated over and over.

The mock CV follows the same format, with 'disabled' replacing the candidate's career overview, qualifications and work experience.

There are approximately 15,000 working-age adults with Down's Syndrome in the UK. Of those, just 16% are in some kind of employment - mostly voluntary and unpaid work - according to the DSA.

Carol Boys, the charity's chief executive, said people with Down's were particularly discriminated against because they were "easily identifiable". Employment levels among people with the condition are lower than those with other physical disabilities, she said.

"Their expectations of some kind of employment are high and so it makes it all the more depressing when they are not able to find a job," she said. "The DSA is asking employers to 'look behind the label' and see the potential of a person with Down's Syndrome."

Boys said fear of the unknown and a lack of understanding about the condition were preventing employers from hiring more candidates with Down's Syndrome. The DSA is starting to work with more companies that are keen on hiring people with the condition, and is producing guidance to help employers.

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Women and Work Commission chairman Baroness Prosser pleased at pace of progress on gender pay gap

One year on from the publication of the Women and Work Commission's report into closing the gender pay gap, its chair Baroness Margaret Prosser said she was "surprised" with the progress that had been made.

At a trade and industry sub-committee hearing last week on the commission's Shaping a Fairer Future report, published in March 2006, Prosser was asked what she thought about the government's action plan on her 40 recommendations.

"I was pleased that [the government] produced an action plan at all," she replied. "I'm surprised so much has been done already. I'm certainly not unhappy with the pace."

Prosser cited the Department of Trade and Industry's £500,000 part-time work fund and the Exemplar Employers initiative as significant achievements.

"More than 100 companies have taken part in the Exemplar Employers scheme, and are trialling more women managers and providing better careers advice," she said.

However, Prosser said she had some concerns that many schools still stereotyped women when it came to work experience and career guidance.

"The Department for Education and Skills accepted our recommendations on work experience, but I'm not sure how carefully [the department] is monitoring it," she said.

Norma Jarboe, director of Opportunity Now, which oversees the Exemplar Employers programme, said: "Lots of government reports have not had that much impact and have simply been shelved, but the government has reacted well to this one."

Jenny Watson, chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said the gender pay gap remained a stubborn 17% for women working in full-time roles.

"We are glad the government is taking this forward and look forward to seeing the report," she said.
But Prosser warned that the gender pay gap would remain a complicated and difficult issue to overcome.

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Women get to break through glass ceiling to senior management but only to do dirty jobs

Business leaders are more likely to appoint a woman to a senior-level post during times of crisis and poor performance than their male colleagues, according to a report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

However, the CIPD-commissioned study by Exeter University found that, as women are more readily appointed to tough roles during times of change, they are at greater risk of suffering from the “set up to fail” syndrome than men.

Dianah Worman, CIPD diversity adviser, said: “Due to the limited opportunities open to female leaders, many are forced to take the more difficult jobs in organisations with a history of poor performance, perpetuating the myth that women are poor performers in senior positions, and covering up the true extent of discrimination for the most desirable senior management positions.

"But the growth in the number of successful small businesses owned by women goes some way to indicate their business and leadership capabilities and highlights the talent other large organisations are missing. So old-fashioned attitudes are not only unfair and discriminatory towards women but they leave organisations shooting themselves in the foot.”

The Change Agenda, Women in the boardroom: the risks of being at the top report included more than 80 employers.

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Significant numbers of public bodies break Disability Equality Duty law by failing to publish details of disability schemes

Almost one-third of public authorities still have not published the details of their disability practices and policies, despite the government’s Disability Equality Duty becoming law in December 2006.

The Public Bodies’ Response to the Disability Equality Duty report found that only half (54%) of authorities had included any evidence of involving disabled people in their Disability Equality Scheme.

The study of more than 1,750 public authorities by the government’s Office for Disability Issues and the Ipsos Mori Social Research Institute included government departments and central government bodies, police authorities, NHS Trusts and Strategic Health Authorities.

Anne McGuire, minister for disabled people, said: “Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty is the key to improving the lives of disabled people. It’s a huge step forward that just over half of all public bodies audited by the Office for Disability Issues were found to have given disabled people a real opportunity to influence and shape the policies and services which have an impact on their lives.

“But it’s disappointing that a significant number of public bodies missed the December deadline to publish a scheme - and the Office for Disability Issues, working with the Disability Rights Commission, will be taking appropriate action to ensure all public bodies are playing their part in promoting equality for disabled people.”

Most public authorities, with the exception of schools in England and Wales, were required to produce and publish their Disability Equality Scheme by 4 December 2006.

