PhD Handbook

14 3.10 DISCRIMINATION AT THE WORKPLACE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES It is a mission of the Helmholtz society to create a working environment that allows the employees to develop themselves optimally. Central points are • Equal opportunities • Compatibility of family and work • Networking between centers to realize best practice examples • Support of women to increase their proportion in leading positions. How to deal with discrimination at the working place In Germany, any discrimination due to race or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation is prohibited by the General Act on Equal Treatment (“Allge- meines Gleichstellungsgesetz” (AGG)). This of course also applies to your workspace. The AGG even defines duties of employers to ensure the equality of all employees. Also, every institution is obliged to supply an office that receives comp- laints in case of discrimination. If you are faced with any kind of discrimination, you should not accept this! If you don’t know how to handle the situation, please take advice from confidants, equal opportunity commissioners or students’ representatives. There are also a number of official constitutions offering advice or helping to establish a diversity management for institutions. An overview of consulting centers can be found at the webpage of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (“Antidiskriminierungs- stelle des Bundes”) www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/EN/Home/home_node.html Equal opportunity commissioners Helmholtz Centers are equal opportunity employers, but recognize that gender imbalances nevertheless exist. That’s why most centers have equal opportunity officers working to support the active involvement of both men and women in the scientific community and to make a scientific career and having a family more compatible. Consulting services are included in: • all cases of application and employment • all questions about pregnancy, motherhood and parental leave • conflict situations Mentoring programs A mentoring program for women is one approach the Helmholtz Association has in place to increase the number of women in higher level and executive positions. It is targeted at aspiring women who are working in management or administration and are recent PhD graduates within the association. For further information concerning equal opportunities see: www.helmholtz.de/en/jobs_talent/equal_opportunity HELMHOLTZ JUNIORS l 3 COMPLETING YOUR PHD WITHIN THE HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION

Seitenübersicht