Recruitment, Retention and Turnover Equality Impact Assessment

Initial Equality Impact Assessment

At Colchester City Council we have a corporate approach to equality and diversity that reinforces the importance of providing equal opportunities to potential and existing employees. Through the employment of committed and motivated people, we can deliver excellent customer services and improve the reputation of the Council as an employer of choice.

Name of policy to be assessed

This Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) reviews a range of Human Resources policies categorised under the heading of Recruitment, Retention and Turnover.

In this assessment, ‘Policy’ is meant broadly to mean policy, strategy, service, function, activity or decision.

Employees can access the A-Z of HR Policies on the Council’s intranet.

Potential candidates can find out more about making an application and employee benefits.

1. What is the main purpose of the policy?

The main purpose of the policies is to clarify to staff and managers: 

• promote and encourage equality of opportunity so that we attract applications that reflect the community we serve 
• ensure that the Council has fair, consistent and effective recruitment, employment and termination processes  
• avoid all forms of discrimination and specifically in relation to the protected characteristics detailed in the Equality Act 
• be compliant with employment law 
• be an attractive “employer of choice” and to recruit and retain staff 
• promote work/life balance and a healthy workforce 
• set standards around secondary employment 
• inform staff on the Council’s policy about retirement and links to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and The People’s Pension

2. What main areas or activities do the policies cover?

The main areas or activities these policies cover are: 

• procedures around recruitment and selection of job applicants, and issues related to these policies
• inform staff about choices around retirement and to point staff to the rules of the LGPS and The People’s Pension

3. Are there changes to an existing policy being considered in this assessment?

There are no changes to an existing policy being considered in this assessment.

4. Who are the main audience, users or customers who will be affected by the policy?

The main groups who will be affected by the policy are:

• Staff including managers, potential and current employees
• Job applicants
• Councillors
• Trade Unions and staff representatives
• Employment tribunals

5. What outcomes does the Council want to achieve from the policy?

The outcomes that the policy should achieve are:

•  a consistent approach to recruitment and selection, retention and amicable job termination across the Council  
• candidates understand how the Council selects individuals for employment 
• the right candidates are appointed based on their demonstrable skills and competence 
• valued employees who contribute to improving the overall performance of the Council are retained 
• a diverse workforce that reflects the community that it serves 
• transparency, equality and fairness 
• compliance with legislation 
• following Brexit, compliance with the right to work obligations from 1 July 2021 
• to encourage ex-armed forces to apply to the Council under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme as part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant. 

6. Are other service areas or partner agencies involved in delivery?

Other service areas or partner agencies involved in the delivery are:

• Recruitment agencies Apprenticeship providers
• For ill-health retirement, we liaise with the relevant health professionals, employee GPs and our own Occupational Health service
• Bodies such as the Home Office, Essex County Council – e-Disclosure Barring Service, Public Sector Network as appropriate

7. Relevant information, data, surveys or consultations

The following relevant information, data, surveys or consultations¹ help us assess the likely or actual impact of the policy upon customers or staff.

• Workforce statistics - each year we collect, analyse and publish data using the Equality Act’s ‘protected characteristics’ as evidence of how our policies and practices impact their intended audience. This helps us to monitor how closely our workforce and job applicants represent the needs of the local community and to ensure the fairness of our employment policies and practices
• Feedback from consultation with staff groups (Unison, the Council’s Diversity Steering Group)
• HR/legal updates from case law or best practice guidance
• Appeals and grievance outcomes
• Greater level of flexible working in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and responding to changing legislation, best practice guidance and staff surveys

8. The ‘general duty’

The ‘general duty’ states that we must have “due regard” to the need to:

1. eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
2. advance equality of opportunity between people who share a ‘protected characteristic²’ and those who do not³
3. foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not⁴

Not all policies help us to meet the ‘general duty’, but most do.

The policy helps us to ‘eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation’ by:

• setting out the Council’s policies and procedures to managers and staff, which helps to ensure we do not discriminate against employees or job applicants on the basis of any ‘protected characteristic’
• having a corporate approach to equality and diversity in our HR policies, procedures and practices 
• providing clear, consistent and transparent information for employees, managers, recruitment and apprenticeship providers

9. Disproportionate impacts

This section helps us to identify any disproportionate impacts. We will indicate whether the policy is likely to particularly benefit or disadvantage any of the 'protected characteristics'.

The following applies to all protected characteristic groups.

