INTRODUCING THE EQUALITY ACT

As an employer, it can hardly have slipped your notice that the new Equality Act came into force in the UK on October 1st, 2010.  Despite the fact that, in essence, it has been created to consolidate the provisions of a number of previously unrelated laws and therefore should simplify matters, widespread feedback suggests that many employers still feel unsure about the implications of the new legislation and are concerned about what they ought to be doing.

The Government Equalities Office states that the aim of the Act is to:

“ provide a new cross-cutting legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all; to update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation; and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.”

Whilst we applaud these aims, we also recognise that for employers much of the challenge in achieving this comes down to translating the requirements of the Act into policies and practice within their own individual workplace.

In essence the main changes within the Act concern direct, indirect, associative and perceptive discrimination; harassment and victimization, positive action, extension of employment tribunal powers, equal pay direct discrimination, pay secrecy and pre-employment health checks.

If you have any further queries about this or any other employment matter, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our concern, as always, is to provide you with swift, practical, cost-effective solutions.

Jane Laidler

Back to latest news