• Ensure that you have a fair and objective recruitment procedure and an up to date equal opportunities policy in place. This will significantly help you reduce the possibility of discrimination occurring. The Tribunal will also thoroughly examine these documents in any case brought before it relating to an alleged unlawful recruitment practice. Review and update these documents regularly.
  • Train your staff in recruitment and selection. Ensure that they understand and implement the Company's recruitment procedure and that they have been trained in current equal opportunities requirements before embarking on the recruitment process. Where possible the selection panel should comprise at least two people, ideally of different sex and community background.
  • Prepare a job description for the role which describes the essential responsibilities of the job. Avoid using discriminatory language. Add to all job descriptions the requirement for the post-holder to comply with the Company's equal opportunities policy and any harassment policy.
  • Prepare a personnel specification for the role that accurately records the necessary, non-discriminatory and justifiable requirements that the successful candidate will possess. Consider the following:
    • Ensure that essential criteria for the position are clearly stated. Do not assume that this will be apparent from the nature of the role.
    • Do not include criteria that may be discriminatory, for example by disproportionately excluding certain protected groups of people. Ensure that you can objectively justify all criteria.
    • Ensure that any required qualifications are not limited to the NI, ROI or GB context; you should also indicate that equivalent qualifications from other countries will be considered.
  • Consider where you will advertise the role. Where possible, you should advertise widely and using a number of different media sources. Avoid placing the advertisement in any publication likely to be read predominantly by one community background, unless you are taking positive or affirmative action. Avoid using discriminatory language. Do not use words like "mature", "dynamic" or "energetic" which may be deemed discriminatory on the grounds of age. Always add an equal opportunities statement to your advertisement.
  • Where affirmative or positive action is required, consider using a "welcoming statement" which targets a specific category of applicant.
  • If you consider that the role has a genuine occupational requirement, consider whether to consult the Equality Commission or take legal advice. If you wish to include a genuine occupational requirement in an advertisement, declare this in the advertisement.
  • Ensure that your application forms do not contain potentially discriminatory questions. Keep "monitoring" questions separate from the application form and do not allow the selection panel to see the monitoring responses. A question can be included on the application form about whether applicants require any special arrangements but this information must only be used for the purposes of (a) facilitating the interview arrangements and (b) ensuring whether any reasonable adjustments need to be made. Avoid asking questions about applicants' health or medical history in the application form, unless you have an objectively justifiable reason for asking.
  • In short-listing and ultimately selecting the successful candidate, the panel must apply any objective short-listing criteria fairly and consistently. It should not contradict the job description and specification. The panel should be able to demonstrate, preferably by written notes, that it has fairly applied the criteria and, where necessary, made or considered any necessary reasonable adjustments.