Manchester Council Recruitment Positive Action Rules

Civil Rights and Equity England 4 Minutes Read · published February 11, 2026 Flag of England

In Manchester, England, local council employers may use positive action in recruitment to address underrepresentation and encourage equality of opportunity. This guide explains how Manchester City Council approaches positive action, the legal framework that governs it, typical HR procedures, and practical steps for applicants and managers. It summarises where to find official policy, how to request adjustments or targeted outreach, and what routes exist for complaint or appeal.

Overview of Positive Action in Council Recruitment

Positive action is a permitted, narrowly defined set of measures under the Equality Act 2010 that allow employers to take proportionate steps to address disadvantages or needs tied to protected characteristics, or to encourage participation from underrepresented groups. Manchester City Council sets local recruitment practice through its People Directorate and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion resources; see the council equality pages for policy summaries and internal guidance[1]. For statutory provisions governing positive action, refer to the Equality Act 2010[3].

Positive action can include outreach, training and targeted encouragement but not automatic selection on protected characteristic alone.

How Manchester Applies Positive Action

  • Targeted outreach and advertising to underrepresented groups.
  • Pre-application support such as CV clinics or interview coaching.
  • Training and development to create a wider candidate pool for future roles.
  • Use of selection criteria and scoring to ensure objective comparison.

Penalties & Enforcement

Recruitment positive action at the council is an employment and HR matter rather than a criminal bylaw, so the council does not publish monetary fines or daily penalty rates for misuse on the same pages as the policy. Specific fines or claimant remedies for unlawful discrimination are set by national employment and civil procedures rather than a municipal penalty schedule; amounts are not specified on the cited Manchester pages[1]. For statutory wording on permitted positive action measures, see the Equality Act 2010[3].

If you believe positive action has been misapplied, raise the matter through council HR or formal complaints promptly.
  • Escalation: the council’s internal grievance and complaints processes apply; specific escalation penalties or ranges are not specified on the council policy pages[1].
  • Non-monetary sanctions: internal disciplinary action, withdrawal of recruitment privileges, ordering re-advertisement, or managerial instruction to correct process.
  • Enforcer and contact: People Directorate / HR and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team at Manchester City Council handle policy application and complaints; official contact and recruitment pages list how to raise concerns[2].
  • Appeals and tribunal routes: affected candidates may pursue internal appeals and, where discrimination is alleged, seek remedies through Employment Tribunals or civil claims under the Equality Act; statutory time limits for tribunals apply (see national guidance; not specified on the cited council pages).
  • Defences and discretion: lawful positive action requires a proportionate, evidence-based approach and must not amount to direct discrimination; statutory limits are set out in the Equality Act 2010[3].

Applications & Forms

Manchester City Council publishes recruitment information and vacancy application forms through its jobs pages; where specific positive action measures require an internal form (for example, requests for reasonable adjustments or targeted outreach approval), the council’s People Directorate provides the form or process details on recruitment and HR pages. If no form is publicly published for a particular internal positive action measure, it is declared "not specified on the cited page" and should be requested from HR directly[2].

Common Violations and Typical Outcomes

  • Using protected characteristic as the sole basis for hiring — may lead to internal disciplinary action and remedial measures.
  • Failing to document the evidence base for positive action — may prompt re-advertisement or process review.
  • Not offering reasonable adjustments to disabled applicants — may lead to formal complaint and remedy under the Equality Act.
Keep clear records of outreach, shortlisting and scoring to demonstrate proportionality.

Action Steps for Applicants and Managers

  • Applicants: declare if you need reasonable adjustments during application or interview and follow the council’s published process on jobs pages.
  • Managers: consult People Directorate HR before implementing targeted recruitment measures to ensure proportionality and compliance.
  • Anyone: use the council complaints procedure or HR grievance route to report suspected misuse of positive action.

FAQ

What is positive action and is it lawful for Manchester Council to use?
Positive action are proportionate measures permitted under the Equality Act 2010 to address disadvantage or underrepresentation; Manchester City Council uses such measures where appropriate and lawful.
Can positive action automatically decide who gets the job?
No. Positive action cannot be used to select a less qualified candidate solely because of a protected characteristic; selection must remain lawful and evidence-based.
How do I complain if I think positive action was applied unfairly?
Raise the issue with the council’s People Directorate or formal complaints process; you may also seek external remedies such as an Employment Tribunal if discrimination is alleged.

How-To

  1. Identify the issue: note the role, dates and what you believe was unfair about the recruitment decision.
  2. Contact HR: use the Manchester City Council recruitment or People Directorate contact channels to request an internal review.
  3. Submit supporting evidence: include job adverts, shortlisting notes and any correspondence showing the procedure used.
  4. If unresolved, consider external legal advice and time-limited remedies such as Employment Tribunal claims under the Equality Act.

Key Takeaways

  • Positive action is lawful when proportionate and evidence-led, but it must not be used as positive discrimination.
  • Document outreach, selection criteria and adjustments to demonstrate compliance with council policy and the Equality Act.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] Manchester City Council - Equality and Diversity
  2. [2] Manchester City Council - Jobs and Careers
  3. [3] Equality Act 2010 - legislation.gov.uk

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