Gender and sex

[CheeseOnAStickk]

Hi,
A company I'm applying to work for for has sent me a form saying thry don't discriminate against certain characteristics. All listing the protected characteristics under the equality act. Except gender instead of sex.
Is there a template about what I can say? Their response will determine whether or not I want to work for them. (It is an industry where they always need staff and anyone will get offered the job then and there.).

You could copy out the relevant section of the Equalty Act that lists the protected characteristics? And just write something short saying that you just wanted to clarify that they adhere to the Equality Act and do not discriminate based on the protected category of sex?

I'm not sure about a template exactly, but I would contact them to say they have made an error in their protected characteristics, and list what they actually are.

Add that you would like to work for the company but you're concerned that many companies are taking incorrect advice with regards to sex-based rights, which seems to start by ignoring sex as a protected characteristic, which is unlawful.

Just short and factual: I noticed you listed the Protected Characteristics incorrectly you have used gender instead of sex. You will want to correct this so as not to misrepresent the Equality Act 2010.

A lot of companies do this because they think it is polite but it really annoys me as they never change the legal wording of any of the other characteristics.

Consult the resources on Sex Matters.

sex-matters.org/take-action/gc-rights-at-work/

Exactly this. It's nicely pass-agg

If you are in the UK you can quote the Equality Act to them.

Unfortunately, if you are in Ireland (like I am), our equality legislation has already been 'updated' to say gender instead of sex. So we are fucked.

Yes! I always find asking the pertinent question, and then just waiting the for answer, can be very powerful.

This drives me potty and I frequently complain when I spot it. I've not applied for jobs because the job advert has made up their own set of protected characteristics. I usually ask why they have chosen this list instead of the list from the equalities acts and point out the discrepancies. Keep it factual.