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Introduction

This chapter first considers discrimination in employment and then health and safety at

work. The Equality Act 2010 has consolidated the law on discrimination. Before the Act

came into force the law was contained in a large number of different regulations and

statutes. Legislation which prevents discrimination on account of the type of contract on

which an employee works, for example on a part-time contract or on a fixed-term contract,

has not been consolidated. However, the Equality Act has replaced all of the previous

legislation which outlawed discrimination on account of an employee’s personal character-

istics. It has therefore replaced statutes such as the Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Race

Relations Act 1976.

The Bribery Act

The Equality Act aims to harmonise discrimination law and strengthen progress on

equality. It adopts a common approach to outlawing discrimination at work where the

discrimination is based on a person’s personal characteristics, such as being female, black

or disabled. It also allows positive discrimination to overcome or minimise disadvantage

suffered on account of personal characteristics. In addition, certain public bodies are

required to consider socio-economic disadvantage when making strategic decisions.

The protected characteristics

Section 4 of the Act lists nine protected characteristics. Discrimination on the grounds of one

or more of these characteristics is outlawed. The protected characteristics are:

n age;

n disability;

n gender reassignment;

n marriage and civil partnership;

n pregnancy and maternity;

n race;

n religion or belief;

n sex; and

n sexual orientation.

Chapter 14

Employment (2): Discrimination and

health and safety