The Sysop Equal Opportunities Policy

INTRODUCTION
We recognise that discrimination is unacceptable and although equality of opportunity has been a long standing feature of Sysop employment practices and procedures, this formal policy is intended to restate existing practice and clarify our practices for the future.

The aim of the policy is to ensure no job applicant or employee is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, political opinion or affiliation, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability.

We will ensure that a copy of our policy is made available to all employees and made available to all applicants for employment.

The policy will be implemented in accordance with the appropriate statutory requirements and full account will be taken of all available guidance and, in particular, any relevant codes of practice.

We will maintain a neutral working environment in which no employee feels under threat or intimidated.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
The recruitment and selection process is crucially important to any equal opportunities policy. We will endeavour through appropriate training to ensure that employees making selection and recruitment decisions will not discriminate, whether consciously or unconsciously, in making these decisions.

Promotion and advancement will be made on merit and all decisions relating to this will be made within the overall framework and principles of this policy.

We will adopt a consistent, non-discriminatory approach to the advertising of vacancies.
All applicants who apply for jobs with us will receive fair treatment and will be considered solely on their ability to do the job.

Interview questions will be related to the requirements of the job and will not be of a discriminatory nature.

Selection decisions will not be influenced by any perceived prejudices of other staff.

TRAINING AND PROMOTION
Senior staff will receive training in the application of this policy to ensure that they are aware of its contents and provisions.

All promotion will be in line with this policy.

MONITORING
We will maintain and review the employment records of employees in order to monitor the progress of this policy.

 This will involve recording recruitment, training and promotional records of all employees, the decisions reached and the reasons for those decisions.

As a small company we will not need to collect & classify information regarding race, ethnicity, sex etc of employees as yet. The directors will periodically review this policy and consideration will be given, if necessary, to adjust the policy to continue to maintain visible and demonstrable equality of opportunity.