Reference: FOI-2024-1981 

You asked

In line with your recommendations for FOI-2024-1897, I would like to narrow the request to:

a) Report on any Diversity, Equality and Inclusion training which your finance team tracks centrally

and, 

b) Report on the other questions as recommended that fall under the broader Speaking Up framework at ONS. Please can you also include the 30 different reasons that a member of staff is able to raise an issue under this framework. If it is possible to break the data down against each of the 30 different categories, please do so, but if this is not possible, please proceed with consolidated figures.

We said

Thank you for your request. 

In response to part (a) of your request, the following equality, diversity and inclusion training is offered centrally by the UK Statistics Authority Learning Academy

FY 2022/23

Inclusive Interactive Experience, from Vivida

Active Bystander Training, from Lewis Silkin

FY 2023/24

Inclusive Interactive Experience, from Vivida

In response to part (b) of your request,

Q: Number of employment law cases that commenced in the financial years 2018-2023 where the discrimination relates to a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010.

A: Please note the term 'employment law cases' is interpreted as Employment Tribunals. As per your request, the provided information pertains to the Employment Tribunals 'commencing' from the timeframe, (1/4/18-31/3/23). This is available via the GOV.UK website, searching for Employment Tribunals.  Between 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023, there have been 11 employment tribunals, where the discrimination relates to a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010. Of the 11 Employment Tribunals only 1 was found against ONS.

Q: Number of employment law cases that commenced in the financial years 2018-2023 where the main cause cited is bullying or harassment but excludes all cases related to the previous category of protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010 

A: Please note the term 'employment law cases' is interpreted as Employment Tribunals. Between 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023, there have been 0 employment tribunals where the main cause is cited as bullying or harassment. This excludes all cases related to the previous category of protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010.

Q: Total amount spent on either awarded payments or settlement agreements in the financial years 2018-2023, where the discrimination relates to a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010 

A: There have been no settlement agreements in this period. The total pay awarded for the 1 employment tribunal which found against ONS in this period where the discrimination relates to a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010, was £2,715.70.

Q: Total amount spent on either awarded payments or settlement agreements in the financial years 2018-2023 where the main cause cited is bullying or harassment but excludes all cases related to the previous category of protected characteristics under the Equalities Act 2010 

A: There have been no settlement agreements or awarded payments for employment tribunals in this period, where the main cause cited is bullying or harassment but excludes all cases related to the previous category of protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

You also requested ONS to provide information about the opening reasons available to staff to open a case under the Speaking up Framework in the same period.

We use a case management system to record employment case data. There are over 30 opening reasons to choose from when a speaking Up case is created, these reasons are: 

  • Age 

  • Breach of contract 

  • Bullying  

  • Constructive dismissal 

  • Disability 

  • Equal pay 

  • Fixed term employee regulations  

  • Flexible working regulations 

  • Gender 

  • General advice 

  • Grievance 

  • Guaranteed payment (assertion of statutory right) 

  • Harassment  

  • Health and Safety (assertion of statutory right) 

  • Holiday pay 

  • Industrial action 

  • Information and consultation (assertion of statutory right) 

  • Itemised pay statement (assertion of statutory right) 

  • Marriage or civil partnership 

  • Maternity & parental leave regulations 

  • Mediation 

  • Minimum wage (assertion of statutory right) 

  • Other 

  • Part time worker regulations 

  • Pay  

  • Performance management 

  • Political opinion - NI only 

  • Pre-claim conciliation 

  • Protected disclosure/whistleblowing (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Race 

  • Recruitment process 

  • Redundancy payment (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Religion/belief 

  • Right to be accompanied (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Sexual harassment 

  • Sexual orientation 

  • Sunday working (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Suspension on medical grounds (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Tax credits (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Time off work (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Transgender 

  • TUPE 

  • Unfair dismissal 

  • Unlawful deduction from wages 

  • Unlawful detriment - H&S rep 

  • Unlawful detriment - Jury service 

  • Unlawful detriment - TU rep 

  • Unlawful detriment - Working time directive 

  • Victimisation and bullying 

  • Whistleblowing 

  • Working time regulations 

  • Written reasons for dismissal (assertion of statutory rights) 

  • Wrongful dismissal 

When a caseworker creates a case in the case management system, the employee will have provided context about their concern which they have raised under the Speaking Up framework; this initial information indicates the opening reason. Once an opening reason is chosen (of which multiple may apply), the case notes can be updated as more evidence is collated, but the reason remains fixed throughout the life cycle of a case. 

There are a total of 230 cases recorded under the 'Speaking Up' category in the financial years 2018-2023 and some cases have been created using multiple reasons.  

We are unable to share the breakdown of this recorded data, as this may be disclosive. Therefore, we protect this information and any persons involved in accordance with section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act.