Reviewed date: 26/11/2024
Next review: 26/11/2027 (or before is there is a change in legislation or practice)
Amendments:
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Leuchie employs and promotes the most appropriate employees in a fair and consistent manner free from discrimination. Leuchie will adhere to Care Inspectorate’s guide to recruitment, details available here:
https://hub.careinspectorate.com/resources/safer-recruitment-through-better-recruitment/
Scope
This policy covers all current employees and applicants for employment with Leuchie.
Policy
Leuchie is committed to ensuring that there is no discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation at any stage of the recruitment process or in the terms and conditions offered to new employees, or promoted employees.
Leuchie will monitor the composition of its workforce, in order to identify areas that may need positive action measures to promote equal opportunity and diversity.
Advertising
Advertising of positions will be carried out both internally and externally unless otherwise decided for a specific role. All employees (including fixed-term employees) will be notified of any positions that arise during their employment by way of these being posted on the staff notice board.
Advertisements will make clear, in both wording and illustration, that the positions are open to all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Details of positions will be fully circulated so as to ensure access to all applicants. This includes forwarding internal advertisements to employees on long-term leave.
Application forms
Application forms will contain relevant questions needed for selection. If these questions are necessary for pension or health insurance, they will be asked after appointment.
Screening
Screening will be carried out by matching details of applicants to the requirements of the job. The screening criteria will be applied consistently to all applicants.
Testing
If it is necessary to use selection tests for a job, they will only relate to non-biased, genuine objective requirements of the role. Records of any testing undertaken will be retained for a period of one year.
Interviewing
The interviewing process will be carried out in the following way:
- no assumptions will be made on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation
- questions will relate to the requirements of the job as established in the job description and the person specification
- interviews will be carried out by more than one person and the interview panel will preferably comprise of individuals of both genders
- applicants will be assessed at the end of interviewing against pre-defined criteria
- interviewers will complete Interview Evaluation Forms for each candidate
- records of the interview process will be retained for a period of one year, including questions asked, answers given, any interview notes, and interview evaluation forms for all candidates.
References
All external candidates will be required to provide two satisfactory references prior to appointment. References will be checked in accordance with the standard reference checking form. Should a manager wish to ask any question not mentioned on this form, authorisation from HR is required. Referees must not be contacted without the permission of the candidate
to whom they relate. Should a candidate not be in a position to provide two references, the issue will be dealt with by Leuchie on a case-by-case basis and a risk assessment may be implemented if there is 1 satisfactory reference and PVG in place.
Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG)
All posts at Leuchie are regulated under Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) legislation and as such clearance is required through undertaking a membership scheme check for working with protected adults. Candidates are required within their application form to disclose all unspent convictions. Disclosure Scotland offers guidance on which spent convictions must be declared.
Candidates should not start without PVG clearance. However as noted in the Care Inspectorate guidance, there may be exceptional circumstances where the need to maintain
safe staffing levels leads to candidates starting before PVG clearance is received. This will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and a risk assessment may be implemented if there are 2 satisfactory references in place.
Information on recruitment of ex-offenders can be found in the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy.
Promotion
All employees will be aware of the promotional and career opportunities available to them from details circulated through the intranet and notices posted at prominent points. Training and job experience needed for promotional opportunities will be open to all employees. Promotion will be determined by merit and performance against objective criteria.
Unsuccessful internal candidates will be given feedback so as to facilitate improvement. Training in giving feedback will be provided to managers charged with this task.
No employee will be overlooked in relation to a promotion or an experience-broadening opportunity because of their reluctance to apply or accept on a previous occasion. The process surrounding promotion will be free from discrimination.
Training
All relevant staff, including those on fixed-term/part-time contracts, will have equal access to training opportunities, whether training is relevant to their current job, or to enhance promotional opportunities.
Employment of foreign nationals
Leuchie will only employ workers who are legally entitled to work in the United Kingdom. All employees will be required to undertake an appropriate right to work check, regardless of their nationality, by reviewing appropriate immigration documents or by accessing an online right to work check.
Records
Disclosure records will only be requested when necessary and relevant to a particular post and the information provided on a disclosure record will only be used for recruitment purposes.
Leuchie will ensure that all sensitive personal information that is collated for the purposes of obtaining a record will be managed confidentially at all times by those involved in the Disclosure process.
Once the Disclosure check is received at Leuchie House the PVG number will be stored securely on the HR information system. Disclosure information will only be shared with those authorised to see it in the course of their duties.
The hard copy record will be destroyed by shredding. No image or photocopy of the Disclosure information will be retained. Recipients of disclosure information may, however, keep a record of the following:
- Date of issue of disclosure record
- Name of subject
- Disclosure type
- Position for which the disclosure was requested
- Unique reference number of disclosure
- Recruitment decision taken