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The Equality Act 2010 came into force in October 2010. It brings together several previous acts - Equal Pay Act , Sex Discrimination Act, Race Relations Act , Disability Discrimination Act, Gender Reassignment Regulations, Civil Partnership Act, Special Educational Needs and Disability Act, and Sexual Orientation Regulations - under one act.
The Equality Act 2010 covers the following, which are called 'protected characteristics':
- age - whether you are young or old
- disability - includes people who have difficulty in carrying out day-to-day activities due to their health
- gender reassignment - you do not have to be seeing a doctor or other medical supervisor to be protected under the Act
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
You have the right to be treated fairly, whether you are a man or woman, have changed your sex, have a disability, and regardless of your race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, or religious belief.
Under the new Act, people's rights have been increased:
- Direct discrimination - you cannot be discriminated against because of a 'protected characteristic' or because someone thinks you have a 'protected characteristic' (see the list above)
- Associative discrimination - you cannot be discriminated against because you associate (are friends with) someone with a 'protected characteristic'
- Indirect discrimination - organisations must not make a rule or policy that disdvantages someone with a 'protected characteristic'
- Harassment - you can complain if you are offended by someone's behaviour even if it is not about you
- Victimisation - you cannot be treated unfairly because you have made a complaint or agree with a complaint someone else has made
Many of the above were covered under the old acts but the new act
gives you greater protection and makes it easier to prove you have been treated unfairly.
You can get advice on this from:
ACAS
www.acas.org.uk/equality act
T: 08457 47 47 47
M: 08456 06 16 00
Equality and Human Rights Commission
www.equalityhumanrights.com
T: 0845 604 6610
Pay & Employment Rights Service
www.pers.org.uk
Directgov
www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople
www.direct.gov.uk/Discrimination
Britkid website
www.britkid.org
TUC (Trade Union Congress) or Worksmart
www.tuc.org.uk
www.worksmart.org.uk
T: 0113 242 9696
Low Pay Commission
www.lowpay.gov.uk
T: 020 7215 8459
Pay and work Rights Helpline
T
: 0800 917 2368
Textphone: 0800 121 4042
Community Legal Advice
www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
T: 0845 345 4 345
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