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Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Moving on with the Equality Act: Training Required!

Since the new equality Act came into force last October employers have had to cope with:
          Harmonised definitions
          Claims on the basis of combined discrimination
          Restoration of the disability related discrimination concept
          Introduction of indirect disability discrimination
          Precluded pre-employment health questionnaire
          Employment Tribunals that can make recommendations that benefit the wider workforce

and new terms such as protected characteristics:
          Age
          Disability
          Race
          Gender reassignment
          Marriage and civil partnership
          Pregnancy and maternity
          Religion or belief
          Sex
          Sexual orientation

There have also been new concepts to understand:

          Discrimination by perception
Where someone thinks a person has a particular protected characteristic whether or not they do
          Discrimination by association
Where a person is associated with someone who has a particular protected characteristic
·         Combination claims
When someone is discriminated against because of a combination of two protected characteristics (21 possible combinations)
·         Strengthened disability discrimination
as it is easier for an employee to qualify as disabled

Training:
Employers need to train their workforce and explain what actions they must take to ensure that they comply with the new legislation. If not they will have little defence/evidence at Employment Tribunal to demonstrate that they have done all in their power to ensure that they have reduced the risk of discrimination in the workplace!


The above is intended to provide opinion and not advice. Before you implement any decision based on this information please contact us at:  http://www.strategichrsupport.co.uk/.


© 2011 Strategic HR Support Ltd

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www.strategichrsupport.co.uk

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