Workplace discrimination can lead to serious legal and reputational risks. Working with expert advisers helps to prevent issues, manage complaints, and maintain a fair, compliant workplace.
Discrimination and harassment complaints can range from informal concerns to formal grievances and Employment Tribunal claims. These issues are complex, sensitive, and can have serious legal and reputational consequences for your organisation.
Understanding the law
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination at work and in wider society. It consolidates previous legislation and strengthens protection in key areas. Under the Act, it’s unlawful to discriminate against someone because of a protected characteristic, which includes:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation.
What does discrimination look like?
- Direct discrimination: Treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic
- Indirect discrimination: Applying a policy or rule that disadvantages a group with a protected characteristic without objective justification
- Harassment: Behaviour related to a protected characteristic or of a sexual nature that humiliates, intimidates or offends someone
- Victimisation: Treating someone detrimentally because they raised or supported a discrimination complaint
- Discrimination arising from disability: Unfavourable treatment because of something arising in consequence of disability without objective justification
- Failure to make reasonable adjustments: Failing to take reasonable steps to avoid substantial disadvantage linked to disability
- Associative discrimination: Discrimination based on someone else’s protected characteristic, such as a family member.
How can we support you?
We provide expert, pragmatic advice to help you manage and prevent discrimination issues. Our services include:
- Handling internal grievance investigations and Employment Tribunal claims
- Drafting equality and diversity policies
- Designing effective complaints procedures
- Delivering discrimination training for an inclusive workplace
- Advising on reasonable adjustments for disabled employees
- Supporting mediation and Acas early conciliation to resolve disputes.
Our goal is to reduce risk, cost, and stress for your business while promoting a fair and compliant workplace.
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