Recruitment Information for Hiring Managers
Purpose of these guidelines
These guidelines are for line managers, hiring managers and interview and selection panel members and staff involved in recruitment.
They aim to support fair, consistent and accessible recruitment for disabled applicants and to help managers meet Trinity’s equality, diversity and inclusion commitments.
Inclusive recruitment is not only about complying with employment law. It is also about ensuring that candidates are assessed fairly and that unnecessary barriers are removed from the recruitment process.
Irish employment equality law protects disabled applicants and employees from discrimination in recruitment and employment. Employers must consider reasonable accommodations to enable disabled people to access employment, participate in work, progress in employment and undertake training, unless doing so would impose a disproportionate burden.
Trinity is also guided by its public sector equality and human rights obligations, which support the elimination of discrimination, the promotion of equality of opportunity and the protection of human rights.
Core principles for inclusive recruitment
Inclusive recruitment should be:
1. Accessible — candidates can access information, systems, venues and assessments.
2. Relevant — selection criteria relate directly to the essential requirements of the role.
3. Consistent — all candidates are assessed against the same role-related criteria.
4. Flexible — reasonable accommodations are considered and implemented where appropriate.
5. Respectful — disability-related information is handled sensitively and confidentially.
6. Evidence-based — decisions are based on skills, experience, qualifications and role requirements.
Before advertising the role
Managers should review the job description and person specification to ensure that all requirements are genuinely necessary for the role.
This helps avoid unintentionally excluding disabled applicants or others who may experience barriers in recruitment.
Checklist for managers
Before advertising, consider:
1. Are all criteria genuinely essential?
2. Are desirable criteria clearly separated from essential criteria?</>
3. Have unnecessary physical, communication or availability requirements been removed?
4. Is the language clear, inclusive and plain English?
5. Does the job advertisement include a reasonable accommodation statement?
6. Is there a named contact for accommodation requests?
7. Are application documents accessible?
Shortlisting
Shortlisting should be based only on the published selection criteria.
Managers and panel members should avoid assumptions about what a disabled candidate can or cannot do.
Good practice includes:
1. Applying the same published criteria to all candidates.
2. Avoiding assumptions based on gaps in employment, career breaks or non-traditional career paths.
3. Considering whether criteria may indirectly disadvantage disabled candidates.
4. Keeping clear records of shortlisting decisions.
5. Considering reasonable accommodations where a barrier has been identified.
6. Focusing on whether the candidate meets the essential requirements of the role.
Interviews and assessments
The recruitment process should give candidates an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their suitability for the role.
Managers should ensure that:
1. Candidates receive clear information about the interview format in advance.
2. The venue or online platform is accessible.
3. Requested accommodations have been arranged.
4. Panel members understand how to implement any agreed accommodation.
5. Interview questions are relevant to the role.
6. Assessments test essential role requirements only.
7. Candidates are assessed against the same published criteria.
Managers should not ask disability-related questions unless they are directly relevant to an accommodation request or the candidate has chosen to raise the matter.
Responding to reasonable accommodation requests
Reasonable accommodation requests should be handled promptly, respectfully and on a case-by-case basis.
The focus should be on the barrier the candidate is experiencing and what support would help remove or reduce that barrier.
Recommended approach
1. Acknowledge the request.
2. Focus on the barrier, not the diagnosis.
3. Ask what support would help.
4. Consult HR or the Staff Disability Liaison Officer where needed.
5. Implement the agreed accommodation.
6. Check that the arrangement is working.
7. Keep information confidential.
What managers and panels should avoid
Managers and selection panels should avoid:
1. Asking unnecessary medical questions.
2. Asking “What is your disability?”
3. Making assumptions about attendance, productivity, communication style or capacity.
4. Refusing an accommodation without considering alternatives.
5. Treating an accommodation request as a weakness.
6. Sharing disability-related information with the panel unless necessary.
7. Changing the assessment standard because of disability.
8. Making comments that single out or draw attention to a candidate’s accommodation.
After selection and onboarding
Inclusive recruitment does not end at appointment.
New staff should be informed about how to access disability-related support, including the option to request a staff disability needs assessment.
Managers should ensure that any agreed accommodations are considered as part of onboarding and induction, and that supports are reviewed once the staff member has settled into the role.
