Job Application: 'Sexual Orientation'

milkinc13 said:
can't compnies let you go if u lied on an application form just to that particular job, or does that only apply for CV's? :confused:
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It is fraud. Technically you could be sued/jailed.

BUT nobody can prove he wasn't gay at that exact moment he applied.
 
There are some types of shops, where a gay male would go down well the customers, and produce higher sales.

Personally, I'm not too keen on speaking to camp salesmen. Don't get me wrong, they're usually friendly - but beyond that, camp salesmen usually lack solid knowledge.
 
Digital Punk said:
So, as its been suggested that the question is only for HR statistics, it wont matter if I leave it blank and don't answer.
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No, as it's a legal requirement by the goverment.

Just fill it in and forget about it.
 
Digital Punk said:
So I was filling out an application form for an IT Netwoking job, when something just annoyed me.

In the section marked 'equality and diversity' it has all the usual ethnic origin stuff, then a part marked Sexual orientation.

Are you: Hetrosexual, Gay man, Lesbian, Bi-sexual

Well excuse me but W-T-F has it got to do with you? :mad:
I can't see how that is in any way relevant to the job application or why they would want to know.

Is this normal nowadays?

I'm tempted to tick the Lesbian box (pardon the pun) and see if it guarantees me an interview!
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It is worth noting that the government recently, in order to prevent discrimination, eliminated the age section, go figure.
 
AcidHell2 said:
No, as it's a legal requirement by the goverment.

Just fill it in and forget about it.
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Sounds interesting but are you sure about that? I've had a questionnaire round (when I worked in a public body although not directly the civil service) and I just left that part blank with a note that if they wanted to speak to me about it and could justify it then I'd explain myself and told them the same goes for ethnicity and religion. Admittedly this was when I was in the job already but my answer would have been the same regardless of my employment status at the time.

I'm also pretty sure I didn't have to fill out anything similar for applying to be a temp recently.
 
I put in I was gay, because there was a strong air of positive discrimination going around at the time. And yes it is impossible to be done for lying about your sexual orientation. What they going to do? Make you bum somebody?
 
basmic said:
Personally, I'm not too keen on speaking to camp salesmen. Don't get me wrong, they're usually friendly - but beyond that, camp salesmen usually lack solid knowledge.
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Are you saying effeminate men are less knowledgeable about their jobs? :p
 
I've answered this question before, gah where is the search when you need it I could just copy and paste! :p

Anyway, the main reason for having it on applications (rather than being given the form once you have started) is so that they can ensure they aren't missing out on any possible candiadates. Say for example you lived in an area where a good proportion of the community came from ethnic backgrounds and the company never got any applications from ethnic groups. They could look at their recruitment process and company image to see if there is anything that could be stopping candidates applying. Its just about giving everyone the same opportunities.

EDIT: It isn't anything about quotas, I work for the NHS and have employed quite a few people. I have never been advised of this hidden agenda if there is one. I just employ people soley based on their ability to do the job - odd person that I am :)
 
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Muban said:
Anyway, the main reason for having it on applications (rather than being given the form once you have started) is so that they can ensure they aren't missing out on any possible candiadates. Say for example you lived in an area where a good proportion of the community came from ethnic backgrounds and the company never got any applications from ethnic groups. They could look at their recruitment process and company image to see if there is anything that could be stopping candidates applying. Its just about giving everyone the same opportunities.
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So you're saying that there might be gay, lesbian and bi-sexual communities that are missing out, and they want to appeal to those communities?

I can't see that a persons sexual preference is any business of the employer, at least in this case.
 
I am saying that the company want to ensure that they are not inadvertently excluding people based on their sexual orientation. They would obviously want to know about this and put it right. I am saying they do not want to exclude them not that they want to appeal to them, there is a difference.

As it happens I am sure you could choose not to tick any of the boxes and still get an interview. Shame on the company for not putting the option 'Prefer not to answer' on the form though for all of those sorts of questions, I know it was on ours.
 
I see this often on applications. Usually ticks me off.

:D

I filled in an application for the home office recently, there was a box for "prefer not to say". I would have ticked this, but don't have any probs with people knowing i'm straight. lol


what really gets on my nerves is the race section.. when there is a section for all the different versions of immigrants.. and white irish.. but no white english section. just a white UK box. I'm not scottish and i'm not welsh so why should i be tarred with the same brush? I don't have anything against these people, but it seems almost a crime to be straight, male, below 40, and white english.. We're the only group of people who get NO consideration at all. Anyone else can be offended by something but we don't have the right to. Annoying.
 
Digital Punk said:
So I was filling out an application form for an IT Netwoking job, when something just annoyed me.

In the section marked 'equality and diversity' it has all the usual ethnic origin stuff, then a part marked Sexual orientation.

Are you: Hetrosexual, Gay man, Lesbian, Bi-sexual

Well excuse me but W-T-F has it got to do with you? :mad:
I can't see how that is in any way relevant to the job application or why they would want to know.

Is this normal nowadays?

I'm tempted to tick the Lesbian box (pardon the pun) and see if it guarantees me an interview!
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Hmmm that's odd I just applied for a Network Technician job and i was asked the same question it was for some housing company in my area. I wonder if a lot of technicians are bi-sexual or lesbian :confused:
 
Digital Punk said:
Yes exactly.

Its already stated that anyone who's disabled and meets the criteria set will be guaranteed an interview. :mad:
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To be honest though I'd imagine that this 'benefit' is far outweighed by people's natural reactions/concerns about disabled people. Regardless of equal opportunities, employers will naturally ask themselves "is this person's disability going to impact on their ability to do their job, or make things difficult in any way?".

Technically speaking I am disabled (partially sighted) but I never bring it up unless explicitly asked as I don't want to jepordise my application.
 
I'd like to see people who talk about "diversity" act like they mean it and genuinely seek diversity, not just an assortment of whatever irrelevant characteristics are fashionable at the time.

Where are the questions on political opinions, for example? Shouldn't there be diversity in political views amongst employees? Why isn't that diversity important? That's a diversity that actually means something.

We could get this to a 4-page form of stuff relevant to the job and a 40-page form of diverse irrelevancies to ensure properly diverse diversity.
 
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