Two Ticks

lauraza

somebody_else wrote: »

In theory anyone who meets the criteria of the job spec is guaranteed an interview, and in theory anyone who can do the job with reasonable adjustments should be appointed.

The get-out, I'm afraid is the word 'reasonable'. It rather depends on what job you would be doing and what adjustments would need to be made to enable you to do the work.

Sorry, that's not much help.

Hi,

It is not your reponsibility to worry about the reasonable adjustments needed to do the job, essentially if you meet the minimum criteria for the role. It is the employers LEGAL responsibility to ensure they make the reasonable adjustments which will enable you to perform your role effectively. If not, this is potential discrimination. Reasonable adjustments cannot be used as a 'get-out' by employers, they are legally obliged to make these adjustments for you.

Under the 2 ticks scheme, employers have a commitment to 'interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.' Unfortunately this is just a 'commitment' and is not enforced by law, but they should certainly be fulfilling their commitments.

If you feel you have been discriminated against in the recruitment process i.e. not selected for interview because you are deaf, this could be direct discrimination and is unlawful under the DDA, which is enforceable under English law unlike the 2 ticks scheme.

I would first ask for feedback as to why you were not selected for interview. If you are unhappy with the feedback you can serve a DL56 questionnaire to gather further information.

You can order the form here:
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publicationsandresources/Pages/DDA1995EmploymentQuestionsProcedure.aspx?k=dl56

and more info on taking a discrimination case can be found here:
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/foradvisers/usingyourrights/pages/resources.aspx

Please keep us updated on how you get on with this.

Holeypockets

great info coming out here. thanks everyone.

tinkerbell84

I'm a recruiter and agree that a week after closing is rarely enough time to sift!

I think a little patience may be worthwhile before getting 'uppity' about something that may not even happen (if you ticked all the boxes and will therefore be guaranteed an interview).

soolin

Definitely ask them about their policy but it is quite early yet so they may still be shortlisting.

I must also declare an interest here as I work (sort of ) in recruitment in the NHS and as long as someone actually requested an interview under the disability right to an interview scheme they would be seen. I have interviewed people who are clearly unsuitable for the position but who felt that the actual interview process would be of benefit to them. If they apply under this scheme (and I can't remember the actual name of it) then I must make adjustments to make sure they can be seen, and in fact have moved all my panel to a different venue to interview before now due to a specific disability.

However I have also been involved in recruitment where a person with an obvious disability has declined to use the guaranteed scheme and then I can only make adjustments on the day, but I am not obliged to do so as they would then be treated exactly the same as any other candidate. However it seems logical that if a deaf candidate turns up and I was not expecting them (and this happens quite a bit surprisingly) then I would ask my panel to sit in good light and facing the candidate rather than bunched awkwardly round a desk..just in case the candidate was a lip reader.

soolin

Ijust want to update my last post as I asked about this today and I was a little mistaken in my original post.

The two ticks scheme does not guarantee an interview for an NHS there are still criteria even if the candidate asks for an interview under the guaranteed scheme. Firstly all essential criteria must be proved, so a mistake on the application form and something missed, or a criteria you don't exactly meet will mean no interview.(that's the long listing)

Secondly your application will go into the general pool for shortlisting and your details removed so the shortlisters do not know you are applying under the two ticks scheme. Once the rankings have been agreed the cut off number to be called for interview are agreed and only then is the data (names etc) added back to the application forms. At that point someone will check if anyone has applied under the two ticks scheme, if they have and they fall in the group to be interviewed then all is well and you will be interviewed. if you are near the cut off for interview numbers then a decision will be taken as to whether to add you to the number alreayd being seen or not. if you are close to the cut off then you probably will be seen.

However if you fall well below th ecut off point then you probably won't be called as it means that despite any declared disability you fall towards the lower end of the candidates that applied and are therefore unlikely to be appointed in open compettion.

You are allowed to request feedback and if a straight ranking is being used (and this can vary depending on Trust) you can also ask for info on the number of candidates , the number 'above the line' and your own ranking.

Butterfly_Brain

I too have suffered discrimination when applying for jobs , I have had all sorts of comments, such as I am a Health and Safety risk because I walk with sticks and that is in an office!, I am overqualified etc,etc
In the end I gave up and have now started my own buisiness.

Shelle

I was unemployed for nearly 2 years in total, and as far as I was concerned the DDA was not worth the paper it was written on.

Its all about being able to PROVE you are discriminated against, and the only way to do that is if he prospective employer admits your deafness/disability was a factor.

OF COURSE they are not going to admit that, instead they hide it inside other comments such as not qualified enough, not enough experience etc.

I often knew the second I walked into interviews they had no intentions of giving me the job and were just going through the motions because I was guaranteed an interview.

Strangely enough, I found government departments the worse offenders.

Dont mean to be so negative, but it really does takes an employer to be open minded to see past the disability and see the potential. For example I used to say to them because I cant answer the telephone, I could in fact have higher productivity due to less distractions.

The manager I have now has actually said, in a sense he wishes he has more staff like me as I get the work done and less chatting!!!! BTW I do talk, but because I can only talk to the ones on the next desk I dont get into trouble for talking across the room!!

I often approached the job centre and the RNID for advice when I wasnt getting jobs, but as I could not prove it was because I am deaf you get nowhere.

Would love to know what you are meant to do.

Horace

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I too have suffered discrimination when applying for jobs , I have had all sorts of comments, such as I am a Health and Safety risk because I walk with sticks and that is in an office!, I am overqualified etc,etc
In the end I gave up and have now started my own buisiness.

You and me both - I was made redundant last year as my employer loved having the two ticks scheme and recruiting disabled people but then did nothing to retain them and if you dare make trouble (I did), then you are out. The jobcentre are helping me set up my own business and I am now in the test trading stage (I have been doing it for a week now). I love working for myself with no boss to pick on me and no dodgy HR telling me what I can't do:D

Holeypockets

Just to follow up on my story. I was contacted yesterday and informed I have been selected for an interview.

Now of course I am wondering if it was my own merits which got me the interview or whether it was the two ticks scheme?

Either way it's up to me now to try to show them I am up for the job.

baby_fuzz

Holeypockets wrote: »

Just to follow up on my story. I was contacted yesterday and informed I have been selected for an interview.

Now of course I am wondering if it was my own merits which got me the interview or whether it was the two ticks scheme?

Either way it's up to me now to try to show them I am up for the job.

congrats & good luck. :beer:
I'm sure that all of your skill will shine through!

On another note, part of me wonders whether your own view of your disability means that you felt like you perhaps deserved to be picked for interview over other candidates. After all, you do not know what is on the applications of other candidates, and we only have you to trust regarding your application. I don't want to come across as accusing you, but I just wondered whether there was some sort of expectation to be picked.

Whilst I understand that unfair discrimination does exist, I have been fortunate enough not to have been exposed to it, so I can only speak from this angle.