The policies set out the principles against which we apply a consistent and supportive approach to recruitment, selection and retirement. Decision-making is designed to both minimise the potential to discriminate and also to promote equality of opportunity. We publish data regarding recruitment and our workforce across protected characteristics.

The potential benefits or potential disadvantages for a particular protected characteristic are set out below.

Age - older people (60+) and younger people (17-25)

Positive impact

We believe that there are distinct benefits to having a diverse workforce, both in terms of the culture of the organisation and to the delivery of excellent customer service. We encourage our applicants and employees to share this ethos.

Everyone is equally required to demonstrate the relevant skills and experience they have to improve the performance of the Council. The policies and data collection also ensure that our people are treated fairly, consistently and are not discriminated against in any way.

Disability – physical, sensory, learning, mental health issues, other

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics. Additionally, we ensure opportunities are accessible for all and make reasonable adjustments where this is appropriate and practicable. We actively promote the Disability Confident Scheme.

Online information has accessibility options including Browsealoud so that it can be read aloud to you for free on all devices.

The Council is a Dying to Work employer.

Ethnicity⁵ - White; Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups; Asian or Asian British; Black, Black British, Caribbean or African; Other ethnic group

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics.

Language – English not as a first language

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics. Additionally, online information has translation options.

Pregnancy and maternity - Women who are pregnant or have given birth in the last 26 weeks

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics. Additionally, we have specific maternity-related policies and other family-friendly practices.

Religion or belief - People with a religious belief (or none)

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics.

Sex – Men and Women

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics.

Gender reassignment - Transgender/Transsexual

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics.

Sexual Orientation – Straight/Heterosexual, Gay or Lesbian, Bisexual, Other sexual orientation

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics.

Marriage and Civil Partnership - People who are married or in a civil partnership

Positive impact

Positive impacts are the same as those for the age characteristics.

10. How negative impacts be minimised or removed?

Not applicable.

11. Could the policy discriminate⁶ against any ‘protected characteristic’ either directly or indirectly?

The Council follows ‘best practice’ in terms of recruitment, retention and-turnover, and our policies are rigorously and objectively scrutinised and updated in accordance with current employment law.

Summary and findings of Initial Equality Impact Assessment

12. Confirmation of findings

There are four options to describe the finding of the EqIA:

1. No negative impacts have been identified. The action is to sign off screening and finish.
2. Negative impacts have been identified but have been minimised or removed. The action is to sign off screening and finish.
3. Negative impacts could not be minimised or removed. The action is to sign off screening and complete a full impact assessment – Section 2.
4. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement. The action is to sign off screening and complete a full impact assessment – Section 2.

Findings and action confirmed as (A). No negative impacts have been identified. The action is to sign off screening and finish.

13. Name and job title of person completing this form

Jessica Douglas, Strategic People and Performance Manager

14. Date of completion

July 2021 (update of previous EqIAs).

15. Date for update or review of this screening

July 2024 (or earlier, if the public policy context changes or if feedback indicates possible negative impacts).

• [1] The Council’s surveys and consultations include ‘equality monitoring information’ to help us identify any particular concerns or views expressed by any particular group or ‘protected characteristic’. It can also help us to assess how representative of our customers the respondent group is.
• [2] The Equality Act’s `protected characteristics’ include age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sex and sexual orientation. It also covers marriage and civil partnerships, but not for all aspects of the duty.
• [3] This involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to (a) remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic; (b) take steps to meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that is different from the needs of persons who do not share it, and (c) encourage persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.
• [4] This involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to (a) tackle prejudice, and (b) promote understanding.
• [5] National Census 2021 ethnicity categories are: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British; Irish; Gypsy or Irish Traveller; Roma; Any other White background (White); White and Black Caribbean; White and Black African; White and Asian; Any other Mixed or Multiple backgrounds (Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups); Indian; Pakistani; Bangladeshi; Chinese; Any Other Asian background (Asian or Asian British); Caribbean; African; Any other Black, Black British or Caribbean, Any other Black, Black British or Caribbean background (Black, Black British, Caribbean or African); Arab, Any other ethnic group (Other ethnic group).
• [6] The Council has a general duty to ‘eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation’. Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably than another in a comparable situation because of their `protected characteristic’ whether on grounds of age, disability, pregnancy and maternity, ethnicity; religion or belief; sex (gender), sexual orientation, or marriage and civil partnership. Indirect discrimination occurs when an apparently neutral provision or practise would nevertheless disadvantage people on the grounds of their `protected characteristic’.