It is against the law for an employer to treat you unfairly because of your sex, religion, disability or other protected characteristics. This is discrimination, and your rights as an employee are protected under the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 consolidated previous anti-discrimination laws and replaced them with a single Act, making it easier to understand and strengthen protection in some areas. The legislation protects people in the workplace and broader society from discrimination based on:
- Age.
- Sex.
- Race.
- Pregnancy and maternity.
- Religion or belief.
- Disability.
- Sexual orientation.
- Gender reassignment.
If you are looking for advice and guidance on discrimination in the workplace and want to discuss your next steps, please call Berlad Graham LLP today on 0330 475 5665.
There are many examples of discrimination in the workplace that would be classed as unlawful. They can be divided broadly into four main categories.
- Direct discrimination. This might have taken place if you are mistreated at work as a direct result of one of the protected characteristics.
- Indirect discrimination. This occurs if you are treated negatively at work, indirectly linked to your protected characteristic. For example, if you are a woman who can’t work full-time because of childcare commitments and your employer decides not to pay bonuses to part-time employees.
- Harassment. It could be considered harassment at work if you are treated in a way that makes you feel intimidated, humiliated or degraded because of a protected characteristic.
- Victimisation. If you’re poorly treated at work because you complained about discrimination or have helped someone who has been discriminated against and you are victimised.
Legal Specialists Work Discrimination
If you believe you have been discriminated against, and you have been unable to resolve the issue by talking directly with your employer or with the help of mediation, you might be able to make a claim in a court or tribunal. In this case, you will need to show that you’ve been unlawfully discriminated against. Speaking to a specialist employment solicitor about the situation can help evaluate the merits of any claim, and our lawyers at Berlad Graham LLP can advise on the options available to you.
To speak to one of our discrimination law team, please get in touch by calling us on 0330 175 5655, or contact us via email at info@bglaw.co.uk.
Employment Tribunal Solicitors Near Me
We understand that the decision to take an employer to an Employment Tribunal can be difficult, and you might be frightened of the consequences. Our experienced lawyers at Berlad Graham LLP handle every case sensitively and will be able to reassure you about the process involved to ensure you are fully prepared. Employment Tribunals understand that evidence of discrimination is usually hard to find. Therefore, the onus of proof is on your employer to show that there was no discrimination.
If a court or Employment Tribunal rules in your favour, you might be entitled to compensation. There is no upper limit on how much compensation might be awarded; decisions are made on a case-by-case basis after all the relevant factors have been considered. You don’t have to have been with an employer for a particular time to bring a claim; if you think you have been discriminated against, you can bring a claim regardless of how long you have worked somewhere.
COVID Employment Law Advice
Employment Tribunals have, in the past few years, heard cases surrounding coronavirus and are now starting to rule that Covid can be a disability if it meets the criteria mentioned above. If you are suffering from long Covid and it is affecting your ability to work, or you have concerns about Covid safety in your workplace and want legal advice, please don’t hesitate to contact our knowledgeable team.
Contact Berlad Graham for legal advice
To speak to our friendly, experienced, professional discrimination lawyers, please call 0330 175 5655 or email info@bglaw.co.uk.