Equality Impact Assessment Form
Before you complete this form, please contact the EDU as they can provide advice,
guidance and support through this process. Please return the completed form to the
EDU. The boxes will expand as you type.
Step 1 – Define policy/ practice
i. Name of policy/ practice
Redundancy Consultation and Management Process (three
policies/protocols)
1. Management of Organisational Change Policy: Avoidance &
Mitigation of Redundancy
2. Management of Compulsory Redundancy Protocol
3. Redeployment Guidance and the Job Seeker’s Register
ii. Owner of policy/ practice
Human Resources (HR)
iii. Date of policy/ practice approved
January 2002
iv. Approved by (committee)
Human Resources Committee and Court
Step 2 – Description of policy/ practice
i. What are the aims?
1. Policy on avoidance and mitigation of redundancy
2. Management of the compulsory redundancy process
3. Redeployment guidelines through the Job Seekers Register
ii. Who does it cover? (students, staff)
Staff
iii. How often is this policy/ practice reviewed?
Regularly; pilot currently underway to evaluate effectiveness of new
arrangements agreed in June 2008 for managing FTF redundancies
Step 3 - Could there be any barriers for a minority group in this
policy/ practice? (Please tick all that are relevant)
√ Age
√ Disability
√ Gender
√ Race
Sexual orientation
Religion and Belief
Step 3a – Yes, there is a potential barrier for a minority group
X
Step 3b – No, there is no barrier for a minority group
Step 4 – what basis do you have for this conclusion?
There is a perception that any of the above mentioned minority groups
may be affected by the application of both the Policy and the Protocol.
Step
Go to Step 4
Go to Step 9
Go to Step 5
This may be due to (for example) over concentration of one minority
group in a given area selected for possible redundancy.
Step 5 – Does the evidence show…
Go to Step
5a, b or c
HR has developed the Management of Organisational Change:
Avoidance & Mitigation of Redundancy Policy to staff and trade unions
are fully consulted upon the scope to avoid or mitigate the potential
need for redundancies.
HR has developed the JSR and its associated guidelines to ensure all
redeployment opportunities are considered fully for all affected staff.
The Management of Compulsory Redundancy Protocol is implemented
under the review and approval of the Redundancy Committee and Court
as appropriate to ensure appropriate checks and balances are in place
and appropriate decisions taken.
HR has produced Guidance for the Structural Change Committee and
the Redundancy Committee who implement the Policy and Protocol on
the three main areas which may have an equality impact –
1. The consultation process
2. The selection of the pool of potentially affected staff at risk of
redundancy.
3. The criteria and processes used to select the activities, skills and
experience etc. which will be required to select staff to be retained or
released.
Step 5a – A positive impact (please provide an example)
1. The Management of Organisational Change: Avoidance & Mitigation
of Redundancy Policy emphasises exploring redeployment opportunities
for existing staff as an alternative to redundancy. To support this
process the University has developed
(i) The Job Seekers Register (JSR), as an additional support to staff
who are seeking re-deployment.
(ii)The University’s Recruitment and Selection Policy places an
obligation on recruiting managers to consider staff at risk on the JSR
prior to wider advertisement of vacancies.
2. The JSR highlights the protection in law given to women who are
pregnant or on maternity leave, and to disabled members of staff.
3. If an individual is considered for a position through the JSR (i.e.
through redeployment) they must meet the essential criteria only to gain
an interview and subsequent appointment to a redeployment position.
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4. The University applies a 90-day consultation approach to all
redundancy procedures where business needs allow, irrespective of the
numbers of staff affected.
5. The University implements the EC interpretation of when to initiate
consultation, which is earlier than the UK interpretation and
consequently beneficial for staff at risk.
Step 5b – A negative impact - You will need to consult with
stakeholders (the EDU would assist with this process)
A particular staff cohort may feel to be disproportionately affected by
compulsory redundancies in specific cases of provisional or actual
redundancy.
