Equality and diversity

We are actively working to be an inclusive employer, providing a working environment where all employees can thrive and their differences are valued and supported. Our people are at the heart of that and we want you to be part of that journey.

We are working hard to ensure that the council is inclusive in recruitment, retention, support, and progression. We know that having a workforce that reflects the communities we serve brings a wider range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations.

As part of this continuous journey to make us an inclusive employer, Our People Plan has ambitious goals to improve the representation of our communities in our workforce, through looking at our recruitment processes, what we do in our workplaces to support staff staying and how we value individuality of all of our employees.

We are an equal opportunities employer and believe that everyone should be appointed into a role based on them being the most suitable person for the position.

Our recruitment practices includes providing interview questions in advance, operating anonymous recruiting so your personal details, including name, aren’t provided to recruiters until shortlisting is completed, and offering a guaranteed interview scheme for all candidates who meet the essential criteria of a role who declare they:

• have a disability or long term health condition
• are from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background,
• are from the LGBTQ+ community
• are under 25 or are care experienced. 

In addition, our Apprenticeship First approach ensures all roles at grade 5 and below are offered as an apprenticeship (where practically possible) to support those into employment, where there may be barriers to people having required qualifications and experience for roles.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we have committed we will ensure that disabled applicants are provided reasonable adjustment to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. One of the ways we are doing this for all people at interview is providing interview questions in advance, highlighting the desire to give everyone the chance to be as prepared as possible to give them the best chance of working at Liverpool City Council.

Ban the Box

We support the Ban the Box campaign and recognise the contribution that ex-offenders can make to our organisation as employees and we welcome applications from all. We only ask those applicants who have been selected for interview to make a confidential declaration in the form of a written disclosure statement (about a relevant criminal record). All information disclosed will be treated in the strictest confidence.

When you start working for us we ensure that there is support available for staff in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes:

• Staff networks supporting a range of employee communities
• An employee assistance programme for mental health and wellbeing, which covers family members aged over 18, including access to 1 to 1 counselling
• Employee engagement opportunities for staff to voice their opinions, ask questions and express concerns
• Family friendly policies that allow staff to achieve a good life-work balance
• Reasonable Adjustments Passport supporting staff to ensure that their needs are met even if their manager or roles change, without the need to constantly have to ask.
• GOLD Employer Recognition Service accreditation and recognise the value that reservists, veterans and cadet forces adult volunteers, as well as forces families, play in a workforce.

Najavo LGBTQ+ Chartermark

We hold the Cheshire and Merseyside Navajo LGBT+ accreditation for employers.