EQUAL

OPPORTUNITIES (EO)
IN THE WORKPLACE
LECTURE 5
 They define philosophies and
values of the organization on
HR how people should be treated,
POLICIES and from these are derived
principles upon which
managers are expected to act
when dealing with HR matters
 HR policies should be distinguished
from procedures. A policy provides
generalized guidance on how HR
issues should be dealt with.
HR A procedure spells out precisely
POLICIES what steps should be taken to deal
with major employment issues such
as grievances, discipline, capability
and redundancy.
 Why have HR policies
Defined principles
Consistency
HR Implicit & Explicit policies
POLICIES Overall HR policy
Defines how an organization fulfills
its social responsibilities for its
employees
 Equity
VALUES Consideration
EXPRESSED Organizational learning
IN Performance through people
OVERALL Quality of working life
HR POLICY Working conditions
 The equal opportunity
policy should spell out the
organization’s
DEFINITION determination to give equal
OF EO opportunities to all,
irrespective of sex, race,
creed, disability, age or
marital status.
 The policy should also deal
with the extent to which the
organization wants to take
‘affirmative action’ to redress
DEFINITION
imbalances between the
OF EO numbers employed according
to sex or race or to differences
in the levels of qualifications
and skills they have achieved.
 Governments attempt to ensure
that all individuals have an equal
chance for employment, regardless
of race, colour, religion, sex, age,
DEFINITION disability, or national origin.
OF EO Constitution and other legislations
have been created and courts also
play an important role in
interpreting the laws.
 Discrimination of persons in any
form is prohibited and all persons
are, under any law, guaranteed
equal and effective protection
SECTION 20 OF
OUR against discrimination on grounds
CONSTITUTION of race, colour, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion,
nationality, ethnic or social origin,
disability, property, birth or other
status.
 1. The Constitution of the
Republic of Malawi
EEO IN 2. Employment Act:
MALAWI
3. Industrial Relations Act
4. Labour Relations Act
 Prohibition against a certain age
group in the work place.
Organisations when going through
economic difficulties are forced to
AGE
DISCRIMINATION
reduce its workforce through layoffs.
They target older employees, who
tend to have higher pay, an
organisation in such a situation cuts
its labour costs.
 GENDER: It can be both, but in
most situations it women who
INCIDENCES are affected e.g. Pregnancy
OF
INEQUALITIES discrimination /for men when
they want to take paternity
leave.
 DISABILITY: Discrimination
against persons with disability is
prohibited. And employers who
INCIDENCES
OF take action against disabled
INEQUALITIES people need to show that they
had taken reasonable steps in
accommodating the disabled
person.
 ETHNICITY: increasing number of
employers claiming to be equal
opportunities employer or to
INCIDENCES promote workforce diversity, but
OF there remains significant evidence
INEQUALITIES of labour market inequality for
groups of workers who are making
up an increasing proportion of the
labour supply.
  RELIGION & ACCOMMODATION: When
religious beliefs and practices come into
direct conflict with work duties. e.g. Some
INCIDENCES religions forbid individuals from working
on the Sabbath day when they employer
OF schedules them for work.
INEQUALITIES
 In such a situation the employers is to
exercise an affirmative duty to
accommodate individual’s religious
beliefs and practices.
 INDIVIDUAL DISCRIMINATION:
refers to the behaviour of
individual members of one
FORMS OF race /ethnic /gender group that is
DISCRIMINATION intended to have a differential
and/ or harmful effect on the
members of another
race/ethnic/gender group.
 INSTITUTIONAL DISCRIMINATION:
refers to the policies of the dominant
race/ethnic/gender institutions and
the behaviour of individuals who
FORMS OF
DISCRIMINATION control these institutions and
implement policies that are intended
to have a differential and/or harmful
effect on a minority
race/ethnic/gender group.
 Structural discrimination: refers to the
policies of dominant race/ethnic/gender
FORMS institutions and the behaviour of the
OF individuals who implement these
policies and control these institutions
DISCRIM which are race/ethnic/gender neutral in
INATION intent but which have a differential and/
or harmful effect on a minority
race/ethic/gender group.
 Individual and institutional
discrimination constitute intentional
discrimination. e.g. Male manager
who discriminates against women in
FORMS OF selection decision-making or
DISCRIMINATION
performance appraisals or tolerance
of discrimination within a group or
entire organisation so it forms part of
the culture and norms of policies and
practices.
 Discrimination cases remain
unchallenged as organisations
underpin by focusing on ensuring
EFFECTIVENESS procedural fairness in the decision
OF making.
LEGISLATION People rather choose to keep quite
instead of challenging the
discrimination/inequality that is
taking place.
 Creating an approach
emphasising ‘sameness’ between
diverse groups. Treating people as
INITIATIVES if the differences between them
TOWARDS do not exist.
EO EO tends to be informed by moral
or ethical argument for ensuring
equality of access to jobs and
earnings.
 EO allows some special treatment for
disadvantaged groups in the form of
positive action to redress the effects
INITIATIVES of previous unequal treatment.
TOWARDS Positive action in EO recognises the
EO potential for continued disadvantage
of particular groups and informs the
employees have the opportunity to
compete on an equal basis.
  Suppose you overhear a supervisor in your
workplace telling someone that he refuses to
hire women because he knows they are just not
CASE STUDY: cut out for the job. Believing this to be illegal
READING discrimination, you face a dilemma. Should you
come forward and report this statement? Or if
ASSIGNMENT someone else files a lawsuit for gender
discrimination, should you testify on behalf of
the plaintiff? What happens if your employer
threatens to fire you if you do anything?