How employers should recruit
It's up to employers how they recruit for their organisation.
There are no set processes that are required by law. But employers must follow a fair process and certain laws that apply throughout the whole recruitment process, including:
- discrimination
- data protection
Employers should also follow good practice and any policies their organisation might have on:
- recruitment
- equality, diversity and inclusion
Find out more about improving equality, diversity and inclusion
If an applicant is a member of a trade union
It's against the law to treat someone less favourably or cause them detriment based on whether they are, or are not, a trade union member.
Detriment means someone experiences one or both of the following:
- being treated worse than before
- having their situation made worse
For example:
- you reduce their hours
- they experience bullying
- they experience harassment
- you turn down their training requests without good reason
- you overlook them for promotions or development opportunities
Get more advice and support
If you have questions about any stage of the recruitment process, contact the Acas helpline.
Acas also provides training for recruitment, selection and induction.