1. PURPOSE

CJA Group Ltd is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different cultural perspectives available in a multi-ethnic and diverse society, and where people feel they are respected and valued, and can achieve their potential regardless of race, colour, nationality, national or ethnic origins, sexual orientation, gender, disability or age.

CJA Group Ltd will follow the recommendations of the CRE’s Statutory Code of Practice on Racial Equality in Employment in all its employment policies, procedures and practices. We will also seek advice from the Equal Opportunities Commission regarding sexual equality at work, consult the Disability Rights Commission about disability in employment issues, and contact ACAS to ensure that we comply with age discrimination legislation.


This document describes the Equal Employment Opportunity process within CJA Group Limited (CJA) which enables it to provide, and be seen to provide, equality in employment for all people:

• currently employed by CJA;
• seeking employment within CJA;
• responding to client vacancies advertised by CJA.

2. POLICY

CJA will, as a minimum, adhere to all UK legislation regarding Equal Opportunities.

CJA will provide equality in employment for all people employed or seeking employment. Selection, promotion or transfer will be based on merit, where every person, regardless of his/her membership of a particular group must be given a fair and equitable chance to compete.

The Company will not discriminate in employment or recruitment on the grounds of gender, sexual preference, age, race, religion, ethnic origin or disability.

CJA will, as a minimum, adhere to all UK legislation regarding Equal Opportunities.
CJA will provide equality in employment for all people employed or seeking employment. Selection, promotion or transfer will be based on merit, where every person, regardless of his/her membership of a particular group must be given a fair and equitable chance to compete.
The Company will not discriminate in employment or recruitment on the grounds of gender, sexual preference, age, race, religion, ethnic origin or disability.

CJA is committed to the elimination of discrimination in general, and of racial and sex discrimination in employment, in customer service and in its recruitment procedures. This policy also encompasses all interactions CJA has with its suppliers.

CJA considers any form of harassment to be an unacceptable form of behaviour which will not be tolerated, as per CJA Harassment Policy.

CJA is committed to eliminating unacceptable personal behaviour in the workplace and in situations which identify the organisation.

CJA is committed to enabling employees with family responsibilities to be employed without discrimination and as far as possible without conflict to their family responsibilities. We will consider requests for changes carefully and objectively, and will accommodate them unless it would cause significant difficulties to the business or the employee (further details are in the Flexible Working Policy).

The policy applies to the advertisement of jobs, recruitment and appointment to those positions (both internal and external), training of employees, conditions of work, pay and to every other aspect of employment. Staff involved in recruitment in particular should request training if they have any doubt about the application of this policy.

3. ACTIONS

Recruitment Advertisements will:

• not contain discriminatory wording
• accurately reflect the actual requirements of the job
• be placed as widely as necessary to attract a suitable field of applicants

Reasonable Adjustments

When interviewing a person with a disability the interviewer is required to ensure that due consideration is given to any adjustments which can be made to the workplace or the way in which the job is carried out to enable (s)he to work more effectively. It is therefore a requirement that the individual be asked for their ideas on workplace and job adjustments.

Employees who are disabled, or become disabled in the course of their employment, should inform and may also wish to advise the Company, of any “reasonable adjustments” to their employment or working conditions which they consider would assist them in the performance of their duties. Careful consideration will be given to any proposals of this nature and where reasonable, or reasonably practicable, such adjustments will be made. There may however be circumstances where it will not be reasonable, or reasonably practicable, for the company to accommodate those proposals and where less favourable treatment may be justified in accordance with the statutory provision.

Complaints Procedure

CJA Group takes very seriously its duty to protect staff from unlawful discrimination. Complaints about discrimination or harassment in the course of employment will be regarded seriously, and may result in disciplinary sanctions, and even dismissal.

In the event that an employee feels they have an issue with their work or terms and conditions of employment that they need to resolve the employee must ensure they adhere to the following steps:

• If you have any grievance relating to your employment, you should raise the matter initially with one of the two Managing Directors – Anne Mason Brown or Jonathan McIntyre. You may be required to put such grievance in writing
• Having enquired into your grievance within a reasonable time limit, the Managing Director will discuss it with you and will then notify you of his or her decision.
• If the decision of the Managing Director is not acceptable, you may then refer the matter in writing to both MDs, whose decision will be final and binding.
• When discussing grievances, a fellow employee of your choice may accompany you.
• If you believe that you are or have been sexually or racially harassed or the victim of some other harassment or unlawful act, you should report any incident(s) to one of the two Managing Directors who will investigate. Your report will be treated as confidential unless you agree otherwise.

Promotion of the EEO policy

Jonathan McIntyre, Managing Director, has overall responsibility for promoting the EEO policy and ensuring all staff are aware of the policy and abide by it at all times. This will be undertaken as follows:

• Induction - All new CJA staff will attend an Equal Opportunities Training Course
• Management Training - All managers must attend EEO training, have a thorough understanding of EEO policies and legislative requirements and integrate EEO in the working environment.
• EEO Contact Officer - included within the job description of the Office Administrator is the role of the EEO Contact Officer.

4. MEASURES

To monitor the effective implementation of this policy we will use the following indicators:

• That we employ a workforce that reflects the diversity of society
• That we undertake candidate recruitment for clients that reflects the diversity of society
• The number of justified grievances concerning equal opportunity
  

Grievances, disciplinary action, performance assessment, and terminations of employment, for whatever reason, will also be monitored by gender, racial group, age, and disability.

Requirements, conditions, provisions, criteria, and practices will be reviewed regularly, in the light of the monitoring results, and revised if they are found to, or might, discriminate on any of the above grounds.

This policy will be monitored regularly and reviewed as and when changes are required or at least annually, whichever is sooner.

Jonathan McIntyre, Managing Director
January 2008