h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Go and have a nap, mini. That's an order.

Cold, miserable and very dark here today.

Mag

I hope you get better soon Mini' and o it's not wrong that you want to take a nap before you go look after somebodys' kids!! go take nap!!

"As is 'pansexual' which as I understand it pretty much means "as long as it's human I care not for gender identity or sexual orientation.""

Yeah, but sounds like someone who fancies goats...

Kerr, who exactly is collecting the information and why? I can't imagine a question like that on a standard form even being legal, let alone appropriate. I can see where it could come into play in a sociological study.

I've forgotten what else I was going to say.

Have a look here, Hyp:

F131941?thread=7761881

I learned that it is perfectly OK in the UK to ask such questions.

Long sleeves for me until Spring, I think. And sleeveless vests from Lands End (the company, not the place). I found out last winter that jumpers -- pullover sweaters -- don't play well with wheelchairs. The sleeves get all abraded and pilled by the handwheel.

That was an interesting read, Bel. Thanks. I find the nonchalance with which such personal information is bandied about surprising and a bit unsettling. Don't any of you ever object and tell them it's none of their business?

Allegedly, those questions are separated form the actual application and used (nameless) for statistical purposes. But if that is true, how will they know people don't lie?

Also you are allowed to not answer the questions - or at least forms I've filled in have given that option on the equal opportunities monitoring section.

Of course people could lie, but I suspect there are more untruths placed in response to other parts of the form.

Such inquiries are impudent at best. Is it really lying to provide flippant responses to personal questions?

[GDZ]

Who dreams up these things? When we talk about Government "waste", the paper these questionnaires are written on comes near the top of my list.
Bring on the boss that just needs a humanoid for the post.

[GT]

We..ell

But the information collected on such forms is used to monitor stuff. For example, at my place of work, the equal opps forms indicate that we are receiving job applications in roughly the proportions that reflect the general population (which is good, it means the job advertising is encouraging people to apply regardless of sexuality/ethnicity).

However, the rest of the job application process *tends* to filter out ethnic minority applicants (don't know the stats on sexuality - UK public sector so I suspect it's not an issue) *before* the interview stage. So that indicates that such applicants are less likely to be suitably qualified/experienced, and/or don't perform as well in the verbal reasoning and workload management tests. That possibly says more about society in general than the organisation I work for.

So although the collection of such information may seem intrusive or unnecessary, it does provide a way for organisations (particularly those whose workforce is not 'representative') to consider what barriers may exist and how they might be overcome.

We also collect similar information on service users, for similar reasons - to check that our service is accessible to the full range of potential users. As a frontline service provider, I don't get that information about service users, so I've no idea about (and can't be influenced by - not that I would, but you know what I mean) their sexuality/ethnicity.

Just

Mol

I struggle with how to lable my sexuality, but tend to tick "Bi" in the forms.. I do tick the boxes for the reasons Mol gives - it's not about me, it's about the organisation.

I'm not afraid of death or dying, though I do rather hope for morphine in sufficient amounts. But I am very pissed off about the whole ceasing-to-exist thing. The pRty'll carry on without me. Meh. And when folks I know die I find it hard to understand how they can just ... stop.

I did like it when I believe in reincarnation. Damn this rationality thing.

Ben

... believeD in reincarnation ....

Dratted keyboard.

Some of the letters on my keyboard are starting to disappear...

notably the following.....

ERTOASD and N.....

Puzzling,


GT

I can't accept that there is a need to know ethnic origin, sexuality or the number of times a candidate changes their underpants.
Can they do the job advertised? Pick the best person for the job and get on with it. Otherwise you end up picking someone less capable based on silly guidlines that will potentially cost a firm/organisation money in the long term.
If an ethnic/sexuality group isn't interested in a post, who cares? That's their choice in life.
If a particular group say they are under-represented in an area, tell them to get off their arxes and apply. Simple?
*noting that there is a lack of black, lesbian, redheaded, single parent dwarves from Greenland in the Anglican priesthood*

Back on t'interweb after a week with no landline.

MC

Thankful for applying for a post with the Anglican Church. Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability.
Q1. Are you:

A. Male? - Welcome brother! Be aware that if you find us too liberal you may wish to consider our sister ( sorry - fellow) organisation, The Catholic Church, who do an equally good pension scheme.

Or:

B. Female? - you may wish to reconsider as promotion within the Church can be somewhat limited. Have you thought of trying the more suitable options of being a wife or mother.?

Or:

C. Jewish? - we are shortstaffed in terms of this ethnic group at the moment and would be pleased to offer you a post within our expanding religion. unless you've also ticked B. above.