Am I an equal opportunities employer...?

[jxm28788]

Got a questionairre from a prospective client, and it's asking if my company -

Has an Equal opportunities policy
Complies with the Sex discrimination act 1995
Complies with the Disability discrimination act 1995
Complies with the Equal pay act 1975
Complies with the Race relations 1976
Complies with the Sex discrimination act 1995

To comply with all of those acts do I specifically need to do anything? Or do I just need a 'policy' document that says I do? or as long as I don't intend to discrimiate against any employees for any of those reasons can I say I'm in compliance?

As for the equal opportunities policy, again do I need to do anything or can I just knock something up in word and call it a policy?

Even better can I download a bunch of policies somewhere and call them my own...?

[Duncan Rounding]

A company policy should be sufficient. Something like this perhaps:
durkan.co.uk/Equal_Opportunity_Policy_2006_Signed.pdf
It's obviously not yours to copy but it does highlight the relevant topics.

[jxm28788]

Thanks, I've searched around and found this, which should do the trick -

http://www.lvsc.org.uk/shared_asp_fi...p?NodeID=96040

[completerookie]

if your prospective employee is just going through the initial stages of "interviewing YOU", I wish you luck, they seem to be just the sort of person you'll be needing with knowledge like that

[ChrisL]

34 Pages?

This sort of Policy stuff could ONLY be written by a Public Sector numpty.

Yet another excellent reason not to employ anyone, if we're expected to trawl through this sort of procedural nonsense!

I'm quite happy to comply with the law, but I don't need to waste my spare time documenting and 'tick-boxing' just some so overpaid Guardianista can waste the public purse checking up on me and my business!

[jxm28788]

This sort of Policy stuff could ONLY be written by a Public Sector numpty.

Indeed!

Yet another excellent reason not to employ anyone

Don't worry, I have no intention of actually employing anyone - just needed a policy to say I'm an equal opportunities employer... so everyone has an equal opportunity of not getting employed by me!

[Duncan Rounding]

If it's the law anyway then why would a policy be required I wonder?
Were they asking if you're breaking the law?

[Darren B]

I have my own way of employing people, i take no notice of legislation at the end of the day, i dont care if your male, female, ethnic, disabled what ever it make no difference to me.

Can you get your arse out of bed in the morning and can you do the job and do i like you end of story

I am sick of all this red tape bureaucratic bollox

[jxm28788]

If it's the law anyway then why would a policy be required I wonder?

hey, it's the government - probably just bureaucracy for the sake of it... not like most of them have anything better to do is it?