DISCRIMINATION IN RECRUITMENT AGAINST PEOPLE WITH INVISIBLE DISIBILITIES

Early day motion 1547, tabled 21 May 2009 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 58 members.

That this House acknowledges the current levels of discrimination suffered by people with HIV and mental health problems in the job recruitment process; notes that fewer than 50 per cent. of people with HIV are in paid employment and more than 60 per cent. of employers write off people with any form of mental illness; further notes that it is currently legal for employers to ask a wide range of questions about a job applicant's medical history when they are recruiting, regardless of whether existing conditions will have any bearing on their ability to do the job applied for; supports calls from Rethink, the Terrence Higgins Trust and the National AIDS Trust for the Government to use the Equality Bill to restrict the use of pre-employment health questionnaires; recognises that employers in many other countries, including the US, are only legally able to ask a candidate about a disability once a job offer has been made; and calls on the Government to use the Equality Bill to bring British law in this area in line with the American system.

Signatures by party: Labour 35, Liberal Democrat 18, Conservative 1, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.