Equal working opportunities

Companies, who employ baby clothing (Babykleidung) workers, have a legal obligation to take into consideration the issue of equal opportunities within the work place. Over the past years equal rights within the work place have become paramount to all companies throughout Europe. With the employer having to make changes to the working environment, to enable all people, irrespective of the age, race, ability, gender or disability.

Baby clothing companies just one of the companies throughout Europe that this has affected. Some of the baby clothing workers within the factory have a disability; special provisions have been put in place to help these people. As they are wheelchair users a ramp into the work place has been erected, and the door to the factory has been made wider. The door also has a special push pad on the outside so that the door can open automatically, without the wheelchair user having to struggle.

Their work station has also been specially adapted so that their wheelchair fits easily under the desk where they are working. The desk with the sewing machine on has also been moved down to their height. Some of the workers have chosen to work on the changing bag (Wickeltasche) section of the factory, instead of baby clothing section. Disabled toilets are provided at the far end of the factory.

When considering a person for a job making baby clothes, race should not affect the decision on whether this person gets an interview or a job. A person cannot be discriminated against with regards to nationality, race, religious beliefs or colour. Race should not affect whether a person within the factory is offered promotion. If there is name calling within the factory this should be dealt with immediately, as harassment often occurs when this sort of discrimination is overlooked. Before equal opportunities in the work place, this sort of behavior would have been brushed to one side, and the victims often leaving their job because of this.

There are various laws which apply to both females and males within a work place. Companies should offer baby clothing workers the same rights to both male and female workers for instance; if a woman is working as a machinist and a higher position within the factory came up, and this job was usually done by men. This job must be offered to the women within the factory too, and they must be considered for the position in the same fair way as a man would be. If they are successful then their pay should be the same as that of a mans. If this was not the case and the woman did find that she was on less pay and doing more work, than a man doing the same job, then the woman would have a right to contest this and take matters further, should this be necessary.

Equal opportunity laws apply to all workers and employers. This is to protect the employee from being discriminated against, and the employer – by adhering to the law the employer should be able to run the company at ease. Baby clothing workers are affected by this law the same as every other company within the EU.