Fair Treatment
Equal Pay
The employer must comply with the principle of equal pay between men and women who do the same job. Employers must not discriminate in the amount that they pay their workers, for example, by paying black workers less than white workers who are doing the same job, or by paying women less than men when they are doing work of equal value. The Equal Pay Act also requires that for men and women employed on like work the terms and conditions of one sex are not in any respect less favourable than those of the other; and for men and women employed on work rated as equivalent the terms and conditions of one sex are not less favourable than those of the other in any respect in which the terms and conditions of both are determined by the rating of their work.
Source: §64-71 of the Equality Act; Equal Opportunities Act 2006
Non-Discrimination
The Equality Act (sec. 4 of Equality Act) prohibits discrimination by an employer on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Discrimination is prohibited at every stage of the employment relationship, including recruitment and after termination. Direct discrimination occurs if an employee is less favourably treated because of a protected characteristic. Only direct age discrimination can be justified. Indirect discrimination occurs where an employer adopts a "provision, criterion or practice" which puts people who share a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage. For example, requiring all employees to work full-time might be indirect sex discrimination because it places women (who are more likely to have child care responsibilities) at a particular disadvantage. If employers can justify the treatment by showing it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, the treatment is not unlawful. Employees can bring discrimination claims before the Employment Tribunal.
Employment (Sex Discrimination) Act 2000 prevents discrimination between men and women in relation to employment.
Source: §4, 13 & 19 of the Equality Act; §13 & 19 of the Employment Rights Act 1996; Employment (Sex Discrimination) Act 2000
Equal Choice of Profession
Women can work in the same industries as men as no restrictive provisions could be located in the laws.
Regulations on Fair Treatment
- The Equal Pay Act, 1970
- The Equality Act, 2010
