SIA Equality and Diversity 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A door supervisor notices a colleague refusing entry to a patron because of their race. What should they do first?
- Ignore it as it is not their responsibility
- Confront the colleague aggressively in front of patrons
- Report the incident to their supervisor or venue management immediately (Correct answer)
- Post about it on social media to raise awareness
Correct answer: Report the incident to their supervisor or venue management immediately
Discrimination must be reported through proper channels immediately. The door supervisor should report to their supervisor or venue management so appropriate action can be taken. Ignoring it could make them complicit, and public confrontation could escalate the situation.
Question 2: What is the legal definition of a 'reasonable adjustment' under the Equality Act 2010?
- Any adjustment a disabled person requests, regardless of cost
- A change that removes or reduces a disadvantage faced by a disabled person, where it is practical and proportionate to do so (Correct answer)
- Only physical changes to buildings such as ramps and lifts
- Adjustments that cost less than five hundred pounds
Correct answer: A change that removes or reduces a disadvantage faced by a disabled person, where it is practical and proportionate to do so
A reasonable adjustment is a change that removes or reduces a substantial disadvantage faced by a disabled person. 'Reasonable' considers factors like effectiveness, practicality, cost, and the size of the organisation. It is not limited to physical changes and has no fixed cost threshold.
Question 3: A patron in a wheelchair wishes to enter a venue but the main entrance has steps. What is the venue's legal obligation?
- They have no obligation as the building was built before the Equality Act
- They must make reasonable adjustments to allow access, such as providing a ramp or an alternative accessible entrance (Correct answer)
- They can refuse entry and suggest the patron visits a different venue
- They only need to comply if the patron has pre-booked
Correct answer: They must make reasonable adjustments to allow access, such as providing a ramp or an alternative accessible entrance
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. This could include providing a portable ramp, using an alternative entrance, or offering assistance. The age of the building does not remove this obligation.
Question 4: What is unconscious bias?
- A deliberate decision to discriminate against someone
- Automatic assumptions or attitudes towards groups of people that a person is unaware they hold (Correct answer)
- A legal defence against discrimination claims
- A type of harassment defined in the Equality Act 2010
Correct answer: Automatic assumptions or attitudes towards groups of people that a person is unaware they hold
Unconscious bias refers to attitudes or stereotypes that affect our decisions and actions without us being aware of them. Door supervisors must recognise their own unconscious biases to ensure they treat all patrons fairly and do not discriminate inadvertently.
Question 5: Which of the following scenarios would most likely constitute lawful refusal of entry by a door supervisor?
- Refusing entry to someone because they appear to be transgender
- Refusing entry to someone who is heavily intoxicated and behaving aggressively (Correct answer)
- Refusing entry to someone because they are wearing a hijab
- Refusing entry to someone because they are over sixty-five years old
Correct answer: Refusing entry to someone who is heavily intoxicated and behaving aggressively
Refusing entry to someone who is heavily intoxicated and aggressive is lawful because it is based on behaviour and licensing obligations, not a protected characteristic. The Licensing Act 2003 prohibits serving alcohol to intoxicated persons, giving the door supervisor legal grounds for refusal.
Question 6: Under the Equality Act 2010, harassment is defined as unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of doing what?
- Causing financial loss to the victim
- Violating the person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment (Correct answer)
- Making the person late for an appointment
- Causing physical injury to the victim
Correct answer: Violating the person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment
The Equality Act 2010 defines harassment as unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for that person.
SIA Equality and Diversity 2
A door supervisor notices a colleague refusing entry to a patron because of their race.
What should they do first?