If indeed a new manager is to be appointed lets hope that the short list of applicants is ring-fenced for BAME applicants or others from minority groups.
Why? IMO ALWAYS should be best person for job regardless of race, creed or colour. I liked the idea of 'The voice' (Not the programme itself)., where the judges could not see the contestant.. I know it is not practical, certainly not for an appointment of this type but would it not be great if job applicants could cover, experience, qualifications, attitude, aspirations and skillset without their ethnicity, sex, religion or skin colour being known until the appointment is made. Online interviews using an Avatar for example.
I was recently told that you can't ask people a lot of questions at an interview because you cannot discriminate based on lifestyle choices. We all know you can't ask someone if they're gay or anything for obvious reasons, can't ask if they're married, have kids or are planning to again for obvious reasons and so on but from what I was told by an employment lawyer (could still be rubbish) you can't ask if someone smokes because it would be discriminating against their lifestyle choices, if the say they like football you can't ask which team as you could discriminate against them, can't ask their hobbies as if they say they like high risk sports activities you could discriminate against that too. As I say it could be rubbish but they said they've successfully sued a number of companies on behalf of potential employees for asking those questions which begs the question of what is the point of ab interview if you aren't allowed to ask anything to get to know the individual? May as well just send out a form to fill in and have it mailed back. No idea of their age, gender or race then.
So did I but this person seemed adamant that you couldn't when it came to a job interview. Didn't make any sense to me but they were sure. Oh and to make it more confusing they said you can write none smokers only on a job advert but couldn't ask the question at the interview, you could only say 'x is the companies smoking policy. Can you abide by it?'
My most awkward moment came having to turn someone down because they weren't allowed to be near minors
Eek. Yeah that would be an instant no from me if I found out. Even though we have no minors. Thankfully never had that.
He definitely wasn't getting the job but the guy didn't make it any better for himself by clearly lying about the circumstances either