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Manitoba Civil Service Commission

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2.2.3.  Barrier Free Employment Advertising

Guideline

Employment advertising is written in plain language that is inclusive and free of employment barriers.

Questions And Answers

  1. Why must employment advertisements be free of barriers?
  2. How do you identify barriers in qualifications?
  3. What types of barriers must be removed from employment advertising?
  4. What is plain language?
  5. What makes some employment advertising difficult to understand?
  6. What are some tips for writing voiced advertising for ACCESS 1-2-3?

Questions And Answers

1. Why must employment advertisements be free of barriers?

The Manitoba government is committed to an Employment Equity Policy to ensure that candidates from designated groups have fair and equal access to employment in the civil service. Accordingly, employment advertising written in language that is open, inclusive and free of systemic barriers serves to attract, rather than discourage, applications from these groups.

Furthermore, it is illegal to include anything in an employment advertisement that would disadvantage qualified candidates on the basis of characteristics protected by the Manitoba Human Rights Code. For this reason, selection criteria are the reasonable and bona fide occupational requirements. Selection criteria are stated as qualifications in employment advertising.

2. How do you identify barriers in qualifications?

The following questions help to identify potential barriers in qualifications:

  • Do the qualifications discriminate against any group with characteristics protected by the Manitoba Human Rights Code? If so, the qualification is illegal unless it is reasonable and bona fide.
  • What particular duty in the position requires that qualification? Could someone without that qualification perform that duty?
  • Are the qualifications reasonably necessary for performing the job efficiently, effectively and economically? Have all reasonable options to the barrier been examined? Is accommodation possible? See also Reasonable Accommodation Policy.
  • Would anything in the employment advertisement discourage qualified persons from the four designated groups from applying? If so, are there other reasonable options? See also Removing Employment Barriers Policy 1.5.2

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3. What types of barriers must be removed from employment advertising?

The types of barriers which must be eliminated from employment advertising include:

4. What is plain language?

Plain language means writing precisely, clearly and simply so that potential applicants from the public and the civil service can understand what the position requires. Plain language uses familiar words and a straightforward style. It avoids wordiness, abstraction and jargon. You can use plain language without making your employment advertisement seem simplistic or boring.

Some tips for plain language writing are:

  • Decide who needs to know the information and what is essential -- then stick to your list of essential information.
  • Organize the material in a logical manner. Don't jump around.
  • Use a friendly, conversational tone.
  • Choose short, everyday words instead of long, cumbersome words.
  • Use the active voice and vary your sentence style. Try to follow the regular sentence construction of subject, verb, object -- but not for every sentence.
  • Use bullets to avoid repetition.

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5. What makes some employment advertising difficult to understand?

Employment advertising may be difficult to understand when it uses:

  • complex language and unfamiliar words
  • an impersonal approach. Example: Instead of "a person is needed by ...," write "you may be right for this opportunity with ..."
  • nouns made from verbs. Example: Instead of "you will assist with development and implementation...," say "you will help develop and implement..."
  • verbs made from nouns. Example: Instead of verbs such as "finalize" or "utilize", say "decide" or "use".
  • technical language. Use common language, for example, computers interface, but people work together.
  • jargon. Examples: change agent, encompassing
  • legal language. Examples: pursuant to, notwithstanding, herewith
  • acronyms. Don't use initials unless they have to be frequently repeated in the employment advertising and are commonly understood by the reader.
  • sexist language. Language in an employment advertising that includes both men and women sends a message to the public that both sexes are valued.
  • long sentences. You may lose the reader's attention if a sentence has more than 20 words.

