Sexual, Racial, Disabled Anti-Discrimination Laws
The United Kingdom is protected by a number of anti-discrimination laws that govern the way people can expect to be treated with regards to their sex, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age or physical condition. The fundamental ideal that lies behind these laws is that everyone has the right to be treated fairly regardless of their background, physical appearance or beliefs.
In 1975 the UK Government passed the Sex Discrimination Act which stated that sexual discrimination may be 'direct' or 'indirect', deliberate or accidental. An employer is acting unlawfully if they treat you differently from others because of your sex, because of your marital status, or if you are having gender reassignment. You therefore have the right to be treated fairly and without prejudice, regardless of your gender or orientation.
The 1970 Equal Pay Act brought in new legislation to ensure men and women receive equal pay and conditions where they are doing the same or similar work, or work of equal value. Subsequent European equal opportunities laws that have been put in place are intended to ensure that people are employed, paid, trained and promoted only according to their skills, abilities and how they do their job. No one should ever feel that they are at a disadvantage because of their gender or background.
The 1976 Race Relations Act made it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against anyone on racial grounds, at all stages of employment, even from the application stage. Race includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. It is irrelevant if the discrimination is intended or not; what matters is whether an employer treats you unfairly because of your race.
Disabled workers share the same general employment rights as other workers, but there are also some special provisions for them under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) that was instigated in 1995. One of the most important aspects of this legislation is the right to have reasonable adjustments made in the workplace (so that the disabled worker can carry out their job in a safe and effective manner). Under the DDA it is unlawful for employers to discriminate against disabled people for any reason related to their disability, covering all aspects of employment from the application stage, unless this can be justified.
Under the DDA your employer has a duty to make any 'reasonable adjustments' that ensure you are not at a substantial disadvantage by employment arrangements or any physical nature of the workplace. These adjustments include transfers to another place of work within the organisation, adjustments to the buildings and equipment you use, arranging flexible working hours and providing re-training if you are no longer able to continue in your current role.
If you believe that you are being treated unfairly at work and this mistreatment is because of your sex, race, or disability, you should discuss the matter with your employer. If your complaint is not taken seriously you should consider raising a grievance according to your company's policies and procedures as appropriate. If your employer has an equal opportunities policy it is advisable that you familiarise yourself with it. Any victimisation you receive following a complaint would also be considered to count as discrimination.
If making a formal complaint within your workplace does not resolve the matter, you can take your complaint to an Employment Tribunal within three months of the discrimination taking place (this is extended to six months if the complaint concerns unequal pay). Employment Tribunals can award compensation for unlawful discrimination. The awards can cover emotional distress, loss of secure employment and both actual and potential financial loss. There is no limit on the amount of compensation that can be awarded but a complainant will only receive compensation for losses that were directly caused by the unlawful discrimination. The statutory limit for cash compensation for racial discrimination was £11,000, but this was removed by the Race Relations (Remedies) 1994 Act.
Ultimately, the aim of the payout is to return the individual to the financial position they would have been in had the discrimination not occurred.
The 1970 Equal Pay Act brought in new legislation to ensure men and women receive equal pay and conditions where they are doing the same or similar work, or work of equal value. Subsequent European equal opportunities laws that have been put in place are intended to ensure that people are employed, paid, trained and promoted only according to their skills, abilities and how they do their job. No one should ever feel that they are at a disadvantage because of their gender or background.
The 1976 Race Relations Act made it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against anyone on racial grounds, at all stages of employment, even from the application stage. Race includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. It is irrelevant if the discrimination is intended or not; what matters is whether an employer treats you unfairly because of your race.
Disabled workers share the same general employment rights as other workers, but there are also some special provisions for them under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) that was instigated in 1995. One of the most important aspects of this legislation is the right to have reasonable adjustments made in the workplace (so that the disabled worker can carry out their job in a safe and effective manner). Under the DDA it is unlawful for employers to discriminate against disabled people for any reason related to their disability, covering all aspects of employment from the application stage, unless this can be justified.
Under the DDA your employer has a duty to make any 'reasonable adjustments' that ensure you are not at a substantial disadvantage by employment arrangements or any physical nature of the workplace. These adjustments include transfers to another place of work within the organisation, adjustments to the buildings and equipment you use, arranging flexible working hours and providing re-training if you are no longer able to continue in your current role.
If you believe that you are being treated unfairly at work and this mistreatment is because of your sex, race, or disability, you should discuss the matter with your employer. If your complaint is not taken seriously you should consider raising a grievance according to your company's policies and procedures as appropriate. If your employer has an equal opportunities policy it is advisable that you familiarise yourself with it. Any victimisation you receive following a complaint would also be considered to count as discrimination.
If making a formal complaint within your workplace does not resolve the matter, you can take your complaint to an Employment Tribunal within three months of the discrimination taking place (this is extended to six months if the complaint concerns unequal pay). Employment Tribunals can award compensation for unlawful discrimination. The awards can cover emotional distress, loss of secure employment and both actual and potential financial loss. There is no limit on the amount of compensation that can be awarded but a complainant will only receive compensation for losses that were directly caused by the unlawful discrimination. The statutory limit for cash compensation for racial discrimination was £11,000, but this was removed by the Race Relations (Remedies) 1994 Act.
Ultimately, the aim of the payout is to return the individual to the financial position they would have been in had the discrimination not occurred.