Step 5c – No impact
N/A
Step 6 – Continue to promote good opportunity for all
Go to Step 7
Go to Step 9
Go to Step 9
The JSR is an integral part of the University’s Recruitment and Selection
Policy, and re-deployment is emphasised within Management of
Organisational Change Policy: Avoidance & Mitigation of Redundancy
Policy.
Step 7 – Involve and consult stakeholders (the EDU would assist with Go to Step 8
this process) to address negative issues in the policy/ practice
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The University consulted with campus Trade Unions, Senior
Management Group, Human Resources Managers and the
University’s lawyers in developing the existing suite of policies
and guidance.
The Trade Unions would not agree to the Management of
Compulsory Redundancy Protocol, hence it is a management
instrument rather than a collective agreement.
The University Court and the Redundancy Committee approves
all the recommendations made by the Structural Change or
Redundancy Committee as appropriate.
Effected staff members and representative Trade Unions are fully
consulted throughout the process at the avoidance and
compulsion phases.
Step 8 –Please outline the changes you are making to the policy/
practice
Go to Step 9
The Policy and Protocol are in accordance with the existing Ordinance
for Academic & Related Staff and employment legislation. The
Ordinance is under review through a Scotland-wide initiative currently.
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Checks and balances are embedded within the policy including:
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Online guidance and coaching is provided to the Structural
Change Committee and Redundancy Committee by the HRM’s.
The EDU would recommend that the coaching is formalised for
consistency of approach.
No final decision can be made by the Structural Change
Committee.
The Redundancy Committee and University Court ensure all
procedures are fairly applied to all involved.
Guidance is provided to the Structural Change and Redundancy
Committees highlighting what criteria are considered potentially
discriminatory and should not be used when selecting candidates
for Compulsory Redundancy. (Appendix A)
Appeals can be made through other University procedures such
as the Ordinances’ Appeal Procedure, Grievance Policy and
ultimately through Employment Tribunals.
The University has established a pilot scheme devolving
decision-making to Redundancy Committees for redundancies
which arise from fixed-term funding. This will be piloted until
summer 2009, before a final agreement is sought.
Step 9 – Publish results in the EDU Annual report
Please return this form and where appropriate attach a copy of the amended policy or
practice or appropriate data to the EDU for annual reporting
The guidance and processes for Structural Change Committee and Redundancy
Committee concerning selection pools can be viewed at
http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/policies/p-z/redundancymgt/mgrguidepools/
Step 10 – Regular review
This will be reviewed when the policy is next updated in summer 2009.
Signing off process – for owning Faculty, Department or Service
Name/Signature of EIA owner
Date of completion
Ian Black
12 February 2009
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Signing off – Equality and Diversity Unit
Received date
Approved
Actions
12 February 2009
Yes X
No
Publish, return for review, return and discuss, request evidence,
incomplete form….
Date
Signature
12 February 2009
Naseem Anwar
Equality and Diversity Unit
12A The Square, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Email: equality@gla.ac.uk
Tel: 0141 330 1887
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Appendix A
Redundancy Protocol EIA Checklist
When considering the selection criteria for Redundancy, managers are encouraged to
consider the equality implications of the criteria chosen. Outlined below are criteria
which should be avoided as this could be considered discriminatory or subjective.1
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Length of continuous service (can be used in extremis as a tie-breaker where
scores are the same, but must be objectively justified)
Attitude (subjective)
Attendance and timekeeping records (can be used but only with great care as
they are potentially discriminatory against disabled and women post-maternity
leave; the reasons for and extent of absences must be known and accurate, and
disability and pregnancy-related absences discounted)
Sickness absence records (narrower circumstance but similar problem to
attendance records)
Disciplinary records (only current warnings may be relevant)
Age or similar criteria or effect (unless objectively justified)
Last In, First Out [LIFO] (this may be potentially discriminatory as women may be
more likely to be selected as they may have less service as a result of career
breaks; and in some cases it could also amount to indirect age discrimination if it
can be shown that a far higher percentage of short service employees fall within a
pool)
This information has been taken from University of Glasgow’s HR Guidance Notes on redundancy Pools
& Selection
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