Are your job adverts inadvertently discriminating?

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned that thousands of people could be at risk of being denied jobs each year due to unlawful, discriminatory adverts. What about your recruitment adverts? Would new guidance from the EHRC help you to double check legal compliance?

Complaints received by the EHRC are most commonly ones that complain about adverts which discriminate against older workers or on the basis of sex. But people are also being prevented from having a fair shot at work opportunities because of their disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other characteristics, according to evidence gathered by the EHRC.

Examples of complaints include:

• Sex and age discrimination, such as an advert for a ‘Saturday boy' to work in a garage.
• Age discrimination such as an advert stating that those over 45 need not apply or adverts that seek 'young' workers.
• Race discrimination by recruitment agencies advertising solely in foreign languages, such as adverts for vacancies for drivers that are only advertised in Polish.

The EHRC has published two new guides for those placing and publishing adverts to help them advertise in line with the law: ‘Advertising: Frequently asked questions about what is lawful advertising for jobs, facilities and services and accommodation’ and ‘Advertising: A good practice checklist for advertisers and publishers’.

You can download the FAQ guide here

You can download the good practice checklist here