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Equality Act Implementation Confirmed

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Lewis Silkin

Diversity DisabilityII.jpgThe UK's Government Equalities Office (GEO) has clarified the implementation timetable for the Equality Act 2010, which harmonises, consolidates and reforms all of the UK's existing anti-discrimination legislation. (See our earlier note, Equality Act Becomes Law, for a summary of the Act's main provisions.)

As expected, the GEO has confirmed that most of the Act will come into force on 1 October 2010. However, there are some significant measures over which the Coalition Government is still deliberating. These include:

  •  The duty on public authorities to take into account 'socio-economic' inequality when making strategic decisions.
  • The 'dual discrimination' provisions, which would introduce a right to bring discrimination claims combining two protected characteristics.
  •  The requirement for employers with 250 or more employees to publish information on their gender pay gap.
  • The provisions allowing employers to take positive action, in recruitment and promotion, in favour of members of an under-represented group.

Government ministers are considering "how to implement these remaining provisions in the best way for business and for others with rights and responsibilities under the Act". Their decisions will be announced in due course.

Meanwhile, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has published online guidance on what the Act will mean for employers, workers, service providers and service users.

This entry was written by Richard Lister.

Image credit: danleap
Tags: Age, Associative Discrimination, Disability, Dual Discrimination, Gender, Pay Equity, Positive Discrimination, Public Sector
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