Project to tackle bias in workplace

AS THE number of discrimination cases against employers — already up by 40% this year — continues to rise, a new EU-backed project has been launched to help employers tackle inequality.

In the majority of cases, employers are not even aware they have been acting in a discriminatory manner.

The Training Responses to Address Equality and Diversity (TRED) initiative is designed to help employers identify and tackle discrimination in the workplace.

The TRED Equal Project in Dublin, funded by the EU’s Equal Community Initiative will help employers change and improve work practices and adopt best management procedures.

TRED project manager Nora Byrne said discrimination claims had risen by 40% in the first six months of this year, compared to the same period last year.

“It’s vital that employers sit up and take note of the implications of current legislation,” she said.

Fine Gael MEP Mary Banotti also announced details of a new diploma in training and education which will focus on equality in the workplace.

The diploma will initially be taught on a pilot basis at University College Galway.

Gender is still the largest category of discrimination at 33%, followed by race at 22% and disability at 19%.

Ms Banotti said the TRED Equal Project aimed to help organisations of all sizes examine their own practices, recognise if they are being discriminatory and put improvements in place to address the situation.

Almost 500 cases of discrimination in the workplace were referred to the Equality Authority under the Employment Equality Act in 2002, up almost 60% on 2000.

According to Ms Byrne, the figure is just the tip of the iceberg.

“In recent times we’ve seen settlements of up to €50,000 and that doesn’t reflect other associated costs such as the damage to a company’s reputation,” Ms Byrne said.

Equality Authority chief executive Niall Crowley said a key challenge for the TRED Equal Project would be spreading the learning process across the public and private sectors. Small Firms Association director Pat Delaney said the SFA supported the introduction of the project.

Later this month, the TRED Equal Project will fund a major seminar in Waterford at which employers will have an opportunity to hear practical examples of best practice from Irish and European companies and how they must comply with equality legislation.