Employment of men/ protecting vulnerable staff

33 replies

FancyFran · 22/11/2022 05:52

I wonder if more knowledgeable people could help.
I have set up a small company with a talented marketeer. Unfortunately she was subject to a violent relationship which has made her scared of men.
I know that she finds it difficult to be around men however we are getting far more male applicants for vacancies than women. I want to be fair to everyone but I have a number of staff who really don't like working with men. We are a female aligned business. Any advice welcome.

OP posts:

ANameChangePresents · 22/11/2022 09:00

You are not obliged to offer your colleague guarantees about the sex of people you will employ in the future. Any more than you would offer a Muslim colleague guarantees that won't employ a heathen. You can feel sympathy for someone's circumstances without being held hostage to the point of being grossly unfair to others.

Original poster

FancyFran · 22/11/2022 08:56

@KnickerlessParsons I am aware of all aspects of employment law. The issue is the fact I can't guarantee we will never employ men and my senior colleague might leave.
Yes it seems unreasonable but I actually don't know what to do. I am married and have a son so not adverse to men!
In my industry all the top jobs go to men. We set out to change that and now we are expanding we are not getting enough women applicants. And I don't want to be sued!

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KnickerlessParsons · 22/11/2022 08:23

It's illegal to actively discriminate based on sex when hiring employees. If you have an employee who is frightened to work with another employee you have to address the working situation, but you can't not hire someone because they are a man.

Original poster

FancyFran · 22/11/2022 08:20

@ZeldaFighter thank you. Job share hadn't been considered.

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ZeldaFighter · 22/11/2022 08:12

Make it a part time or job share role - men will run a mile and you might get two brilliant women. Or ask the most successful woman if she wants to work full-time.

Also perhaps look into a work health benefits scheme so your current employee can access counselling and support?

LaughingPriest · 22/11/2022 08:00

Is this some sort of attempt to equate working with accessing rape crisis services or changing rooms?
Agree with pp, more information is needed. It sounds rather odd I'm afraid.

What job ad, what tone?

Original poster

FancyFran · 22/11/2022 07:54

@Hoardasurass
I am not sure of the question really. I have been up most of the night worrying about my colleague. I hadn't considered the tone of the job ad and perhaps it needs softening.
I have a family of solicitors so on that side I am okay for advice it is more how shocked I have been about how many people don't want to work for a man. Their choice of course. In my career I hadn't really thought about it until recently. We are currently an all female team bar a few freelance people.

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Hoardasurass · 22/11/2022 06:43

I'm not quite sure what you are asking, is it how to keep your staff safe? How to ensure that your female staff are comfortable with/around male staff? Or if you can discriminate against males?
Basically without more information no one can help you other than pointing out that there are legitimate legal areas/jobs where you can discriminate against men under the equality act however they are very specific and not just 1 of my staff is afraid of men.
If you are asking how to encourage more women to apply for the jobs I would suggest that you look at the job description you are using and the way that you are advertising it as its most likely tailored towards men (the default of most job advertising).

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