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Equal Opportunities Commission says fundamental cultural shift is key to employment opportunities for ethnic minorities

A fundamental cultural shift in the way black and Asian women are treated at work and by public policy makers is needed to increase their employment opportunities, according to a report by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

Moving on Up: Ethnic Minority Women at Work, a two-year study of the issues, has established that Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black Caribbean women face significantly greater penalties than white women in the workplace.

Those who want to work are finding it more difficult to get jobs, progress within them and are more likely to be segregated into certain types of work, despite leaving school with the same career aspirations as white girls and similar or better qualifications than white boys.

In areas with above-average numbers of black and Asian women participating in the local labour market, women are entirely absent from a third of workplaces and under-represented in almost three out of five workplaces.

However, the EOC’s report found 28% of employers surveyed said they intended to introduce steps to improve the recruitment and progression of black and Asian women. However, the same percentage said they were unsure what action to take.

Between 2001 and 2020, ethnic minorities are expected to account for more than 70% of the growth in the UK population aged between 16 and 59, according to the report.

With UK employers facing skills shortages, the report concludes it is crucial to tap into a growing and increasingly well-qualified pool of young Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black Caribbean women’s talent to maintain economic growth.

Jenny Watson, chair of the EOC said: “Young Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black Caribbean women are ambitious and equipped for work. But they are still suffering even greater penalties at work than white women. Time after time women told us about the ‘unwritten rules’ in their workplace, the hidden barriers that prevent them from realising these ambitions. Without tackling these unwritten rules, change will never come.”

John Cridland, the CBI’s deputy director-general, said: “Employers will welcome the examples of good practice highlighted by the EOC’s investigation, on which others can draw. As the report says, employers are keen to employ more women from ethnic minorities, but better guidance is needed to support them.

“The EOC’s call for better careers advice is also to be welcomed Ð this is something the CBI has repeatedly pressed government on.”

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Employers Forum on Age warns national minimum wage band for younger workers is ageist

The national minimum wage (NMW) band for younger workers constitutes age discrimination and must be brought into line with the adult rate, the Employers Forum on Age (EFA) has warned.

Last week, the government announced a 3.2% increase in the adult rate, from £5.35 to £5.52 per hour, with effect from October 2007. But staff in the 18- to 21-year-old bracket will only be paid a minimum rate of £4.60 per hour.

EFA director Sam Mercer said this sent out "completely the wrong message" to employers about the consequence of making decisions based on age in the workplace. "We are frustrated by the refusal to address the fact that under the current bands, 18- to 21-year-olds are paid less, simply because of their age and irrespective of their capabilities or responsibilities," she said.

The EFA call for action follows a warning from lawyers that the NMW flouts the new age laws and that apprenticeships specifically targeted at younger people would eventually be proved illegal.
Age discrimination in employment became illegal on 1 October 2006. The EFA is lobbying the government on the issue of minimum wage age bands. An Early Day Motion has been tabled in Parliament and now has 88 signatures representing cross-party support.

"The current argument from the government that employers might potentially avoid taking on younger workers if they had to pay them the same amount as workers over 21 is simply reinforcing the discriminatory practices that the legislation was designed to eradicate," Mercer said.

Employers' and unions' views on the NMW rise
EEF: "We are pleased the government has recognised the additional costs that many employers will face when statutory annual holiday entitlement increases in October."

CBI: "The NMW has brought real benefits to many lower-paid workers, but it is right that this year's increase took account of business reality."

CIPD: "If the NMW is to succeed, it must be set at a rate that improving pay at the bottom of the labour market does not have adverse consequences for jobs, inflation or the wider economy."

T&G: "We are concerned that the progress that has been made in tackling inequality could be rolled back if the minimum wage fails to even keep pace with inflation."

GMB: "The figure of £5.52 is still well short of half of the UK average hourly rate for full-time workers."

TUC: "Everyone stands to gain from making the minimum wage as robust as possible, so the government should use this year to continue moving its enforcement work up a gear."

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Number of female senior managers in FTSE 350 firms falls by 40% in five years

The number of female senior managers working in major UK businesses has fallen sharply by more than 40% in the past five years, according to figures from professional services company Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

In 2002, 38% of senior manager level posts in the FTSE 350 were occupied by women, but this has now sunk to just 22%.

The news will come as a surprise to many companies that have introduced flexible working arrangements and appointed heads of diversity in an attempt address equal opportunities in the workplace and retain talent.

