Gender Action Plan Implementation Group: Meeting Notes

10.30 am, Thursday 3 June 2021 - Microsoft Teams Meeting

In attendance:

Karen Martin (Chairperson)

Maria Bannon

Louise Close

James Gilsenan

Kate McCullough

Liz Milligan

Sebastien Mingout

Roisin Mooney

Shirley Poxon

Raymond Russell

Richard Stewart

Apologies:

Harry Clarke

Lucia Wilson

1. Update on draft transgender policy

Maria Bannon updated the group on progress on the draft transgender policy.  SMG has agreed that the draft policy can proceed to consultation, subject to minor amendments.  HR will carry out the consultation with staff and the Equality and Good Relations Unit will carry out a targeted consultation with external groups.  The draft policy is in four sections: the policy itself, guidance for managers, guidance relating to visitors and a definitions/terminology section.  Consultation is scheduled to being over the new few months.

2. Section 75 monitoring questionnaire

Maria briefed the group on the forthcoming Section 75 questionnaire, which will be issued to staff soon.  She explained that the findings will help to fill in gaps in section 75 data on staff, and no identifying information, such as name or grade, will be collected.  Participation will be voluntary, and only permanent Assembly staff will be invited to complete the questionnaire. 

James Gilsenan asked whether there was any form of monitoring of agency staff placed in the Assembly Secretariat.  Karen Martin explained that that is a matter for the agency and the HR Office is only required to monitor Assembly Commission staff.

3. The Northern Ireland Assembly Women’s Caucus Gender-Sensitive Assembly Manifesto & Action Plan

Maria updated the group on a recent discussion she had with Aisha O’Reilly about the Northern Ireland Assembly Women’s Caucus gender-sensitive Assembly manifesto and action plan.  Maria said that while the manifesto and action plan were concerned with Assembly processes and political representation, there may be crossover on some issues.  Maria said that she will check whether the manifesto and action plan can be shared with the group. 

Action: Action plan and manifesto and action plan to be shared with group (subject to approval by Women’s Caucus)

4. Gender Action Plan March 2021 six-monthly update for SMG/Commission

Maria gave a brief overview of the most recent update on progress on actions in the Gender Action Plan 2019-23.  Two new ongoing practices arising from two completed actions have been approved by SMG:  the issuing of an annual reminder email to heads of business to encourage them to consider inviting team members involved in working on specific projects/papers to appear with them when presenting at SMG and to remind them to consult the gender balance checklist when forming new internal groups or panels. 

The Assembly Commission has also recently submitted an application for the Diversity Mark NI bronze award, and a response from the evaluation panel is expected in June. 

View the full March 2021 update.

5. Update on draft working from home policy

Karen provided an update on this agenda item.  Following initial discussions, SMG has recently committed to the development of a homeworking policy.  Feedback from staff through the wellbeing and communications survey and recent working groups indicates that staff are supportive of a homeworking policy and particularly in a blended working arrangement, with a mix of working from home and the office.  Karen explained that the policy development is at an early stage and she could not give a definitive timetable for its completion.

Kate McCullough commented that, based on the experience of other organisations, it can take a considerable time to develop and approve a working from home policy, and she asked why work on the Assembly Commission policy had not begun earlier given that we have been working from home for over a year.  Karen explained that homeworking over the last year or so has been in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and that the homeworking policy will be for the longer term, ie after the pandemic is over.  She said that developing a policy takes time and that a number of issues, such as how homeworking can support business needs, health and safety while working at home etc, will require consideration.  Karen explained that the HR Office will follow the established policy development process, including engagement with SMG, approval of key principles for the policy and consultation with Trade Union Side.  While this work would be progressed as quickly as possible, it sat alongside other significant pieces of work currently being taken forward by the HR office.

6. AOB

Kate referred to on an earlier point about monitoring of temporary staff and mentioned that the Equality Commission has produced guidance on procurement and section 75 issues.  Maria said that she had looked at this guidance a number of years ago and was content that the Assembly Commission complies with the advice.

Sebastien Mingout raised the issue of how home working can sometimes make it more difficult for new staff to get to meet existing staff.  He said it is important that new staff feel welcome and part of the organisation.  Karen referred to the getting on board programme, which is designed to bring new staff members into the Secretariat and get them acquainted with their new role and the organisation.  Louise Close suggested it could be beneficial to include biographies of new staff on AssISt as a way of getting to know more about new staff members and their skills and previous experience.

Next meeting to be held in late September.