Application form for new job asking if I have children

[muminthecity]

I thought this wasn't allowed? I have just completed a long and complicated application form for a part time job. In the 'equal opportunities' section is the question "Do you have any dependants?" Is this usual? I never usually mention the fact that I have a child when applying for jobs, just in case it counts against me, so have left this question blank. I am now worried that they will ask about it in the interview

I believe it's discriminatory only if they ask, say, female applicants.

Dependants may not be children and if it's a job which requires significant flexibility or extended travel they might honestly need to know.

"Dependents" could also include elderly or ill relatives, not just children.

If it's on a separate equal ops form that doesn't take your name, and theyre giving it to everyone (i.e. men too) then it is allowed.

You can refuse to fill it in but it might paint and arsey picture of you!

I've always been honest about my children as it often comes up in conversation about hours etc. I.e. I work full time but need to fetch my child from child minders at 6pm 3 nights a week so need to sort this before accepting the offer.

It diesnt ask if you have children.

As Hairylights says, it doesn't ask if you have children. It asks if you have dependents - not necessarily the same thing.

They are allowed to ask questions like this for monitoring their adherence to equal opportunities policies. It is only wrong if they use your answers to determine whether or not you get the job. A lot of application forms these days include questions on ethnic origin, sex, disabilities, age, religion, sexual orientation, etc. for this reason. To avoid any question of discrimination it is normal for the people involved in selection decisions not to see the answers to these questions.

So what's the equal opportunities issue being addressed by this question?

Given that unless the same question is asked at interview, the people giving the job wouldn't know the answer in order to discriminate anyway?

Because if ever there is a question about whether or not they are discriminating, there will be a search done on the equal ops info obtained and if, for example, they have 70% black people applying for there roles but only employ 2%, then there could be a problem.

ThisIsANiceCage - The question would be "are we discriminating against people with dependents". Simples!

Seriously, I've seen some really strange things collected on "equal opportunities" forms. It usually means that someone has a bee in their bonnet about something they see as discrimination. So maybe someone at this company wondered if they were family friendly enough. Who can tell. As you say, as long as those involved in selection don't see the answer to this question there is no problem.

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like it's pretty common then, and no big deal? I guess I got a bit paranoid thinking they were planning to weed out all of the mothers applying! Have ticked the 'yes' box and sent it off. Lets hope I get offered an interview!

Ooh me too, good luck

As a slight aside, is discriminating against parents actually illegal? I know you can't discriminate against women obviously but not sure about the rules if you take gender out of parenting.. Will look it up!

Drizzela, discriminating against parents could be illegal but it all depends on the exact situation, and might fall under 'age discrimination' rather than sex discrimination. I imagine though that there would be very few companies that would ever want to do this - apart from perhaps roles that involve extremely erratic hours and locations? Even then there's little point in doing it - why cut away half your potential pool of talent, if they are willing and able to do the hours you require? What do you have to gain from not recruiting fathers and only recruiting single men?

at prh47bridge.

But this is a Bad Science jobby, isn't it?

Cos anyone who feels they can't do the role due to having dependents won't get as far as filling in the application form and Equal Ops form. Unless the company is keeping some bombshell up its sleeve until interview, of course, and people drop out between application form and accepting the job.

Anyway, good luck muminthecity, crossing my fingers for you!