Timeline for Why does a UK university need to know my sexual orientation and religion?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
13 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 3, 2014 at 0:38 | comment | added | zxq9 | @AE Incidentally, the part you linked is the built-in defense for the pressure/agenda situation you asked about in a comment to my own response. The government has made it legal to positive-discriminate against those who have the lowest perceived claim to injury. The favorable balance indicates this course of action rather than merely making appearances or actually avoiding discrimination. The sad part of this is that discrimination is still the best choice, its just discrimination made legal. | |
| Nov 2, 2014 at 19:20 | comment | added | A E | It can happen legally in the UK, people with a particular "protected characteristic" just need to be demonstrably under-represented in a particular "workforce, profession or industry". I.e. you can't positive-discriminate unless there's proof of existing negative discrimination in your particular field against people with the characteristics of this particular applicant. Exception: in the case of disability it's always legal. See the final two sections of gov.uk/employer-preventing-discrimination/recruitment | |
| Oct 31, 2014 at 17:01 | comment | added | Moriarty | @zxq9 the downvotes occurred before I added references, and my claim is still wrong for UK universities (as are specified in the question). The downvotes to my original answer were fair and justified. | |
| Oct 31, 2014 at 16:28 | comment | added | zxq9 | The downvotes on answers such as this, particularly this one with some research and definite references behind it, demonstrates just how easily such ignorant policies can stay in place for so long. | |
| Oct 31, 2014 at 8:59 | comment | added | Moriarty | @NateEldredge Evidence found, post updated. Although it may not happen in the UK, it does happen elsewhere. I was unaware of the UK laws that would likely prohibit these cases. | |
| Oct 31, 2014 at 8:57 | history | edited | Moriarty | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 679 characters in body
|
| Oct 28, 2014 at 20:46 | comment | added | David Richerby | @Moriarty Under UK law, they're not allowed to do anything stronger than encouraging minority candidates to apply. | |
| Oct 28, 2014 at 15:58 | comment | added | A E | For times when positive discrimination is legal, see gov.uk/employer-preventing-discrimination/recruitment (section "Employing people with protected characteristics") | |
| Oct 28, 2014 at 15:50 | comment | added | A E | Such positive discrimination would likely be illegal under UK law: "positive discrimination continues to be illegal in most cases". Parliamentary Briefing Note: The Equality Act 2010 and positive action | |
| Oct 28, 2014 at 15:47 | comment | added | Moriarty | @NateEldredge This is what I remember from reading a couple of job adverts a while back. I guess I was mistaken in thinking that was a common policy. Hey, maybe I even remember incorrectly. Consider this answer a "senior moment", unless I can dig up the employer's policy that said this. | |
| Oct 28, 2014 at 15:12 | comment | added | nivag | I do not believe this is correct. In fact most of these forms explicitly state that the information will not be shown to the selection committee. | |
| Oct 28, 2014 at 14:28 | comment | added | Nate Eldredge | The other answers suggest that this information is not even part of the hiring decision. Do you have evidence to suggest that it is? | |
| Oct 28, 2014 at 13:45 | history | answered | Moriarty | CC BY-SA 3.0 |