Equality, Good Relations and Human Rights Screening Template. Title: Work Life Balance Flexible Working Policies and Arrangements

Transcription

1 Equality, Good Relations and Human Rights Screening Template Title: Work Life Balance Flexible Working Policies and Arrangements **Completed Screening Templates are public documents and will be posted on the Trust s website*** See Guidance Notes for further background information on the relevant legislation and for help in answering the questions on this template (follow the links). 1

2 (1) Information about the Policy/Proposal (1.1) Name of the policy/proposal Work Life Balance Flexible Working Policies and Arrangements (1.2) Is this a new, existing or revised policy/proposal? Revised Policy (1.3) What is it trying to achieve (intended aims/outcomes)? To provide staff with a range of flexible working arrangements to enable them to balance both home and work commitments and improve their working lives. The Trust is committed to promoting equality and to attracting and retaining highly skilled and experienced staff and these policies will assist in meeting this objective. (1.4) How will the proposal be implemented? Information and awareness sessions, Mandatory Equality Training. (1.5) Are there any Section 75 categories (see list in 2.1) which might be expected to benefit from the intended policy/proposal? Yes all section 75 categories will benefit as Work Life Balance Policies are open to all staff. The Trust is committed to promoting equality and to attracting and retaining highly skilled and experienced staff and these policies will assist in meeting this objective. 2

3 (1.6) Who owns and who implements the policy/proposal? Human Resources (1.7) Are there any factors that could contribute to/detract from the intended aim/outcome of the policy/proposal/decision? (Financial, legislative or other constraints?) Not applicable (1.8) Who are the internal and external stakeholders (actual or potential) that the policy/proposal/decision could impact upon? (staff, service users, other public sector organisations, trade unions, professional bodies, independent sector, voluntary and community groups etc). Belfast Trust Staff and Trade Unions. (1.9) Other policies/strategies/information with a bearing on this policy/proposal (for example internal or regional policies) - what are they and who owns them? Belfast Trust Equal Opportunities Policy Flexible Working Regulations. 3

4 (2) Available Evidence / Needs, Experiences and Priorities (2.1) Taking into account the information above what are the different needs, experiences and priorities of each of the Section 75 categories for both service users and staff. Please note there are separate tables for Service Users and staff. Service Users Not applicable Staff Category Details of evidence/information Staff Trust workforce January 2013 Staff affected Needs, Experiences & Priorities Gender Female Male 79% 21% 79% 21% The Work Life Balance Policies are open to all staff however there may be a greater need for female staff with caring responsibility to avail of these policies. Age < % 26% 26% 29% 13% 4% 26% 26% 29% 13% The Trust recognises that many staff may wish to retire from the Trust in a phased and managed way and consequently has developed a Flexible Retirement Policy, to facilitate 4

5 65+ 2% 2% staff with the opportunity to apply for a number of options to assist them in planning and managing their retirement from the Trust in the three year period leading up to their actual intended retirement date. Religion Protestant Roman Catholic Not known/other 45% 50% 5% 45% 50% 5% The Trust has in place appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that staff are treated fairly and that discrimination on any equality related grounds does not occur Political Opinion Broadly Unionist Broadly Nationalist Other No answer Unknown 7% 6% 7% 25% 55% 7% 6% 7% 25% 55% The Trust has in place appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that staff are treated fairly and that discrimination on any equality related grounds does not occur Marital Status Single Married Other Not known 38% 57% 3% 2% 38% 57% 3% 2% The Trust has in place appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that staff are treated fairly and that discrimination on any equality related grounds does not occur Caring Responsibilities For an adult For a child For a person with a disability 2% 18% 1% 19% 2% 18% 1% 19% The Work Life Balance Policies are open to all staff however there may be a greater need for female staff with caring responsibility to avail of these 5

6 Not known 60% 60% policies. Disability Ethnicity Yes No Not known White Black/Minority Ethnic Not known 2% 66% 32% 78% 4% 18% 2% 66% 32% 78% 4% 18% The Trust has policies and procedures to support disabled staff Policy on the employment of staff with disabilities and a Disability Action Plan. Work Life Balance Policies will give greater flexibility to make appropriate reasonable adjustments for staff whose duties or work location changes. The Trust has in place appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that staff are treated fairly and that discrimination on any equality related grounds does not occur Sexual Orientation (towards people of the) Opposite sex Same sex/same and Opposite sex Do not wish to answer/not known 36% 1% 63% 36% 1% 63% The Trust has in place appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that staff are treated fairly and that discrimination on any equality related grounds does not occur (2.2) Provide details of how you have involved stakeholders, views of colleagues, service users and staff etc when screening this policy/proposal. These policies have been subject to consultation with the NI Equality Commission, Staff Side and Staff/Managers. 6