6. What are some tips for writing voiced advertising for ACCESS 1-2-3?

Writing for voice on ACCESS 1-2-3 requires a different writing style than writing for print. You can vitalize your advertising writing style by using the following tips:

Simplicity Use known words, short phrases, simple sentence structure. Build around one main point. Avoid confusing the listener with too many disjointed points.
Clarity Keep the train of thought on one straight track. Use the active voice in simple sentences. Avoid adverbs, cliches, acronyms, ambiguous phrases and government jargon. Delete unnecessary words. (Test: would the voiced advertisement be hurt if the word was deleted?) Write from draft to draft until your script becomes unmistakably clear and concise.
Coherence Be certain your advertising message flows in logical sequence from first word to last, using smooth transitional words and phrases for easier listening.
Believability Every opportunity has its good points. Tell the truth about them. Avoid overstatement and obvious exaggeration; they are quickly spotted and defeat the whole purpose of the advertisement. Be straightforward.
Interest The opportunity may not be fascinating in itself; it is the way you look at the opportunity that makes it interesting. Try to give your listener some useful information as a reward for listening.
Distinctiveness Sounding different from other advertisements and setting your opportunity apart from others are never easy. Employ every possible means - a fresh approach, a unique phrase - to give your advertisement its own character.
Compelling The first few seconds are the crucial ones, for they are when you capture or lose the listener's attention. Direct your initial words toward moving the listener to keep on listening.

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Comment Boxes

Abilities / Skills Barriers Ability refers to situations where the candidate has the potential to do the job, but may or may not have had the opportunity to develop the potential in the past. The focus here is on whether the candidate can display the potential during the selection process. Demonstrated ability (or skill) means candidates must show by past achievements that they have the required ability obtained in a variety of work settings, such as volunteer projects or previous related work experience.

Asking for ability wherever possible enables candidates with transferable skills to compete as well as designated group members who may have the ability, but lack experience because they are under-represented in the occupation.

Example of Abilities/Skills Barrier

Example: Payroll Clerk
(closed competition)

Qualifications: good knowledge and experience in applying personnel policies; demonstrated related experience as a payroll clerk; good working knowledge of the collective agreement; typing ability, effective communications, interpersonal and organizational skills; ability to work with a number of deadlines and minimal supervision.

What's Wrong: As written, requires person to have already been a payroll clerk.

Revise To: Knowledge of personnel / payroll policies; ability to apply legislation and interpret collective agreement on personnel / payroll issues.
Circumstantial Barriers Circumstantial barriers can occur when you ask for:
  • a valid driver's licence. "Ability to travel within the designated area..." expresses the requirement in a more flexible way.
  • candidate to reside in a location. Instead ask for "ability to report to work within 30 minutes of call".
Communication Barriers Communication barriers can occur when you ask for "ability to communicate effectively". Specify what kind of communication is required ie. listening, speaking on the telephone, negotiating agreements. A deaf person may communicate at work by using a telecommunications device. Refer to persons with disabilities as persons first, then by their particular condition. For example: persons with mental disabilities, persons with mobility impairments.
Credential Barriers A credential should be included in an employment advertising only where accreditation is required by law (ie. registered nurse) or is the ONLY means of obtaining the skills, knowledge, and ability needed to perform the work effectively. Any other use of a credential may violate the Human Rights Code. Barriers may occur when you ask for credentials such as a degree, diploma, certificate or licence, unless you allow for an equivalent combination of education and experience. Remember that a credential does not guarantee better performance or greater aptitude.
Designated groups Defined in Employment Equity Policy 1.5
Equivalent combination of education and experience Where either a degree or a combination of experience and training is acceptable for satisfactory job performance, ensure that you fully outline the type of experience and training that is equivalent to a degree. Otherwise, there may be a perception that a degree will be given greater weight than work experience, which may make qualified candidates without a degree reluctant to apply. It may also be an unnecessary barrier to members of designated groups who have not had the opportunity to obtain the required credential but have the demonstrated ability to do the job.

Avoid indirect references to credentials, such as knowledge of economic theory normally acquired through a degree in economics. Ask instead for knowledge of economic theory.

Example of Credential Barrier

Example: Senior Financial Officer
(open competition)

Qualifications: Professional accounting designation (CA, CGA, or CMA); responsible operational experience in the food industry; awareness of the issues and concerns of the Manitoba food industry, demonstrated communications, interpersonal, evaluative and problem-solving skills.

What's Wrong: Requested credential is not a legislated requirement or the sole means of acquiring accounting knowledge. Therefore, it is not reasonable and bona fide.

