Posted by Hammerji on 29/11/2011, 6:28 pm

The Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) are currently monitoring the use/misuse of opposite sex workers in toilets and changing rooms where it is proportionate and legitimate to use a same sex worker without being accused of discrimination-for reasons of privacy and dignity/decency. Policies for opposite sex workers are largely absent or being ignored in many multi cubical/urinal single sex toilets and washing/showering/changing room facilities eg motorway service stations, where permanent warning signs eg 'male and female staff work here' are being used to allow free access to female facilities by male workers and vice versa by gaining implied consent from unsuspecting service users. This breaches privacy laws, potentially meets with the principles of harrassment for many people especially those who have been sexually abused, and puts women, children and other vulnerable groups at increased risk. Organisations using opposite sex workers may be breaching human rights of both users and workers and exploiting staff (sending female staff to clean around men using open urinals) if they do not have a robust alternative to a gender based policy ie one which does not compromise either users or cleaners-eg signs giving times. Knocking/opening the door does not allow users chance to object before the privacy violation has occurred. Many of you probably find the presence of same sex cleaners problematic, but if you cannot choose to use a facility without having to worry about opposite sex workers eg cleaners turning up and walking in on you while you are using it you should complain & report the organisation to the EHRC helpline.

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