Guides · United Kingdom · recruiters, HR & hiring managers
Genuine occupational requirement wording in job adverts — literacy for recruiters
Faith-based, care and single-sex service adverts sometimes describe a genuine occupational requirement beside equal opportunities footers. This guide helps UK recruiters read GOR wording on drafts before publish. Wording hygiene only — not legal advice.
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What GOR signposts mean on drafts
Care, faith-based charities and single-sex services sometimes need adverts to describe a genuine occupational requirement — for example working in a women-only refuge or conducting religious observance as part of duties.
Recruiters read those lines to ensure the advert states the requirement clearly without drifting into general preference language.
Cross-read equal opportunities line vs the title, age-coded and gendered job titles, and native speaker vs language skill.
Common GOR patterns on UK drafts
| Pattern | Candidate read | Rewrite toward |
|---|---|---|
| “Female worker required” | Blanket gender filter | State lawful GOR and role reason if HR confirms |
| “Must share our faith” | Belief alignment for all staff | Describe observable duties tied to GOR |
| “GOR applies — see policy” | Hidden detail | Summarise requirement on the advert body |
| Gendered title + EO footer only | Contradiction | Align title with approved GOR wording |
| “Only applicants of X may apply” | Absolute exclusion | HR/legal review before publish |
Separate skills, beliefs and preferences
Language fluency, DBS level and occupational licences are often essential criteria — not GORs. Mixing them under a GOR heading confuses candidates and auditors.
Culture fit lines are poor substitutes for describing why a GOR exists — see culture fit guide when tone drifts.
See culture fit wording, DBS check wording, and degree requirements wording.
Worked example
Essential criteria: “This post involves working in a women-only service; the post holder must be a woman due to the nature of the role.” Literacy notes:
- GOR stated: Sex requirement linked to service — HR confirms lawful basis.
- Duties visible: Women-only service named — not only in handbook.
- Title check: Job title should not contradict EO footer.
- Agency board: Export full HTML into free check — truncation hides GOR lines.
Common misreadings
- Equal opportunities footer assumed to cure gendered titles. Inventory mismatch.
- Religious organisation name assumed to imply GOR for every role. Role-specific wording still matters.
- Client brief vs agency draft drift. Mirror approved GOR text on board export.
- Part-time hours line used to justify sex requirement. Unrelated — keep separate sentences.
Desk checklist
| Check | Pass hint |
|---|---|
| GOR linked to named duties | Not vague preference |
| Title matches body wording | No hidden gender code |
| Distinct from language skill rows | Separate bullets |
| HR sign-off recorded | Internal audit trail |
| Pre-publish checklist run | Pre-publish checklist |
Faith and care context
Chaplaincy or religious education posts may describe belief-based duties — still avoid casual belief tests unrelated to tasks.
Sleep-in care roles combine GOR questions with overnight presence wording — read sleep-in shift guide for pay lines on the same draft.
See sleep-in shift wording and disability and health wording.
Agency and client handoff
Agency recruiters should paste client-approved GOR paragraphs verbatim — paraphrasing risks unlawful shorthand.
Client brief vs agency advert guide helps when board exports drop GOR sentences.
See client brief vs agency wording and draft text first paste beats live URL.
Pay and benefits adjacent lines
Salary band transparency may sit above GOR bullets — keep benefits factual without implying pay differs by protected characteristic.
Commission-only sales roles need clarity that GOR rules, if any, apply to duties not to pay structure.
See salary band wording and commission-only wording.
Security and vetting footers
Security clearance paragraphs should remain factual — they do not replace describing a GOR where HR requires it.
Right to work lines concern eligibility to work — separate from GOR analysis.
See right to work wording and security clearance wording.
Monitoring board exports
Indeed and LinkedIn truncations may drop GOR sentences that survive on the careers site — paste the board export into the free check, not only the CMS master.
Multi-location templates sometimes inherit GOR text from one site into roles where HR has not approved it — audit each location block.
See draft text first paste beats live URL and pre-publish checklist.
Menopause and parental leave adjacency
Menopause support bullets sit beside GOR lines on inclusive employer templates — they do not substitute for lawful GOR wording where HR requires it.
Shared parental leave signposts concern pay and leave routes — unrelated to GOR analysis but often on the same benefits block.
See menopause support wording and shared parental leave wording.
Questions
Should job adverts name a genuine occupational requirement explicitly?
When HR relies on a GOR, the advert should describe the requirement factually — not use shorthand that reads like a blanket preference. Confirm wording with HR before publish.
Is a GOR the same as an essential skills list?
No. Skills describe tasks; a GOR is a narrow legal exception about who may hold the role. Do not label every essential criterion as a GOR.
Does VacancyCheck decide whether a GOR applies?
No. VacancyCheck scans pasted advert copy for wording risk. Legal tests remain HR and legal counsel's task.
Can gender-specific language ever appear on an advert?
Only when HR confirms a lawful GOR and approves precise wording — VacancyCheck still flags gendered lines for human review.
Should religion-related GOR wording sit in the footer?
Material requirements belong near the role description — burying GOR text below unrelated benefits can confuse candidates.
Related guides
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