The Equality Act received Royal Assent on the 8 th April 2010. The main provisions of the Act are as follows:
Makes the law easier to understand and implement by simplifying 116 pieces of equality legislation into a single Act for individuals, public authorities and private organisations
Outlaws unlawful discrimination in relation to nine ‘protected characteristics’. These are age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation
Protects disabled people who are disadvantaged as a consequence of their disability
A duty on Landlords to make reasonable adjustments in common areas
Introduction of unlawful age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities or services
Extension of the scope of positive action allowing proportionate measures to be taken to overcome disadvantage or to meet specific needs based on a protected characteristic
The potential to claim direct discrimination because of a combination of two protected characteristics
Provides for changes to the way that individual claims are enforced, and gives employment tribunals wider powers to make recommendations for the collective benefit of employees
A new public sector duty requiring public authorities to consider how they tackle socio-economic disadvantage
A unified public sector duty intended to promote equality in public policy and decision-making, existing provisions being extended to the protected characteristics of sexual orientation, age and religion or belief
A duty to report on equality issues in the workplace including gender, pay, ethnic and disability minority employment rates
Use of public procurement to promote equality.
When will the Equality Act 2010 come into force?
The majority of the provisions in the Equality Act 2010 will come into force in October 2010, with the implementation of some provisions being delayed to allow time for private and public sectors to fully prepare for the changes.