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application form requesting childcare providers details? surely not right?
Comments
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Enquiring does not prove discrimination.
What if they then went on to employ a female parent of 12 who did have adequate childcare in place? Who is to say that this is not exactly who they will employ?
Would you still say that other applicants had just cause to take them to a tribunal?
Tribunals don't have to 'prove' anything. It is not criminal law - it is judged on the balance of probablities - in other words, the tribunal panel decides what the recruiter was likely to be thinking when they put that question on their application form. In the circumstances you describe, the case would be thrown out. In my experience, there aren't many of those though! The vast majority of cases that comes to tribunal are usually women, with children, who've been 'passed over' for a male of inferior qualification/experience. Many companies are made to pay dearly - whether discrimination was their intention or not.0 -
You're not getting it are you. It's not on the grounds of gender!
Not at all. You are making a personal judgement about whether or not you agree with the law as it stands. I am merely asserting the law.
I take no position on the OP's company as I have no idea what went through the mind of the application form designer. What I can say though, is that they were ignorant of HR recommendations and Equal Opps Legislation, and that they are placing their company in an extremely risky position.0 -
Well they have already stated that it is an unavoidable business need.
What reason would you have to disbelieve them?
They need someone who is flexible enough to work evenings on occasion,so why not just ask the OP if she can do this?
What possible reason is there to ask for the details of her childcare provider?0 -
I'm just wondering if DH would have been able to answer those questions at all without asking me!
I mean, he always knew how many children he'd got, and he knew we had a childminder, and even where they lived, but I'm not sure he had all their contact details to hand. Nor did I tell him all the minutiae of the informal arrangements I used to make from time to time!Signature removed for peace of mind0 -
You're not getting it are you. It's not on the grounds of gender!
It is.
Because as soon as you answer it; they can make decisions based on the responses.
Also, it has nothing to do with the company a person's childcare arrangements; if your work called up your childcare and said 'can Mr Cow work late next Wednesday' without your permission you would hit the roof.0 -
They need someone who is flexible enough to work evenings on occasion,so why not just ask the OP if she can do this?
What possible reason is there to ask for the details of her childcare provider?
Goodness only knows. Whoever wrote that form has gone completely over the top.
It's the equivalent of a company stating at interview level that you will have to travel overseas as part of your job and then going on to ask for your passport number, issues date and to confirm dates on which you can travel at application stage. When a simple yes/no answer would suffice.
But the question in itself does not indicate an intention to discrimination as the employer has given a necessary business reason as to why the question needs to be considered at this point. Completely over the top I agree but it's not enough to start slinging around judgements of sexual discrimination."One day I realised that when you are lying in your grave, it's no good saying, "I was too shy, too frightened."
Because by then you've blown your chances. That's it."0 -
Also, it has nothing to do with the company a person's childcare arrangements; if your work called up your childcare and said 'can Mr Cow work late next Wednesday' without your permission you would hit the roof.
Again, what a massive (more likely incorrect) assumption. Where have they indictated that this is their intention?"One day I realised that when you are lying in your grave, it's no good saying, "I was too shy, too frightened."
Because by then you've blown your chances. That's it."0 -
Again, what a massive (more likely incorrect) assumption. Where have they indictated that this is their intention?
So in what instance would they NEED your child care providers telephone number ? I've worked since my son was a baby-he's now eighteen and I've never been asked for that information-Why would I-they have no need to contact them.
I have got asked in the past about childcare at job interviews-I've simply said firmly-provision is in place-it's not an issue-and the interview moved on..
Frankly I don't think they should even ask. It's fine to ask if an applicant is available to work anti-social hours without mentioning children
If an application form said do you have pets, a hobby you do at weekends or care for an elderly person would THAT be appropriate? Would you provide the details of your vet, football team manager or parent's doctor at that point ? If you don't think it is then surely asking about childcare in such detail is equally inappropriate.
All that needs to be asked is if an applicant is available for the hours a job needs -reasons why they can't be is none of an employer's business -and it was interesting that the OP felt they were inappropriately curious about other areas at the interview too,
I'd be really interested to know who the company is and I hope the OP will tell us.I Would Rather Climb A Mountain Than Crawl Into A Hole
MSE Florida wedding .....no problem0 -
Again, what a massive (more likely incorrect) assumption. Where have they indictated that this is their intention?
They have inferred this when they have said 'they like to know that if i am asked to work until 8 my childcare provider is happy to look after my kids til then'
Having the contact details and this line infers that they would contact the provider of childcare to ask them.0 -
They have inferred this when they have said 'they like to know that if i am asked to work until 8 my childcare provider is happy to look after my kids til then'
Having the contact details and this line infers that they would contact the provider of childcare to ask them.
No they haven't. That's an inference that you have made yourself. Perhaps they wanted the details in case of emergency. You have no idea for the reasons of asking. Any assumptions you make trying to guess said reasons are just purely speculation. You can't state with any level of absolute certainty.
If you read the other thread that has been started on this topic, the OP has revealed more of the questions that were asked. The interviewer sounds like a complete liabilty in terms of what she was asking and much of it sounds quite rude tbh. I'm not surprised they refused a second interview. Who would want to work with that?!"One day I realised that when you are lying in your grave, it's no good saying, "I was too shy, too frightened."
Because by then you've blown your chances. That's it."0
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