Long description

This is a screenshot from an equal opportunities form. The text at the top reads ‘We have an equal opportunities policy, the aim of which is to ensure that no applicant receives less favourable treatment on irrelevant grounds (e.g. sex, race, colour, ethnic or national origins, age, disability, religious, sexual orientation or marital status), nor is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justified and relevant to the application. In order to ensure that this policy is carried out, it is necessary for us to have some means of monitoring our selection activity. Only by such measures will we be able to identify potential sources of discrimination and take remedial action. For this reason alone we would be most grateful if you would answer the following questions. On receipt, the monitoring form will be separated from the application form and securely stored. It will be treated as strictly confidential and will be used for statistical monitoring only. To carry out this approach we need your assistance and would be grateful if you would provide the information requested; none of this information will be seen or used during the selection process.’ Then the heading ‘Section 1’ is followed by boxes for: date of birth, family name or last name, first name(s). An information box reads ‘This information must be provided to carry out our administration procedures; however it will not be used during selection processes’. Then the heading ‘Section 2’ is followed by boxes for: gender (tick boxes are present for male / female), disability: do you consider yourself disabled? (tick boxes are present for yes / no / I prefer not to say). An information box reads ‘Under the Equality Act, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities’.