Equal Pay Act 1970: Gives an individual right to the same contractual pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment, where they are doing like work.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Makes employers responsible for the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. Organisations are liable for the behaviour of their employees at work.
Sex Discrimination Act (SDA) 1975: Applies to both women and men. It makes discrimination unlawful in employment, vocational training, education and the provision of facilities, services and housing.
Race Relations Act (RRA) 1976: This takes the same form as the SDA. It legislates against direct and indirect discrimination within certain areas (only). Under the Act, the council must not discriminate on the basis of “race” either in whom it houses or employs. It should provide different types of accommodation to meet the needs of all types of household, on the basis of need.
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995: Aims to protect disabled people from discrimination in employment and access to goods, facilities and services. The Act bars “less favourable treatment” of disabled people in employment and in the provision of services. A duty to make “reasonable adjustments” in order to ensure access to goods and services came into force in October 2004.
Protection from Harassment Act 1997: This Act relates specifically to activities including stalking, harassment and fear of violence. Offences also include breach of an injunction or restraining order placed on a person who has been engaging in harassing behaviour. Harassment is defined as being deemed to occur when unwanted conduct related to racial or ethnic origin takes place with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
The Human Rights Act 1998: This came into force in 2000. This incorporates the 18 articles of the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. Article 14 is particularly relevant as it relates to the right and freedom not to be discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, belief, sexuality and a range of other categories.
Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999: Aims to protect transsexual people from discrimination in pay and treatment in employment and vocational training.
Disability Rights Commission Act 1999: Set up the DRC and established its remit and responsibilities.
Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000: Places a positive duty on public bodies to promote race equality. Previous legislation on gender, race, and disability had focused only on preventing discrimination. The council is now required by law to:
eliminate unlawful discrimination
promote equal opportunities
promote harmonious relations between people of different cultural groups
Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001: Establishes legal rights for disabled students in pre- and post-16 education.
Employment Equality Regulations 2003 (Sexual Orientation): Makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate on the grounds of (perceived) sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is defined as orientation towards the same sex, both sexes or the opposite sex.
Employment Equality Regulations 2003 (Religion/Belief): Makes it unlawful for the employer to discriminate on the grounds of (perceived) religion or belief. This covers discrimination on the basis of any religion, religious belief or similar philosophical belief.
Gender Recognition Act 2004: The Act introduces a mechanism whereby transgender people can apply for legal recognition in their acquired gender.
Civil Partnership Act 2004: Allows for a new form of legal relationship which may be formed by two people of the same sex. Civil partnership is of similar seriousness and commitment as civil marriage and has been created in order to provide same-sex couples with a means of having their relationship legally recognised if they wish.
Disability Discrimination Act 2005: This is the Government’s final step towards fulfilling it's pledge to extend rights and opportunities for disabled people. It builds on other legislative steps already in place, including the setting up of the Disability Rights Commission, and includes measures to amend the DDA 1995 in areas such as the definition of disability, premises and private clubs. It places a duty on public authorities to actively promote disability equality. The council is now required by law to:
eliminate unlawful discrimination
promote equality of opportunity between disabled persons and others
eliminate disability related harassment
promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
encourage participation by disabled people in public life
The proposed Employment Equality Regulations (Age) will become law in December 2006. This will outlaw discrimination on the grounds of age. This is likely to herald substantial change, for example compulsory retirement at 65 may be abolished. This coincides with the apparent need in the national economy to address the problem of providing adequate pensions.
The Equality Bill proposes to establish a new Commission for Equality and Human Rights from October 2007, incorporating the Equal Opportunities and Disability Rights Commissions from the start and the Commission for Racial Equality by April 2009. The Bill will also ban discrimination on the grounds of religion/belief and sexual orientation, in the provision of goods, facilities, services, premises and education; and create a new duty on public authorities to promote gender equality.
The Racial and Religious Hatred Bill seeks to expand the current offence of incitement to racial hatred to instances where people stir up hatred of others on the basis of their religious belief.
Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008