LearnEnglishProfessionals

MANAGINGDIVERSITY AUDIOSCRIPT
ListentoapartofaradiointerviewwithAlanGriffin,abusinessmanagementexpert,talkingaboutthe
pricethatsomecompanieshavetopaywhentheyfailtoaddressdiversityrelatedrisks.
Optionalexercise
ReadthroughthestatementsbelowanddecidewhethertheyareTRUEorFALSEaccordingtothelistening.
1. Althoughdiversityisbeingdealtwith,itisstillanimportantconcernforemployers.
2. Agrowingnumberofpeoplearesuingemployersbecausetheyfeeldiscriminatedagainstbecauseof
theirage.
3. Insurancetocoverdiscriminationclaimsisanenormouscostforcompanies.
4. Securityfirmssometimesdiscriminateagainstpeoplebecauseoftheirage.
5. Employerscannotdiscriminateagainstjobapplicantswhohavebeenconvictedofanycrime.
(Answersbelow)

Interviewer:Tellme,Mr.Griffin,arediversityrisksreallystillanissue?Arentcompaniesthesedaysdealingwith
diversity?
AG:Ohyes,theyareverymuchanissue.Wehavecomealongwaysincethosedayswhenemployerswere
allowedtodiscriminateagainstjobcandidatesjustbecauseoftheirraceortheirsex.Thetroubleis,the
boundariesofdiversityanddiscriminationarewidening.Companieshavealotmoretoconsiderthana
personsskincolourorapersonsgender.
Interviewer:Socanyougivelistenersanexampleofwhatkindofthingsyouarereferringtohere?
AG:Okay.letssee,well,onegrowingareaofdiscriminationisageism.In1998,companiesintheUnited
Stateshadtopayoutmorethanfiftyfivemilliondollarstoemployerswhohadfiledagerelateddiscrimination
complaintsagainsttheircompanies.Thatsalotofmoney.
Interviewer:Phew!!Sohowshouldcompaniesprotectthemselvesfromthiskindofthing?
AG:Well,firstofalltheyshouldthinkcarefullyabouttheirrecruitmentpoliciesandthentheyshouldtakeout
insurancetocoverthemselves.
Interviewer:Isntthatexpensive?forthecompanies,Imean.
AG:No,notasexpensiveasyoumightthink.Thesedaysmostsmallandmediumsizedorganisationstakeout
EPLIthatsEmploymentLiabilityPracticesInsurance.Thecostoftheinsurancehasfallenovertheyearsand
ifacompanyisntcoveredandlosesadiscriminationcase,well,letsjustsaythisisthecheaperoption!
Interviewer:Youvementionedageismasagrowingconcernbutwhatotherkindsofdiversityshouldmanagers
beawareof?
AG:Well,youdprobablybesurprisedtohearaboutsomediscriminationagainstsinglepeople,against
marriedparents,againstpeoplewhoaretootall,tooshort,tooheavy!
Interviewer:Really?
AG:Ohyes.Securityfirmsareagoodexamplehere.Theytypicallystatethattheiremployeesneedtobeover
orunderacertainheightorweight.Theyclaimitsnecessaryforthejobbuttherehavebeencaseswhere
peoplehaveclaimeddiscrimination.
Interviewer:Andwon?
AG:Sometimesyes.Thentherearepeoplewithacriminalbackground.Employersusedtofeeljustifiedin
turningawayjobapplicantsjustbecausetheydbeenintroublewiththelaw.
www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2007
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.

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MANAGINGDIVERSITY AUDIOSCRIPT

Interviewer:Isntthatstillthecase?
AG:No,notexactly.Thelawstatesthatemployerscanonlyrejectajobapplicantwithacriminalrecordifthe
crimebearsadirectrelationtothejobinquestion.Sosomebodywhohasservedasentencefor,letssay
stealingcars,wouldbeallrightinajobasakitchenporter.
Interviewer:AndMr.Griffin,tellme,howmanypeopleactuallygothroughwiththeirthreatstosueacompany
fordiscrimination?
AG:Well,IhaventgotthelatestfiguresfortheUKbutintheUnitedStatestheEqualOpportunitiesCommission
receivearoundeightyfivethousandcomplaintseveryyearandthatfigureisrising.Raceandsexaccountfor
mostofthecomplaintsthatarefiledbutagediscriminationisontheincreasetoo.
Interviewer:So,anywordsofadviceforriskmanagers?
AG:Well,firstofallmakesurethatyouhaveadequateinsurance.Thenaddresstheissuesofdiversityfrom
withintheorganisation.Gettheemployeesinvolved.Celebratethedifferencesandtrytobuildupareputation
asafairemployer.Andrememberitisworthinvestingtimeandeffortinaddressingtheseissuesbecause
statisticshaveshownthatyouremuchmorelikelytobesuedbyanemployeethanathirdparty.

Answers:
1.True,2.True,3.False,4.False,5.True

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2007
TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.