Terms

Equal Opportunities Policy

Equal Opportunities Policy

Catering Appliance Superstore is committed to promoting equal opportunities in all walks of life. All employees of Catering Appliance Superstore will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.

This policy applies to all aspects of working for Catering Appliance Superstore, including but not limited to recruitment or supplier selection, pay and conditions, training, appraisals, promotion, conduct at work, disciplinary and grievance procedures, termination of employment, routine communications both internal and external.

This policy covers all individuals working at all levels and grades including senior managers, directors, employees, consultants, home-workers, part-time and fixed-term employees, casual workers and agency staff, supplier representatives and customer representatives or other third party individuals.

The principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity also apply to the way in which Catering Appliance Superstore treats visitors, clients, customers, suppliers and former employees.

Discrimination

Catering Appliance Superstore employees will not discriminate against or harass other people including current and former employees, job applicants, clients, customers, suppliers and visitors. This applies in the workplace, outside the workplace (when dealing with customers, suppliers or other work-related contacts), and on work-related trips or events including social events.

The following forms of discrimination are prohibited under this policy:

Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of any of the personal characteristics described in this policy. For example, rejecting a job applicant because of their religious views or because of sexual orientation.

Indirect discrimination: a provision, criterion or practice that applies to everyone but adversely affects people with a particular characteristic more than others, and is not justified.

Harassment: this includes sexual harassment and other unwanted conduct related to the characteristics described in this policy, which has the purpose or effect of violating someone's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Harassment is dealt with further in our anti-harassment and anti-bullying policy.

Victimisation: retaliation against someone who has complained or has supported someone else's complaint about discrimination or harassment.

Disability discrimination: this includes direct and indirect discrimination, any unjustified less favourable treatment because of the effects of a disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability.

Recruitment and selection

Recruitment, promotion and other selection exercises such as redundancy selection will be conducted on the basis of merit, against objective criteria that avoid discrimination.

Job advertisements will avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage particular groups from applying. Vacancies will be posted on the Catering Appliance Superstore website and other public channels in order to make them accessible to a wide section of the labour market.

Job applicants will not be asked questions which might suggest an intention to discriminate on grounds of any of the characteristics described in this policy. For example, applicants should not be asked whether they are pregnant or planning to have children.

Job applicants will not be asked about health or disability before a job offer is made, except in the very limited circumstances allowed by law: for example, to check that the applicant could perform an intrinsic part of the job (taking account of any reasonable adjustments), or to see if any adjustments might be needed at interview because of a disability.

Where necessary, job offers can be made conditional on a satisfactory medical check. Health or disability questions may be included in equal opportunities monitoring processes, which will not be used for selection or decision-making purposes.

Disabilities

If Catering Appliance Superstore employees are disabled or become disabled, we encourage them to talk to us so that we can discuss what reasonable adjustments or support may be appropriate.

Part-time and fixed-term work

Part-time and fixed-term employees will be treated the same as comparable full-time or permanent employees and enjoy no less favourable terms and conditions (on a pro-rata basis where appropriate), unless different treatment is justified.

Raising a concern

Catering Appliance Superstore employees who believe they have suffered discrimination should raise the matter to a Catering Appliance Superstore director. Complaints will be treated in confidence and investigated as appropriate.

You must not be victimised or retaliated against for complaining about discrimination. However, making a false allegation deliberately and in bad faith will be considered a breach of this policy.

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