Equal Opportunities Policy

ILGA Asia is an equal opportunities employer. It aims to ensure that all full-time and part-time employees, potential employees and other individuals:

Will receive equal treatment, including access to employment, training and opportunities for promotion, regardless of any personal attribute, including but not limited to colour, nationality, national or ethnic origin, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, domestic circumstances, marital status, pregnancy, trade union membership, gender affirmation, health status, HIV status, religion or belief, age, sexuality, sex characteristics, bodily diversity, disability, and other statuses.

Will not be disadvantaged by a condition or requirement which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Scope

All recruitment publicity aims to encourage applications from all individuals who have appropriate qualifications and/or experience. ILGA Asia will promote its jobs via communication channels accessed by marginalized populations. Selection criteria and procedures will be continually reviewed to ensure that applicants are assessed purely on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities.
It is against ILGA Asia’s policy to offer discriminatory terms and conditions of employment. All individuals employed in the same capacity will receive equal pay, benefits and other terms and conditions.
All promotion is strictly on the basis of the ability to do the job. No decision to promote will be made on a discriminatory basis.
Wherever possible and appropriate, specific training and encouragement will be given to ensure equality of opportunity within the organisation.
Any age restrictions, which are imposed by ILGA Asia, will be justifiable and non-discriminatory.
Where employees have difficulties in meeting requirements in relation to working practices, ILGA Asia will, where reasonable alternative options exist, try to devise an alternative. For example, relocate or carry out overtime and shift-work will wherever possible be kept to a minimum and always applied in a non-discriminatory manner.
ILGA Asia will create opportunities for part-time work or job-sharing wherever possible and ensure that part-time employees receive fair treatment. ILGA Asia will consider all requests for the creation of part-time positions.
Demands of religion (e.g. prayer time and religious holidays), culture (e.g. traditional dress), menstrual leave, and special dietary needs will be accommodated wherever possible.
ILGA Asia will, upon negotiation with the employees, strive to assist employees with domestic responsibilities (e.g. young children or dependent elderly relatives).
Disciplinary action will be taken against any employee who is found, after a full investigation; to be in breach of this policy. Serious breaches will be treated as gross misconduct.

Implementation

A copy of this policy document will be given to all employees and other workers at the ILGA Asia premises and made permanently available in an appropriate place.
All employees and other workers have a duty to be aware of this policy and ensure that their behavior is non-discriminatory.
ILGA Asia’s employment procedures are closely monitored to ensure that this policy works in practice, and where qualifications are equal, preference will be given to ensure that a diversity of the ILGA Asia membership and other traditionally marginalized workers will be preferenced.

Procedure

If any employee, worker or job application has any doubts or queries about this policy then they should consult the Executive Board.
If an employee or worker encounters a situation where they feel that they have suffered inequality or lack of opportunity or discrimination, then they can (if possible) explain to the relevant person(s) that their behavior could amount to unequal treatment and/or discrimination and should not be afraid to ask them to stop. However, it is recognized that this is not always possible, in which case any employees and other workers are encouraged to implement the procedure set out below.
Employees or other workers may, if they wish, discuss any concerns with the Executive Board on a confidential and informal basis. If the informal approach is ineffective, or the individual does not feel it appropriate, the individual is encouraged to submit a written complaint to the Executive Board stating that they feel that they have been treated in breach of this policy. This should be done as soon as possible after the relevant event(s).

The Executive Board

Will investigate the matter promptly and fully.
Will investigate the matter with complete confidence so far as this does not prejudice the fairness to both parties of the investigation.
Will take evidence from any relevant witnesses and carefully consider the appropriate weight to be given to the evidence.
May, after the investigation has been completed, recommend that a disciplinary procedure is implemented.

Disciplinary Procedure

Where ILGA Asia considers it necessary, the organization’s disciplinary procedure will be followed against any employee who is believed to have violated this policy. In particular:
Tell the alleged discriminator what allegations they are facing prior to the disciplinary hearing.
Give the alleged discriminator copies of any evidence which ILGA Asia will rely upon at the disciplinary hearing.
Tell the alleged discriminator that dismissal is a possibility if the allegations are so serious that dismissal could result.
Inform the alleged discriminator in good time and in writing of the date of the proposed disciplinary hearing.
Appoint an appropriate independent person at the Executive Board level (who did not conduct the investigation) to chair the hearing.
Notify the alleged discriminator of their right to be accompanied at the hearing by a fellow employee or trade union representative.
At the end of the hearing, consider whether further investigation is required before any disciplinary action is taken.
Inform the alleged discriminator in writing of the result of the hearing and, where a complaint is proved, take any appropriate disciplinary action against the discriminator.
Any disciplinary action taken will be proportionate to the gravity of the discrimination which has taken place.
ILGA Asia will take all reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who makes a complaint related to unequal treatment, and which is made in good faith, is not subjected to any retaliation or detriment as a consequence of the complaint being made. The entire procedure will be carried out in the strictest confidence and where the complaint has been made in good faith will not prejudice the employee’s future employment in any way.