HR people, please help me!

[snickersnack]

I work for a tiny company (10 people) and am, by default, the HR person - though have not one scrap of training.

We're bidding for a new contract and have been asked to complete a supplier qualification form. It asks all sorts of questions and for all sorts of documents, most of which we can supply - env policy, that sort of thing. But it also asks how us to confirm that we comply with the DDA, the Sex Discrimination Act and the Race Relations Act, and says that copies of relevant policies will be required. Our equal opps policy is v standard and says we don't discriminate on these bases (and we don't - we've employed pregnant women, and people with disabilities and we have a v mixed workforce in terms of race and gender. So what form would these extra policies take, or do you think the equal opps policy would cover it?

Was hoping some kind HR expert could help me out - can't phone the company as they "aren't taking questions ahead of the pitch submission". Helpfully...

I will be eternally grateful for any help you can give me...

[flowerybeanbag]

snickersnack I don't think you need separate policies to talk about how you deal with each kind of discrimination, that's policy overkill for a small company.

Whether your equal ops policy would cover what they need is more likely to depend on how good that policy is, rather than it needing to be more policies.

Not sure I can give more help really, as I should be targeting you as a client so can't offer to have a peek at your current policy. But that's what you need to be checking, you don't need to rush to write new policies imo.

[snickersnack]

Thank you, that's reassuring...I assume you provide freelance HR consultancy? Interesting...maybe that would solve my problem, although I think what I really need is some sort of HR crash course for dummies.

[flowerybeanbag]

No problem, glad that's eased your mind a bit anyway

Have a look at me here, one-off problems or retainer 'on the end of the phone' service.

[snickersnack]

Thanks so much for the link. Will have a proper browse tomorrow! Sounds interesting...