The Equality Act 2010 is the main legal basis for protection against discrimination in employment law.  It covers the same groups of individuals as those previously protected prior to 2010 (see Protected Characteristics List), although it has increased its application and scope so that it is easier for individuals to gain legal protection against discrimination in recruitment, in the workplace, or even after leaving employment. If an individual has one of the protected characteristics, employers should take extra care and seek advice from our team before taking any action in relation to that individual.

As an employer it is important to maintain equality and diversity within the workplace and have clear policies in place to protect employees from any adverse treatment by reason of any protected characteristic they may have. We have provided a template Equal Opportunities Policy which provides a clear basis upon which you should focus in your business, to avoid a costly discrimination claim.

If in doubt, we are here to help.