Posts Tagged ‘equality’

On Tuesday 6 April the Equality Bill passed its final stage in Parliament meaning that it will become law in October 2010.   This latest Bill is likely to affect all businesses in some form or another so it’s probably worth making preparations soon.  The Bill will bring about a number of changes including:

1. Gender Pay Gap Audits: Meaning companies with 100 or more employees will have to report their gender pay gap from 2013.
   
2. Ban on pre-employment health questionnaires: Job applicants with existing health problems or mental-health issues will not be required to disclose this to potential employers unless it directly affects their ability to perform their duties.
3. Ban on discrimination by association: This will encompass the 2008 European Court of Justice’s ruling in Coleman v Attridge Law where legal secretary Sharon Coleman made a claim for harassment and discrimination after requesting time off to care for her disabled son.
4. Positive action in recruitment and promotion: This will enable employers to show favour to minority groups during recruitment or promotion process where they are up against candidates of the same calibre from groups that are already well-represented within the workforce.
5. Single equality duty (from April 2011): This will consolidate all equality law including that covering race, gender and disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment, into one single duty.
6. Guidance on protected beliefs: This plans to give the same level of protection to vegans, atheists and Scientologists as religious groups.
7. Diversity in procurement: Means that private sector firms bidding for government contracts will have to publish their diversity policies publicly.  Goverment organisations will not be able to force diversity policies on private sector firms but will be able to hold them to account over their published policies.
8. Bans on workers discussing pay to be lifted: This is intended to remove secrecy clauses over pay from employment contracts so women are able to more easily challenge differences in pay.
9. Enhanced tribunal powers: This will see a change from the current situation where tribunals can only make recommendations to allowing tribunals the power to force sweeping changes in policy and process in companies found guilty of discrimination.
10. Caste discrimination: This is intended to tackle issues with discrimination against caste or social standing within Hindu and Sikh communities if it is noted to be a problem.