At the most senior level, the figures show an improvement, but progress is painfully slow. The ranks of FTSE 350 female full-time chairmen or chief executives have grown, but can still be counted on one hand.

The study suggests one possible reason for this is the growing cost of childcare. The cost of a typical full-time nursery place in England has increased by 27% in the last five years, according to the Daycare Trust.

There is also evidence that more women are going into business for themselves. The number of self-employed females in the UK recently rose above a million for the first time according to the Labour Force Survey.

Sarah Churchman, head of diversity at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: “At the top, things are moving slowly in the right direction but our middle management data paints a very different picture.

“Businesses tend to pay more attention to gender issues in senior positions and there appears to be an assumption that a supply from the middle ranks will eventually feed through. For big companies at least, this pipeline is shrinking at a worrying rate.”

The report is based on figures from PricewaterhouseCoopers Monks pay database which records pay benchmarking information on more than 10,000 UK management roles.

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Equalities review recommends public service contracts should be awarded on basis of diversity

Multi-million pound contracts could soon be won or lost on the diversity of a company's workforce.

The government-commissioned Equalities Review last week recommended that diversity policy should be a key factor when awarding public sector contracts. It said the law should be changed to place greater responsibilities on public bodies, including "a specific requirement to use procurement as a tool for achieving greater equality".

Panel member Sir Robert Kerslake told Personnel Today that private firms bidding for public service contracts should be made to provide details of their workforce make-up, and an outline of the steps they are taking to improve diversity.

"This can and should be an important factor in the decision to award contracts," said Kerslake, chief executive of Sheffield City Council. "It is a duty of the public body to actively take into account equality of employment."

Communities secretary Ruth Kelly signalled the government's willingness to act on the report, commissioned by prime minister Tony Blair in 2005. "This review makes clear that further progress will not happen without government action," she said. "We must remain prepared to take tough decisions."

A formal response is expected by the autumn, but the CBI insisted that public service contracts should be awarded on the basis of value for money, rather than the diversity of a workforce. It said employers should not be subjected to additional bureaucracy or legal risk.

The Equalities Review was led by Commission for Equality and Human Rights chairman Trevor Phillips. He warned that unless drastic action was taken, inequality in the UK would remain at an "intolerable level". At the current rate of change, it would take nearly 100 years for the ethnic employment gap to be closed.

10 steps to equality
Defining equality
Building a consensus on equality
Measuring progress towards equality
Transparency about progress
Targeted action on persistent inequalities
A simpler legal framework
More accountability for delivering equality
Using procurement and commissioning positively
Enabling and supporting organisations in all sectors
A more sophisticated enforcement regime

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Equalities Review recommends legalising ethnic minority job adverts

Job ads specifically targeting ethnic minority applicants will be legalised if the government adopts the recommendations of the Equalities Review.

The review called for "the repeal of existing legislation that limits positive action". It said an Equalities Act should be drawn up to cover all diversity issues, to provide for better targeting of disadvantaged groups.

"There are some areas where inequalities are so deep-seated, or where conventional means will take so long to make an impact, that not taking alternative action is condemning a whole generation to living with disadvantage," said the report.

"There is a case for introducing time-limited, proportionate, balancing measures of a type not currently permissible under UK law," it said.

Review chairman Trevor Phillips said organisations wanting to use these proposed powers should be able to do so "if they can make a case that it is in the best interests of the community".

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Government report admits link between lack of job opportunities and ethnic and religious backgrounds

Ethnic minorities and women with religious convictions have the toughest time when it comes to finding work, according to research published by the Department for Work and Pensions.

The research analyses the probability of being in employment based on different combinations of ethnic and religious group.

It finds that for women, the employment penalties faced by Muslims of all ethnic backgrounds are higher than the penalty for any ethnic group of no religion.

Work and pensions secretary John Hutton said: "We simply cannot afford to ignore the specific discrimination that exists in the UK labour market.

"Along with improvements in training and skills - such as the increased emphasis on English language training for benefit recipients [the government] announced earlier this month - ethnic minority employment rates can be improved," Hutton added.

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Dawn Atkinson has been appointed in a new role as England's nursing officer for diversity

A nurse for 22 years, she will be seconded to the Department of Health for two days a week for a year, advising the chief nursing officer about all issues relating to diversity.

Chief nursing officer Christine Beasley said: “There were a high number of good applicants that we considered for this role, highlighting the value the Department of Health and the NHS place on developing and promoting leadership and diversity.”

Atkinson is currently assistant director of nursing for quality and standards at Newham University Hospital NHS Trust, and will continue this role throughout the duration of the secondment.

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