Upcoming Events :
Housing Seminar: Partnerships with the Public Sector – Avoiding the pitfalls
Thu 31 May 2012
Minerva House, 5 Montague Close, London, SE1 9BB
Employers urged to prepare for Equality Act implementation
Wed 18 Aug 2010
Employers have been told to prepare for the forthcoming implementation of the Equality Act.
The legislation, which comes into force in October, has been designed to make it simpler for businesses to comply with discrimination law, as it brings nine separate regulations together into a single Act.
However, womenintechnology.co.uk has warned that if companies fail to prepare for its introduction, they could be leaving themselves open to costly lawsuits.
Maggie Berry, managing director of the organisation, stated that being up to date with changes in employment laws will help to protect businesses from legal challenges.
She said this would also help ensure that fewer employees become victims of discrimination in the workplace.
The government has already hailed the Equality Act for containing "landmark provisions" that will help tackle issues such as gender pay inequality and discrimination against disabled people.
However, Sue Kelly, an employment partner at Winckworth Sherwood solicitors, commented: "Many of the provisions of the Act go little further than tidying up existing legislation.
"Even pay secrecy clauses are not to be banned outright, but will be unenforceable against employees who make or seek a 'relevant pay disclosure' - in other words one aimed at discovering a pay difference based on discriminatory grounds."
Home secretary Theresa May said the new legislation is also easier for businesses to understand than previous anti-discrimination laws.
