Single Equality Act introduced
Implementation date: 1 October 2010
The Equality Act 2010 consolidates existing equality law into a single piece of legislation and introduces a number of reforms. It defines direct discrimination as less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristic. This widens the scope for associative discrimination and discrimination based on a perceived protected characteristic. The Act prohibits employers from asking questions about health before offering a candidate a post. It widens the scope of harassment, by extending third-party harassment to all the "relevant protected characteristics". Read the legislation on the UK legislation website:
- Equality Act 2010.
- Equality Act 2010 (Commencement No.4, Savings, Consequential, Transitional, Transitory and Incidental Provisions and Revocation) Order 2010 (PDF format, 148K) The Order brings into force the main provisions of the Equality Act 2010.
- Equality Act 2010 (Disability) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2128) The Regulations supplement the definition of disability in the Equality Act 2010.
- Equality Act 2010 (Obtaining Information) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2194) The Order prescribes forms for an employee to obtain information from an employer and forms for responding to an employee.
- Equality Act 2010 (Sex Equality Rule) (Exceptions) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2132) The Regulations make exceptions to the sex-equality rule in occupational pension schemes.
- Equality Act (Age Exceptions for Pension Schemes) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2133) The Order makes exceptions to the prohibition on age discrimination in occupational pension schemes.
- Equality Act 2010 (Age Exceptions for Pension Schemes) (Amendment) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2285) (PDF format, 20K) The Order corrects minor amendments in the Equality Act (Age Exceptions for Pension Schemes) Order 2010.
- Equality Act 2010 (Consequential Amendments, Saving and Supplementary Provisions) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2279) (PDF format, 89K) The Order makes minor amendments to the Equality Act 2010 and other primary legislation.
- Equality Act 2010 (Qualifying Compromise Contract Specified Person) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2192) The Order covers who may act as an independent advisor to settle a complaint of discrimination.
- Equality Act 2010 (Offshore Work) Order 2010 (SI 2010/1835) The Order confirms that part 5 of the Equality Act 2010 applies to offshore work.