New Law to Allow Employers to Promote a Woman over a Man...

[A1Mikey]

New Law to Allow Employers to Promote a Woman over a Man...even though the man is better qualified. The law is being introduced to allow companies balance out the number of women in a company to the same number as male employees. It is the front page headline in the Daily Telegraph. Does anyone have any thoughts or feelings about this??

[jackthehat]

Excellent idea.

[sandyRoe]

Positive discrimination has its uses.

[naomi24]

Well, you haven't provided a link, but if it's true then, yes, I do have some thoughts about this. It's politically correct nonsense and it makes me mad! How damned patronising! If I can't do it on my own merits, then I have no business doing it at all! The best man - or woman - should get the job. No question about it.

[society]

I don't entirely agree with that. A job or position should be given to whoever is most qualified to fulfil the responsibilities and duties of that job. Employing someone shouldn’t be based on gender or be given for the sake of balancing gender.

[squarebear]

Surely the better qualified person should get the job regardless of sex, colour, race or sexual orientation?

[wolf63]

Women are superior to men in all areas apart from strength. ;-)

I believe that women and men should be equal regarding jobs and that a candidate for a job should be employed on their ability and not because they are of a particular sex.

[sandyRoe]

If it's to redress a legacy of discrimination from the past what's wrong with it?

[naomi24]

Sandy, It's discriminatory - that's what's wrong with it.

[society]

"Women are superior to men in all areas apart from strength. ;-) "

A womans' strength is in their brain. ;-)

[DTCwordfan]

Now there's another thing I agree with you on, Naomi.

Let's have a genuine meritocracy, and not something that is forced.

Ultimately, companies will overturn this as they will naturally seek out the best person for the job. Ensuring that all come forward for candidacy, well maybe that is a different matter..............

[sandyRoe]

If you're saying that two wrongs don't make a right, I disagree. In the USA there was positive discrimination to allow disadvantaged people to obtain parity in employment. Here in NI quotas were set in police recruitment to allow an equal representation in religious levels.

[boxtops]

I'm with Naomi, and I too would like to see a link for this. Are they suggesting that the ratio of men:women should be the same as in the local population? - this being the basis on which companies are required to employ ethnic minorities..... and on which we are monitored regularly? It is true that there is still a glass ceiling in many organisations but many women I know are in high-ranking positions by their own merit, and quite right too. if this comes in, their contributions will be dumbed down by "the antis" saying they only got there by virtue of their gender - not too dissimilar from thirty years ago when I landed a good job on merit and there were snide marks from blokes about who I'd probably slept with to get there. Vacancies must be filled on merit, not by gender or ethnicity.

[jaydah]

Does that mean the tea lady in the MOT centre gets more than the mechanics ?

[karenmac60]

The only way I could see it having any merit is if it is for a particular post where a woman MAY be better suited to the job ie - something sensitive, working with vulnerable women/children, but a man may have more credentials on paper. Other than that it is patronising nonsense.

[naomi24]

DT, I'm not sure companies will overturn it. Political correctness rules - and that, in my opinion, is ultimately damaging because in an effort to please everyone we will end up meeting ourselves coming back. Common sense, come back - all is forgiven!!

[sandyRoe]

The tea lady should get the same as them. Their work couldn't go on without hers.

[jackthehat]

This was the link aog provided in his earlier question on the same topic.

http://tinyurl.com/33yewxu

[sandyRoe]

We're talking about an article in a newspaper, not a new law. The courts would never allow it.

[jaydah]

that is tongue in cheek I hope Sandy.

[karenmac60]

And Jaydah - that is more or less what is happening in my job thanks to single status. The cleaner and janitor have had big wage rises and the staff have had wages slashed so the former are now on a higher hourly rate than the latter - wouldn't be so bad if they actually did their jobs, couple of lazy so and sos...