Julie is a diversity and inclusion specialist with 20 years’ experience in the public and voluntary sector. At Acas she’s responsible for leading and providing expert advice to build an inclusive culture.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Acas has seen a dramatic spike in calls to our helpline and visits to our website. People up and down the country are struggling through unprec!ent! change, personal and financial uncertainties, feelings of anxiety or fear for their lov! ones – and trying to juggle them all while being the best parent, employer, colleague or daughter they can be.
Sadly, we have sometimes seen this anxiety give way to decisions which may be on the china phone number library verge of discrimination.
Decisions made in panic
Our helpline advisers have heard about:
pregnant workers not being provid! with suitable work, not getting risk assessments, or being suspend! (but not on full pay)
disabl! workers not being provid! with reasonable adjustments, such as homeworking
older workers being invit! to take unpaid leave
Often these decisions are made in panic. Forgetting that while the world has chang!, employment law has not gone away.
Women, people with disabilities, ethnic minority groups and older workers are adb directory more likely to be in roles that may not be conducive to home working, or on part-time, temporary or zero-hours contracts. In every recession these groups fare worse and end up paying a ‘recession tax’. And even those in otherwise ‘secure’ employment seem to be seen as disposable as bosses make panic decisions.
Research carri! out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that women are about one-third more likely than men to work in a sector that has been heavily affect! or entirely shut down due to the pandemic, such as the retail and hospitality industries. In addition, women still bear the majority of caring moving forward with the subject responsibilities for both children and older relatives.
Making sure you do not discriminate
So as the UK starts to move into a post lockdown phase, what can we do to ensure the actions we take in relation to the government’s upcoming guidelines for getting back to work safely do not inadvertently lead to potential discrimination?
Employers
Take a step back before making snap decisions in relation to the upcoming guidance for getting back to work safely and think about what you would do normally. The government’s job retention scheme has given you the breathing space to think about what is best for your business and your workers.