Ethical and Legal Considerations in the Recruitment Process
Ethical and Legal Considerations in the Recruitment Process
Ethical Considerations in Recruitment
- Ethics in recruitment refers to the moral principles and standards that guide a company’s recruitment and selection process.
- Equal Opportunity is an important ethical principle. Every candidate, regardless of race, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation should be given a fair chance.
- Confidentiality of candidate’s information should always be maintained. Information provided by candidates should only be used for the purpose of recruitment.
- Recruitment methods and advertisements should be truthful and not misrepresent the job or the company.
- Transparency in the selection process ensures candidates have a clear understanding of the process and how decisions are made.
- Respect and professional treatment of candidates throughout the recruitment process is essential, even if they are unsuccessful.
Legal Considerations in Recruitment
- The Equality Act 2010 protects job applicants from discrimination based on several characteristics such as age, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, and disability.
- The Data Protection Act 2018 is relevant in recruitment as it governs how personal information should be used by organisations, including employers.
- The Asylum and Immigration Act 2006 impacts recruitment as it makes it illegal for an employer to employ someone who does not have the right to work in the UK.
- Recruiters must also comply with the Employment Rights Act 1996 which includes provisions on itemised pay statements, unfair dismissal, redundancy pay and time off.
- The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 helps certain individuals with convictions to be treated as if they were never convicted after a specified period.
- Job Advertisements must not contain anything that could potentially be discriminatory. For example, specifying an age range for applicants may be considered age discrimination.
Implications of Breaching Ethical or Legal Considerations
- Breaching these principles can lead to serious consequences including legal actions, financial penalties, and damage to the company’s reputation.
- It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that all individuals who are involved in the recruitment and selection process are aware of their responsibilities under both ethical and legal considerations.
- Employers must also ensure they have appropriate policies and practices in place to comply with these considerations.
- Regular training for those involved in the recruitment process can help avoid unintentional breaches.