Maria Hegarty

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Maria Hegarty

• Equality Strategies Ltd

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Diversity in the workplace

• Providing equality of opportunity
• Preventing and eliminating workplace
  discrimination
• Accommodating difference
• Managing diversity
• for all employees, including those covered by
  Equality Legislation - across the nine grounds

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• Barriers for SMEs in Ireland -
• Maria Hegarty and Breda McNally (2003) - SMEs
  operating in all areas / David Walsh (2005) -
  SMEs in Hotel Industry Blanchardstown
  Partnership - geographic focus
• Lack of awareness of business case, legal context
  and diversity challenges
• Absence of Human Resource expertise, diversity
  management skills
• Fear of litigation and fear of change.
• Awareness Strategic Action

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Some Strategies

• Policies, - Empl.Eq., Anti-Bullying Harassment,
  Anti-Racism, Disability
• Equality Reviews/Audits Action Plan
• Equality Proofing, e.g. job requirements
• Positive Actions
• Training
• Structures

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Legal Grounds

• Gender
• Marital Status
• Family Status
• Sexual Orientation
• Age

• Disability
• Race
• Membership of Traveller Community
• Religion

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Harassment

• Where a person subjects the victim to any
  unwelcome act, request or conduct
• which could reasonably be regarded as offensive,
  humiliating or intimidating to the victim.

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Sexual Harassment

• Where an employer,employee,colleague, client,
  customer, service provider etc
• subjects the victim to
• Unwelcome and sexually offensive, humiliating or
  intimidating actions

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Positive Action

• Intended to promote
• equality of opportunity for disadvantaged persons
  or to cater for the special needs of persons or a
  category of persons who because of their
  circumstances may require facilities,
  arrangements, services or assistance

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Vicarious Liability

• Anything done by a person
• in the course of his or her employment shall be
  treated as done also
• by that persons employer,
• whether or not it was done with the employers
  knowledge or approval

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Equality Policy

• The aim of this Employment Equality Policy is to
  ..
• This policy covers .
• This organisation is committed to equal pay .
• This organisation is committed to promoting
  positive action through .

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• The following measures promote equal
  opportunities prevent discrimination
• in recruitment processes .
• in selection processes .
• in promotion processes .
• in training processes .
• in career development processes .

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• If a dispute arises the following procedures ..
• In order to promote equal opportunities and
  prevent discrimination
• . will have responsibility for
• .. will have responsibility for
• This policy will be monitored and reviewed .