7 (3) Screening Questions You now have to assess whether the impact of the policy/proposal is major, minor or none. You will need to make an informed judgement based on the information you have gathered. Staff (3.1)What is the likely impact of equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy/proposal, for each of the Section 75 equality categories? Section 75 Category Details of policy/proposal impact Level of impact? Minor/major/none (3.2) Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within Section 75 equality categories? If yes, provide details. If no, provide reasons. Gender No Work Life Balance Policies are designed to promote Equality of Opportunity Age Religion Political Opinion Marital Status Dependent Status 7

8 Disability Ethnicity Sexual Orientation Service Users Not applicable (3.3) To what extent is the policy/proposal likely to impact on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? Minor/major/none Good relations category Details of policy/proposal impact Level of impact Minor/major/none Religious belief Political opinion Racial group (3.4) Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? Good relations category Please provide details Religious belief N/A Political opinion Racial group N/A N/A 8

9 (4) Is there an opportunity to better address the health and social inequalities of groups/areas in greatest social, economic or educational need by altering the policy/decision? Suggestions Not applicable 9

10 (5) Consideration of Disability Duties How does the policy/proposal or decision currently encourage disabled people to participate in public life and promote positive attitudes towards disabled people? Consider what other measures you could take. Work Life Balance Policies will give greater flexibility to make appropriate reasonable adjustments for staff whose duties or work location changes and should therefor encourage disabled staff to remain in employment. Mandatory Equality training which includes disability is provided for all staff. For example, have your staff received disability equality training or training on the Trust s Patient and Client Experience Standards? 10

11 (6) Consideration of Human Rights (6.1) Does the policy/proposal affect anyone s human rights in a positive, negative or neutral way? Complete for each of the articles Article Article 2 Right to life Positive impact Negative impact = human right interfered with or restricted Neutral impact Article 3 Right to freedom from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Article 4 Right to freedom from slavery, servitude & forced or compulsory labour Article 5 Right to liberty & security of person Article 6 Right to a fair & public trial within a reasonable time Article 7 Right to freedom from retrospective criminal law & no punishment without law Article 8 Right to respect for private & family life, home and correspondence. Article 9 Right to freedom of thought, conscience & religion x 11

12 Article 10 Right to freedom of expression Article 11 Right to freedom of assembly & association Article 12 Right to marry & found a family x Article 14 Prohibition of discrimination in the enjoyment of the convention rights 12

13 1 st protocol Article 1 Right to a peaceful enjoyment of possessions & protection of property 1 st protocol Article 2 Right of access to education Please note: If you have identified potential negative impact in relation to any of the Articles in the table above, speak to your line manager and/or a representative from the Equality Team. It may also be necessary to seek legal advice. (6.2) Please outline any actions you will take to promote awareness of human rights and evidence that human rights have been taken into consideration in decision making processes. Not applicable 13

14 (7) Screening Decision (7.1) Given the answers in Section 4, how would you categorise the impacts of this policy/proposal? Major impact Minor impact No impact x (7.2) Do you consider the policy/proposal needs to be subjected to ongoing screening? Yes No x A full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) is usually confined to those policies or decisions considered to have major implications for equality of opportunity. (7.3) Do you think the policy/proposal should be subject to an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)? Yes No x 14

15 (7.4) Please give reasons for your decision. The Work Life Balance Flexible Working Policies and Arrangements are open to all staff within the Belfast Trust and positively promote Equal Opportunities. (7.5) If you have identified any impact, what mitigation have you considered to address this? Not applicable 15

16 (8) Monitoring. In line with the guidance, you will be obliged to monitor this policy every 2 years. Please detail how you will monitor the effect of the policy/proposal for equality of opportunity and good relations, disability duties and human rights? Maintain records and monitor the uptake of Work Life Balance in the Belfast Trust Approved Lead Officer: Position: Susan Miller HR Manager Date: 2 nd September 2013 Policy/proposal screened by Marie-Therese Conlon Equality Manager: Employment Equality Manager: Please forward completed schedule to lesley.jamieson@belfasttrust.hscni.net 16