The ACT Public Service wants 25% of all job applicants to be women before short lists are drawn up.
Guidelines have been drawn up to help managers achieve the goal. They have been circulated in at least one ministry, Attorney-General’s, Housing and Community Services and Urban Services.
The head of the department, Chris Hunt, said yesterday, “”It is important to get women to apply in areas where they might think were male-dominated.”
The guidelines were a great idea, he said. They would increase consciousness of the issue in the department. If less than 25 per cent of applicants for a job were women, it would have to be advertised again unless there were good reason.
In the legal area there was no problem with adequate women applicants, but in other areas it was harder and had to be worked at.
He was confident the guidelines would ensure a more equitable workplace.
The guidelines say: “”The target of at least 25 per cent is a desired aim, not a compulsory quota which has to be achieved before selection short-listing can proceed.
“”The strategy is designed to overcome hidden barriers for women. however, it must not override the merit principle.
“”All managers and supervisors have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure advertised vacancies have a field of at least 25 per cent women.”
The guidelines suggest placing in a prominent position in advertisements words similar to: “”Women and men encouraged to apply.””
“”Invite women with suitable experience/skills to consider applying for the position,” they say. “”It is important not to infer that they are being “given the nod’. It is just as important to avoid tokenism, whereby you increase the number of women applying for not other reason that meeting the 25 per cent target.
“”If you are using an illustration with the advertisement, include a woman and a man in the picture.
“”Ensure that you follow the government policy of having at least one woman panel member on your interview panel and ensure your panel members have undergone EEO training for selection panels.”
If the target is not met, the guidelines suggest readvertising mentioning the target stating so and that more female applicants are being encouraged.
The guidelines suggest career counselling for female staff, recruitment of more than one woman at a time in areas traditionally occupied by men, offering support to women do studies, organising promotional campaigns to outline the benefits of full participation of women in all areas of work.