HMV recruitment form ‘biased’

A UNION has accused HMV of compiling information on prospective employees which could lead to discrimination against them on the grounds of race.

MANDATE said yesterday it will write to the Equality Authority urging its officials to investigate HMV’s recruitment policies and, especially, a questionnaire which asks prospective employees and those seeking promotion within the company to complete.

Information sought by HMV includes ethnic origin and is highly specific. People are asked if they are white, black-Caribbean, black-African, black from a different region, Indian, Chinese, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or from some other ethnic background.

HMV also wants to know if people are members of the Travelling community, although on its recruitment forms it says this only applies to people living in Ireland.

MANDATE divisional organiser Matty O’Callaghan said he was “appalled at the subjectivity” of the application forms, especially the request that a person’s ethnic origin should be stated.

Mr O’Callaghan said he was also concerned about the reference to the Travelling community and wanted to know why it applied only to people living here.

“The application process and especially the application form is discriminatory and in contravention of the Employment Equality Act 1998,” he said.

He has written to HMV bosses advising them that Mandate is making a formal complaint to the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations and will request that a probe be carried out under Section 77(1) of the act.

The union is also concerned about the percentage of Irish people in management positions in stores in this country. In particular it is to ask the Office of the Director of Equality Investigations to look at the case of a County Corkman who it claims was passed over for promotion.

HMV has seven outlets in this country and about 500 employees. However, Mr O’Callaghan claimed only about five of the Irish staff hold management positions, with the majority being British. The firm defended its policy yesterday and said it was committed to an equal opportunities policy.

“In order that HMV can monitor the effectiveness of this policy, and to work against any prospect of discrimination taking place in the company, we ask all job applicants to volunteer various background details when applying. This information is voluntary and employment prospects are not prejudiced if they choose not to provide such information,” a HMV spokesman said.

He said he understood the Travelling community in Ireland was a legally recognised group, but we would be happy to review this terminology if required.