Recruitment & Selection Policy

Aims: The Society is an Equal Opportunities Employer. The overall aim of the Society’s policy is to recruit and select the most suitable person who will continue to uphold the Society’s reputation as a leading provider of services to people who are visually impaired.

Applicable To:

All employees of the Society

Prospective employees of the Society

Statement of Commitment

In meeting our aim, the Society will ensure that all its recruitment and selection processes are delivered in a fair, open and consistent manner.

All recruitment and selection decisions will be made regardless of gender, race, religion, marital status, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, age or background.

The Society will achieve its aims by ensuring that:

§ there are clear job descriptions and objective person specifications for every job

§ employees involved in the recruitment and selection process are given adequate training on the Society’s Policy and their responsibilities

§ vacancies reach as wide a pool of potential applicants as practicable

§ monitoring of recruitment takes place to ensure there are no unlawful and unfair practices introduced

§ positive action is taken to make this policy fully effective including steps to encourage applications from under represented groups

Authorisation

Recruitment can only take place subject to authorisation of the relevant Director.

Advertising

All permanent vacant positions will be advertised internally. This is in support of our commitment to provide greater access to a variety of opportunities and career development.

Where possible, vacancies will be advertised internally prior to external advertisements.

Short-term or temporary vacancies may not always be advertised internally. This is subject to the discretion of the relevant Director.

When a vacancy arises, priority will be given to employees whose positions are being made redundant and for whom redeployment is being sought.

In circumstances where employees are facing redundancy, they will be considered for any vacant positions where they meet the essential requirements prior to the vacancy being advertised externally.

For vacancies that are advertised externally, we will advertise locally to attract local people with the required skills in addition to other media outlets to attract the most diverse range of applicants.

Applications for employment will be available in a range of formats and this will be stated in our recruitment literature.

We will continually review our methods of advertising to identify opportunities which offer improvement and flexibility in approach.

Speculative Applications

Speculative applications will be retained on file for 3 months and will be considered for suitable positions advertised externally in conjunction with other applications.

Training

All managers participating in the recruitment and selection process will receive the appropriate training in equal opportunities, assessment and interviewing techniques.

Assessment and Selection

Consideration will be given to selection of interview panel members to reflect a sex and ethnicity balance wherever possible.

Selection processes followed will vary depending on the specific nature of the role. However, all will have an assessment element in addition to the interview.

All processes used will meet objective and clear criteria to enable an informed decision on the most suitable candidate.

Feedback will be offered to all candidates after interview where requested.

Appointment of Successful Candidates

Appointment will be made on the basis of all appropriate criteria being met.

All appointments are made subject to the satisfactory receipt of two references and an enhanced CRB disclosure.

Upon appointment, all employees will be managed in line with the Probationary Procedure.

Monitoring and Continual Review

All recruitment campaigns will be monitored for equal opportunities purposes.

All employees who leave the organisation will be invited to attend an exit interview. The purpose of the exit interview is to establish trends of why people are leaving the organisation, establish employee views on working for the Society, and use the information constructively to improve retention.

Quarterly reports will be produced for the Society to summarise key issues raised for Directors to action appropriately.

Employment of Ex-Offenders

The assessment of job applications will:

· Consider the nature of the conviction and its relevance to the job and working environment in question

· Identify the risks to the Henshaws business, customers, clients and employees

· Take into account a person’s abilities, skills, experience and qualifications

Assessing Criminal Records

Employment of staff working with children under the age of 18 is not permitted prior to receipt of a satisfactory CRB check.

The Society requires honesty at all stages of the recruitment process and will take into consideration failure to disclose relevant information in its assessment of job applications.

The Society will treat the information provided in confidence and it will only be taken into account in relation to the likely involvement with vulnerable clients to which the exception of the 1974 Act applies.

Access to criminal record information will be strictly on a “need to know” basis.

Considering The Relevance Of A Criminal Record

The disclosure of a criminal record will not automatically debar an individual from our employment unless the Society considers that the conviction renders an individual unsuitable. In making this decision, the Society will consider:

· the nature of the offence(s)

· circumstances leading up to and since the offence(s)

· the length of time since an offence took place

· age when the offence was committed

· the nature of the job within the Society, the workplace and service environment

· exposure to money, property and vulnerable people

· opportunities for re-offending within the workplace

· level of supervision

· any other factors that are deemed relevant (for instance, additional health information may be required).

A refusal to either supply the necessary information or to request a Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau will prevent further consideration of an individual’s application for employment. False declarations may also prevent further consideration of applications.

Where Existing Employees Are Found To Have A Criminal Record

Where existing employees are found to have a criminal record and there has been a failure to disclose, the Society’s Disciplinary procedure will be followed. Full consideration of the conviction, the post held and risk to the Society will be undertaken prior to a decision being taken.

Legislative Framework

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

The Sexual Discrimination Act 1975 (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999

The Race Relations Act 1976 Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

The Disability Discrimination Act1995

European Directive on Equality in the Workforce 2002:

Sexual Orientation 2003;Religion or Belief 2003; Age 2006

Equality Duty: Race 2005; Disability 2006;Gender 2007

Related Policies

Recruitment and Selection Procedure

Deployment of Staff without CRB Clearance

Equal Opportunities Policy

Equality and Diversity Policy

Probation Procedure

Redundancy Policy