Equality information and objectives
The Equality Act 2010 is a UK law that protects people from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in the workplace and wider society.
Protected Characteristics
The law protects individuals based on nine personal traits, known as protected characteristics:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
Prohibited Conduct
The act bans four main types of unlawful behavior:
- Direct discrimination: Treating someone worse than others because of a protected characteristic.
- Indirect discrimination: Applying a rule or policy to everyone that puts people with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage.
- Harassment: Unwanted or offensive behavior that violates dignity or creates an intimidating environment.
- Victimisation: Treating someone poorly because they made a complaint or helped with an equality claim. [1]
Where It Applies
- Workplaces: Covering employees, job applicants, and contractors.
- Services: Covering businesses, shops, transport, and public services like healthcare and education.
The Public Sector Equality Duty
The PSED, set out in Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, requires public authorities to have "due regard" to equality considerations in all their day-to-day work.
The Three Aims
Public bodies must consciously consider the need to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimization.
- Advance equality of opportunity between different groups.
- Foster good relations between people with and without protected characteristics.