Work initiatives: Two new workplace equality initiatives aimed at health service workers have been launched by the Health Services Employers Agency (HSEA) at a event attended by Niall Crowley, chief executive of the Equality Authority.
Both initiatives signal a major advance for equality in the health services and lead the country in the understanding and implementation of best quality practice in the workplace.
The HSEA plays an important leadership role in the area of workplace equality and so the launch at the HSEA offices provided the appropriate venue to discuss the current equality legislation with regard to the health service and to introduce the new initiatives that further strengthen the current legislation.
The first initiative - the "Dignity at Work Policy for the Health Service" - has received the full support of the Health Services National Partnership Forum and was produced in partnership with a working group comprising employer representatives from the health boards, voluntary hospitals, the intellectual disability sector, IBEC and representatives from the health service unions.
The purpose of the policy is to protect health service employees from sexual harassment and bullying as outlawed by the Employment Equality Act, 1998.
The policy has a strong preventative focus and places particular emphasis on the role of supervisors and managers in promoting the initiative and maintaining a working environment that respects the dignity of the staff.
A key objective of the new procedure is to ensure that all reasonable efforts are made by local management to deal with complaints of bullying and harassment without outside intervention using investigative and mediation processes.
The second initiative - "Equal Opportunities/Diversity Policy and Strategy Objectives for the Health Service" - has been produced in order to cater for our increasingly diverse society and workplace.
The HSEA recognises the need to acknowledge our differences and the different needs that employees may have.
Supported by the Equality Authority under the National Framework Agreement for the Development of Equal Opportunities at the Level of the Enterprise, the policy aims to create a workplace that provides for equal opportunities for all staff and all potential staff and to protect their dignity at all times.
All persons in the health sector regardless of marital status, family status, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender and membership of the Traveller Community will be provided with equality of access to employment and also encouraged and assisted to achieve their full potential.
Both the Dignity at Work Policy and Equal opportunities/Diversity Policy and Strategy Objectives are available on the HSEA website; www.hsea.ie