Employment law solicitors, equality campaigners and government ministers have all hailed the Equality Act as a huge step towards bringing together pre-existing discrimination law, strengthening the law and boosting equality.
Many employment law solicitors have welcomed the forthcoming implementation of the act, because amongst many there was a feeling that the complex range of legislation which used to make up discrimination law urgently needed simplifying. Indeed, many employment law solicitors expressed concerns that existing legislation is actually a hindrance to equality.
For the most part, the act will come into force in October and employment law solicitors want everyone to be aware of the changes. The general advice is to ensure that companies are prepared or the new changes.
From October, employers will not be able to ask job candidates questions relating to their health if it is unrelated to the job role. Contractual clauses which stop employees from discussing their pay and bonuses will be outlawed. And employers will have the option to favour candidates with an under-represented ‘protected characteristic’ if two equal job candidates are found. ‘Protected characteristics’ are sex, age, race or national origin, sexual orientation, religion or belief and disability.
Employment law solicitors are welcoming the addition of legislation that will allow employees to launch discrimination claims on two grounds if they feel that they were victims of discrimination owing to them having two or more of the protected characteristics. The spectrum of discrimination law will also be broadened to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of a person’s association with a person with a protected characteristic.~ Discrimination law will be expanded to protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of their association with a person with a protected characteristic.~ The law relating to discrimination will also be extended to include discrimination against individuals based on their association with someone with a protected characteristic.} This means that treating an employee unfavourably because of the religion of their partner would be illegal. It will also become illegal to discriminate against someone who is wrongly believed to have a protected characteristic.
These are just some of the provisions of the new law. There are many other changes which will be brought in and which employment law solicitors can advise on. Employment law solicitors are urging people to review their policies and procedures now to ensure compliance in October.
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