Other Equality Regulations
How do these regulations fit with other equality legislation?
There is already information on the importance of these pieces of legislation can be found by contacting Equality Direct or Acas website address.
The Equal Pay Act 1970
The Sex Discrimination Act 1975
The Race Relations Act 1976
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
The Race Relations Amendment Act 2000
The Government's approach has been to ensure that requirements are consistent across equality legislation where practicable. That makes it easier for everyone to understand and use the law. For example:
- The same definition of indirect discrimination is used in the Sexual Orientation, Religion or Belief Regulations. (NB the DDA uses a different concept - one of "reasonable adjustment" rather than indirect discrimination).
- The same burden of proof across the strands - once an Employment Tribunal or Court is satisfied from the facts that there is a case to answer, the onus is on the employer to show that the difference in treatment was justified.
- The same procedure for making complaints and remedies. Where an employee thinks that they have been discriminated against under the new Regulations, they can bring a case to an Employment Tribunal. (In cases involving institutes of further and higher education proceedings must be brought in the county or sheriff court.)
The Employment Equality Regulations are part of a package of innovative and amended equality legislation. The Government delivered on its commitment to:
- Amend the Disability Discrimination Act in October 2004.
- Undertake a consultation on proposals for age legislation in 20 October 2003
- Introduce new legislation outlawing discrimination on grounds of age by the end of 2006.