Equal Opportunities Forms

[Ryan]

You know when you fill in a job application and at the end, they have that form about personal stuff?
Why do they have that? The one that asks about your sex, religion, marital status, ethnic origin, sexuality, etc.
If they really are for equal opps, then why do they need to know this stuff about you?

I always feel really awkward about filling them in. I just did one and they had homosexual and straight in the same box as transgender. Because you obviously cannot be both! Either way, I refused to answer that one.

What if you were a white, gay, transsexual Muslim from Australia who lived with his seven husbands? Would you be less likely to get a job? Surely employers aren't going to see that form and treat this person with equal opportunities? It'd be nice if they did, but this person is rather out of the norm and alot of people, especially employers don't seem to like this.

[Jamie-o]

Interesting.  Here in the States employers aren't allowed to ask those questions.  In some states they aren't even allowed to ask if you own a car or not. (I guess they're afraid of discriminating against people who use public transportation.)  Interesting how different places handle things like that.

[tekla]

They have EEO forms in the US, they are sent out after you apply and interview and are confidential, having no bearing on the job, or offer of one.  They are for federal stats.

[LordKAT]

I live in the states and have had those forms attached to the end of the application many times. You do not have to fill all of it in  but what you don't the employer had the right to fill in based on their observations.

[Steph]

I live in the states and have had those forms attached to the end of the application many times. You do not have to fill all of it in  but what you don't the employer had the right to fill in based on their observations.

Wow...!!! So if the employer thought I was gay he could simply go ahead and fill it in?

Glad I don't have to worry about those forms.

Where I live the employer gives you a similar form AFTER you have been hired and it asks the following simple questions:

1. Which gender are you?
2. Are you an aboriginal person?
3. Are you a person with a disability?
4. Are you a member of a visible minority?

Pretty innocuous stuff.  Companies that are federally regulated here are required by law to have a plan in place in order to collect census information about it's workforce.  As part of the plan federally regulated companies are required by law to have harassment free workplaces.

Ya I know I didn't answer the OP but I was on a roll.

-={LR}=-

[LordKAT]

The orientation question wasn't on the form but race and stuff was. and yes the employer has the right if not obligation to fill it in if you don't, even for school.

[Tammy Hope]

Your tax dollars at work. The Feds require the collection of these stats (aggregate, not ties to specific individuals) so they can study whether or not there is discrimination afoot.

[Mister]

Your tax dollars at work. The Feds require the collection of these stats (aggregate, not ties to specific individuals) so they can study whether or not there is discrimination afoot.

seems they could be saving a whole lot of time and $ by just opening their eyes.