Peninsula’s guide to workplace equality
The Equality Act 2010 covers the same characteristics that are protected by current discrimination laws, such as disability, age, gender reassignment, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity; these are named “protected characteristics” or “PCs”. However, certain facets of discrimination law have been strengthened, modified or extended to cover new groups by the Equality Act 2010.Although certain rights and responsibilities, listed below, have been added to, changed, or have been introduced for the first time, employers will be pleased to know many of the basic principles of discrimination legislation are to remain the same.Changes in employment lawAlterations to the law include the condition that employees will be able to complain of harassment even if it is not aimed at them, but if they can demonstrate that it creates an environment offensive to them.Legislation has been extended to protect people who associate with somebody who possesses a protected characteristic, and believe they are being directly discriminated against because of this. Sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, gender reassignment, disability and age are covered by this extension.Discrimination arising from disability is a concept newly introduced to the law, which forbids unfavourable treatment of disabled workers as a consequence of something arising from their disability.Peninsula can helpThe purpose of the Equality Act 2010 is to provide legislative framework to defend the rights of all employees and simplify previous legislation. With this in mind Peninsula strongly advises businesses and employers to review and implement these policies as soon as possible. Dealing with any issues the Act may raise in advance could help prevent a costly <a title="Peninsula also offers employment tribunal representation" href="http://employment tribunal in the future.If you need further guidance on the Equality Act 2010 or any other employment law matter, please contact Peninsula. We are the UK’s leading provider of health and safety and employment law services. Peninsula has now been integrated with the Health and Safety or HR departments of more than 25,000 companies since being established in 1983. Employing over 900 people across the UK and Ireland, Peninsula has head offices in Manchester.If you are a member of the media and need any further assistance, would like to discuss case studies for a particular feature, or be added to our media contact list, feel free to contact Sammual-James McLoughlin, Head of Media, Press and Public Relations at Peninsula Business Services.
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