A Y & J Solicitors

This Equality and Diversity Policy applies to all our employees, job applicants, and individuals such as agency staff, consultants and volunteers who are not our employees, but who work for us (our workers).

We retain data in compliance with the GDPR.

Recruitment, selection, and progression

We are committed to avoiding discrimination and promoting equality and diversity in all our dealings with our clients, our workers, and third parties, in employment and partnership, recruitment and selection, training and conditions of service and progression, the delivery of services to clients and in the instruction of barristers and experts. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability or age, pregnancy ('the grounds').

Our procedure for complaints and disciplinary issues in breach of this policy

If you think you have been disadvantaged or harassed on any grounds you should raise the matter at once by speaking to the COLP. Allegations regarding potential breaches of this policy will be treated in confidence and investigated. If, after investigation, a worker has harassed any other worker, client, or supplier on any grounds or otherwise acted in breach of this policy, that worker will be subject to disciplinary action. In serious cases, such behavior may constitute gross misconduct and may result in summary dismissal. We will always take a strict approach to breaches of this policy. If a third party supplier or client indicates that they have been disadvantaged on any grounds, then the individual or company will be invited to raise the matter by using the Complaints Procedure. If, after the investigation, there is evidence of any breach of this policy, appropriate action will be taken, which may include disciplinary measures.

What is discrimination?

Discrimination may be direct or indirect and it may occur intentionally or unintentionally. Direct discrimination occurs where someone is put at a disadvantage for a reason related to one or more of the grounds set out above, for example, rejecting an applicant based on race. Indirect discrimination occurs where an individual is subject to an unjustified factor, which puts them at a particular disadvantage because of, for example, their gender or race. Discrimination also includes victimization, which is a less favourable treatment because of the action taken to assert legal rights against discrimination or to assist a colleague in that regard, and harassment. More details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights/discrimination-at-work

Our procedures for monitoring diversity and collating equality data

We monitor our Workforce diversity by asking all workers to complete a questionnaire annually, which we will then review, acting upon any issues or concerns.

We monitor diversity in our Recruitment procedures to ensure that applicants are treated based on their relevant merits and abilities and that sufficiently diverse sectors of the community are reached. Job selection criteria are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are justifiable on non-discriminatory grounds as being essential for the effective performance of the job.

We monitor Redundancy criteria and procedures to ensure that they are fair and objective and do not directly or indirectly discriminate. We also ensure that disciplinary procedures are conducted fairly and uniformly for all workers, whether or not they result in the giving of disciplinary warnings, dismissal, or other disciplinary action.

We monitor our premises (to consider whether they place disabled workers, job applicants, or service users at a substantial disadvantage compared to other workers) and where possible and proportionate, we will take steps to address any shortcomings.

Client services are delivered from our offices. However, where a client is unable to come to our offices, home visits can be arranged. Our professional rules permit us to decline to act for any particular client, but any refusal to act will not be based upon any grounds.