Purpose of these guidelines
These guidelines are for line managers, hiring managers and interview and selection panel members and staff involved in recruitment.
They aim to support fair, consistent and accessible recruitment for disabled applicants and to help managers meet Trinity’s equality, diversity and inclusion commitments.
Inclusive recruitment is not only about complying with employment law. It is also about ensuring that candidates are assessed fairly and that unnecessary barriers are removed from the recruitment process.
Irish employment equality law protects disabled applicants and employees from discrimination in recruitment and employment. Employers must consider reasonable accommodations to enable disabled people to access employment, participate in work, progress in employment and undertake training, unless doing so would impose a disproportionate burden.
Trinity is also guided by its public sector equality and human rights obligations, which support the elimination of discrimination, the promotion of equality of opportunity and the protection of human rights.
Core principles for inclusive recruitment
Inclusive recruitment should be:
1. Accessible — candidates can access information, systems, venues and assessments.
2. Relevant — selection criteria relate directly to the essential requirements of the role.
3. Consistent — all candidates are assessed against the same role-related criteria.
4. Flexible — reasonable accommodations are considered and implemented where appropriate.
5. Respectful — disability-related information is handled sensitively and confidentially.
6. Evidence-based — decisions are based on skills, experience, qualifications and role requirements.
Before advertising the role
Managers should review the job description and person specification to ensure that all requirements are genuinely necessary for the role.
This helps avoid unintentionally excluding disabled applicants or others who may experience barriers in recruitment.
Checklist for managers
Before advertising, consider:
1. Are all criteria genuinely essential?
2. Are desirable criteria clearly separated from essential criteria?</>
3. Have unnecessary physical, communication or availability requirements been removed?
4. Is the language clear, inclusive and plain English?
5. Does the job advertisement include a reasonable accommodation statement?
6. Is there a named contact for accommodation requests?
7. Are application documents accessible?
Shortlisting
Shortlisting should be based only on the published selection criteria.
Managers and panel members should avoid assumptions about what a disabled candidate can or cannot do.
Good practice includes:
1. Applying the same published criteria to all candidates.
2. Avoiding assumptions based on gaps in employment, career breaks or non-traditional career paths.
3. Considering whether criteria may indirectly disadvantage disabled candidates.
4. Keeping clear records of shortlisting decisions.
5. Considering reasonable accommodations where a barrier has been identified.
6. Focusing on whether the candidate meets the essential requirements of the role.
Interviews and assessments
The recruitment process should give candidates an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their suitability for the role.
Managers should ensure that:
1. Candidates receive clear information about the interview format in advance.
2. The venue or online platform is accessible.
3. Requested accommodations have been arranged.
4. Panel members understand how to implement any agreed accommodation.
5. Interview questions are relevant to the role.
6. Assessments test essential role requirements only.
7. Candidates are assessed against the same published criteria.
Managers should not ask disability-related questions unless they are directly relevant to an accommodation request or the candidate has chosen to raise the matter.
Responding to reasonable accommodation requests
Reasonable accommodation requests should be handled promptly, respectfully and on a case-by-case basis.
The focus should be on the barrier the candidate is experiencing and what support would help remove or reduce that barrier.
Recommended approach
1. Acknowledge the request.
2. Focus on the barrier, not the diagnosis.
3. Ask what support would help.
4. Consult HR or the Staff Disability Liaison Officer where needed.
5. Implement the agreed accommodation.
6. Check that the arrangement is working.
7. Keep information confidential.
What managers and panels should avoid
Managers and selection panels should avoid:
1. Asking unnecessary medical questions.
2. Asking “What is your disability?”
3. Making assumptions about attendance, productivity, communication style or capacity.
4. Refusing an accommodation without considering alternatives.
5. Treating an accommodation request as a weakness.
6. Sharing disability-related information with the panel unless necessary.
7. Changing the assessment standard because of disability.
8. Making comments that single out or draw attention to a candidate’s accommodation.
After selection and onboarding
Inclusive recruitment does not end at appointment.
New staff should be informed about how to access disability-related support, including the option to request a staff disability needs assessment.
Managers should ensure that any agreed accommodations are considered as part of onboarding and induction, and that supports are reviewed once the staff member has settled into the role.