Revise to: Extensive knowledge of general accounting theories and practices.
Experience Barriers Experience barriers occur when you ask for:
  • Canadian experience which usually excludes persons with experience attained in their country of origin.
  • years of experience. Breadth and quality of experience, not the number of years, enhance an applicant's ability to do the job. For example, instead of asking for "three years experience as a tax auditor", ask for "experience in tax auditing involving a variety of industries, including several complex audits."
  • recent experience except where an occupation has changed significantly. (This disadvantages women who have been out of the workforce as well as immigrants who have difficulty in obtaining employment in their occupational field during their first few years in Canada.)
  • progressively responsible experience. (This disadvantages those who have not had an opportunity to build up experience in the occupation by working their way up through the ranks. It perpetuates the under-representation and under-employment of designated groups in many occupations.)
  • very specific experience where a transferable experience may be adequate. Example: Instead of "experience with WordPerfect 6.1" ask for "experience with Windows based word processing packages".

Example of Experience Barrier

Example: Administrative Secretary 3
(open competition)

Qualifications: progressively responsible secretarial experience; 55 wpm typing; ability to organize work, set priorities, meet deadlines, work with minimal supervision and operate a word processor and microcomputer system; initiative, tact, sound judgment.

What's Wrong: Requires candidates to work their way up through the ranks.

Revise To: Secretarial experience.
Knowledge Barriers Knowledge barriers can occur in an open competition when you:
  • ask for knowledge of internal policies, procedures and operations of the branch;
  • ask for knowledge of legislation, procedures or policies that is seldom needed where this knowledge can be learned on the job, from a supervisor, or written material.
  • Ask for knowledge of a law when what is needed is the ability to interpret and apply laws.

The need for "ability" is sometimes incorrectly stated as a "knowledge" requirement.

Example of Knowledge Barrier

Example: Supervisor - Operational Support Services
(open competition)

Qualifications: thorough working knowledge of varied office services in a service-oriented organization, including contract administration and inventory control; knowledge of government budgetary/ accounting policies and procedures; demonstrated knowledge of the use of computer software; demonstrated supervisory skills; demonstrated negotiation, organization and communications skills.

What's Wrong: Exclusive knowledge requirement for an "open" area of search.

Revise To: Knowledge of accounting/budgetary procedures.
Level Barriers Make sure knowledge, skills and other requirements are set at the appropriate level for the job. While the appropriate level varies between positions, (for example, ability to communicate effectively as a social worker or a receptionist), the qualification should reflect only the level of expertise an employee needs to enter the job.

That level may vary, however, depending on such factors as the time available for training or the need for special expertise. There is flexibility to ask for more than entry-level requirements
Personal Suitability Barriers A barrier may occur if you ask for a personal attribute that is not job-related. Personal suitability criteria must be flexible enough to include persons who can do the job but in a different cultural or personal style. Barriers may be eliminated by focusing on the desired ability or skill, instead of a personal trait. Examples:
  • instead of "mature, cooperative person", ask for "ability to work effectively as a team member"
  • instead of "outgoing personality", ask for "ability to give effective service to clients";
  • instead of "independent person", ask for "ability to work with minimal supervision".
  • instead of "service-oriented" ask for "ability to provide good customer service".
Reasonable and Bona Fide Occupational Requirements A reasonable and bona fide occupational requirement is one that is:
  • sincerely believed to be needed for the job
  • considered reasonably necessary to ensure safe, efficient and economical job performance.

See also Selection Criteria Policy 2.1.1
Systemic Barriers Systemic barriers or systemic discrimination means practices that are entrenched in systems that operate to limit a group's right to opportunities or exclude a group from participating in an activity. Systemic discrimination or barriers:
  • screen out entire groups
  • are entrenched in policies and practices
  • produce hidden barriers
  • are measured by impact, not by intent
  • contravene the Human Rights Code
  • are often unintentional, and may in fact appear neutral.

See also Removing Employment Barriers Policy 1.5.2.
Working Conditions Barriers A lack of precise or actual information about working conditions.
  • For part-time positions, give the number of hours or work per pay period. If the position is part-time term, also include the length of the term.
  • If a job requires shift or late-night work, include information about security, as applicants will want to know whether a security system is in place to assist them.

Authority

Effective date January 15, 1997

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