Discrimination in work

What is discrimination? Employees raise issues for lots of reasons but what do they mean when they allege they are being discriminated against?

The Equality Act 2010 lists the grounds upon which an individual can suffer discrimination, these are known as the ‘protected characteristics’ and they are:

·         Age

·         Disability

·         Gender reassignment

·         Marriage and Civil partnership

·         Pregnancy and maternity

·         Race

·         Religion or belief

·         Sex

·         Sexual orientation

Sometimes the alleged discrimination may not be obvious. The employee may tell you that their colleagues talk about them behind their back, or they are being excluded from conversations, or their manager gives more work (or more difficult work) to them than they give to their colleagues. Whereas these examples may be unfair (if proven) and may amount to bullying, they are only discriminatory if the actions are done because of one or more of the protected characteristics.

If an Employment Tribunal upholds an allegation of discrimination against an employer, the amount of the award is unlimited. So it is important that any allegations of discrimination are dealt with correctly, quickly, and fairly.

To ensure you don’t fall foul of an avoidable Tribunal claim, let My Legal HR conduct your HR-related meetings for you.

We will attend at your site and investigate the concerns, we will hold a grievance and/or a disciplinary hearing, or an appeal hearing on your behalf. We will conduct the matter in accordance with employment law, ACAS guidance, and your policies and procedures.

This leaves you free to run the business in the knowledge the matter is being dealt with correctly, professionally, and independently.

You are not tied to any lengthy contract but are free to use our services whenever you wish.

Contact us today on 0151 513 3324 for a free, no obligation discussion and let us resolve your workplace issues tomorrow.