Vet clinic changes ad discouraging parental leave-takers

Dr Mark Robson of the Veterinary Specialist Group. Photo/Greg Bowker

The New Zealand Veterinary Association says there is more work to do to ensure those in the industry don't face discrimination.

The issue was highlighted today after a job post on the NZVA website warned the internal medicine specialist job would not be suitable for those who planned to take long periods of time out for parenting.

The ad was for a new North Shore Veterinary Specialists clinic being set up by Dr Mark Robson.

It warned applicants that "looking to the future, this is not a position who [sic] would suit someone who plans to take long periods of time off for parenting, due to the likelihood that the medicine team will always be small."

Robson told the Herald it was a very unusual and highly specialised role demanding a high level of commitment, research and study.

He said it would be "very unwise" to take time off for childcare, and possibly would not be permissible under the Australian governing body's rules.

But an NZVA spokeswoman said as soon as the association was alerted to the ad it had spoken to the business involved and had the ad amended.

The paragraph about parental leave has since been removed.

Advertisers had full responsibility for their ads, but the NZVA tried to catch anything discriminatory before posting, she said.

"We need to be more vigilant but we're making a real effort to make sure discriminatory practices are not happening."

She said Robson was not an NZVA member but he "sort of understood the comments" criticising the post.

"I think in our way we're helping to educate the profession through our members but we may need to do a bit more in that regard to make sure everybody recognises that things have changed."

A spokeswoman for the Human Rights Commission said it had not received any complaints about the ad.

"Under section 67 of the Human Rights Act, it is unlawful to publish an advertisement which indicates, or could reasonably be understood as indicating, an intention to breach the unlawful discrimination provisions," she said.

"The commission doesn't make a ruling on whether there is a breach of the Human Rights Act but we would consider a complaint from a person who is qualified for the job, through our usual process."